TAHITI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 162, 6 July 1878, Page 4

TAHITI.

In the narrative of bis voyage round the world in the yacht Sunbeam, Mr T. Brassey giveß tbe following description of tbe island of Tahiti, which is published io the " Nineteenth Century " :—- --" The population of Tahiti is estimated at 8,000. Some authorities are of opinion that it has increased eince the arrival of the first missionaries.' Others, and among them, competent and reliable native {observers, are convinced that the no tubers have greatly diminished. Captain Cook was present at a naval review at Tahiti at which' 210 canoes were assembled. He eatimates the entire Tahitiau flotilla a. 1720 war canoes, manned by 68,000* able men., r lo this estimate the canoes of the adjacent islands must have been 1 included. Thetrade at Tahiti is in the hands of three or four. large merCantile houses; which have central depots nt Papiete, and several branch depots in /other islands. They pos-ess large fl__ i_ of schooners, by mean's of' which they trade wi.h all the' islands of the Mar- , qoeeae, the Paumcta, and the Tcbuai -groups, and tbe Georgian and Society Islands. Their larger vessels make regular passages between Tahiti, San : Francisco, Valparaiso, ■> Australia, and New Zealand. Where the merchants have no depot, and this most be the usual case, they consign there goodß to some European, who is generally tbe retired master of a small merchant vessel, or a runaway sailer, known in tbe special phraseology of the Pacific as a * beach-comber.' This individual commences his --relations with tbe merchant by entering into an engagement to build a house suitable for tbe sale of goods on some island not, yet occupied by a resident trader. The house being provided, a small parcel of goods, say of the value of £20, is consigned to him on credit, and his profit is made by selling at an advanced rate to the natives. As the trader proceeds he will, if successful, extend bis operations, obtaining larger and larger credits, in tbe form of consignments of goods, from the Tahitian merchants. The principal articles of export from Tahiti are cotton, copra or dried cocoanut kernels, cocoanut oil, pearl shells, maava shells, edible fungus for China, oranges, cocoanuts, limejuice, bancobnuts, and beche -de - mer or tripang, beside vanilla, arrowroot, timber, pearls, &c. In his report on the trade and navigation of Tahiti, published as a bluebook, in 1875, Consul (Miller states that the value oi tbe exports from the isiand in 1874, j according to the average wholesale! prices during the year, may be estimated at £1 10,000. The invoice value of the imports for the same year from ali countries, Sooth Ses Island products only excepted, may be approximately estimated at aboot £125,000. The: small vessels trading-- from - Tahiti are; admirable examples of naval architecture. The ichooaers dfißpatehad with

manufactured goods for distribution through the Low Archipelago, the, Marquesas, find the Leeward Islands are 'built either at Humhold on the coast of California or in New Z inland. Their tonnage varies from 100 io 200 (one. Rigged as fore-and-aft schooners, after the plan of the celebrated America, they are at least equal, in symmetry, speed, and ability to rontend wiih the waves, to the fleet of yachts we are accustomed to sco annually assembled at Cowes or Ryde, The average speed of the brigs and schooners trading between San Francisco and Tahiti falls short of 200 miles a day. This average is due both to sailing qualities of the vessels and to ihe steady winds that prevail within the limits of the trades. The hart or of Pupieta presents a busy scene. Four barques, of large tonnage, lay at anchor on the evening of our departure. Three of (heso displayed the German da?, and ooe the ensign of Canadian' dominion. Tbe crew of the latter were imprisoned at Tahiti. The vessel; wan laden with guano, snd Was bound: to Qaeenstown for orders shortly after leaving Lima tbe cook fell ill, whereupon tbe captain suggested that one man in each watch should cook for his shipmates This proposal was objected to, on the ground that that vessel was already undermanned ; and a counter-proposal was m.de that the captain's servant should become cook. To this tbe captain would have consented, had not his wife objected. A' series of altercations ensued, which became more and more bitter, until at l»Bt the crew refused to work, and the ship was brought into Tahiti by the officers. The men, as has beeu said were at the time of our visit in prison, and a crew of natives had' been shipped in tbeir place. Meanwhile the captain on being called upon to pay expense of the imprisonment of his original crew, objected. I understood, however, tbat he would be compelled to defray the cost of tbeir maintenance here, and would, in addition, be required to carry them to Qaeenstown wuen he .sailed. His owner wbuld thus be subjected to tbe heavy expenses oT.keepiog-a double crew for several months, and the sbip would have been detained at °Ie»8t a month on her voyage. A more conciliatory spirit would probably have averted a rupture, and thus'lmve: saved an outlay of hundreds of pohnds. Io cases of this kind the owners generally take the side of (be master. O'fien, in so doing, they are unjust to the! crew aud too partial io the officers;" Under existing arrangements, shipowners nnd tbe crew, they employ have no direct dealings with one another; and I venture to affirm thai a letter of remonstrance from a dissatisfied orew at the end of a voyage would generally receive but scanty attention. Gn (be other band, the master ia in constant communication with the owneYii His representations of ibe inisco-Fduct'of the orew are received without Question, and with a feeling of ' rffifianatioc not the less deep because k.?ofj|q|^n an ex parte statemenrwSf^ t^a«>oi|^d have no opportunity pr^orfTOtj^,^Many of the vessels it^ii^^Qtf^q^Mti are commana^A^^e^J^^^to'are excellent nev]£Btm^,-an& wW bear a high character for general intelligence, sobriety, aud trustworthiness. The numerous establishments belonging to Mr Brander, the principal merchant of Tahiti, include a cotton-win-ning factory, a blacksmith's, shop a eailmaker'- left, and stores containing anchors, boats, ropes, and equipments pf all kinds for shipping. The warehouses, are filled with flour, American and English fabrics, ironmongery, and preserved provisions. The test phase of Tahitian Church government was explained h£ me by. -the consul. It would appear that the rivalry, of mis-: sioparieß of - different sects .became afc last'-o .ntoler-ible'toihe'Tamtiains thab they established a church of their own,' formed on the Presbyterian model, and served .by-, natives as well as European missionaries. "When the Prencn established their protectorate in Tahiti, some of the missionaries were suspected of sowing the seed of disaffection to the new rulers among their congregations ; and an order waa accordingly issued tha,t the names of ministers elected to serve in the native Church must be submitted td the Government for approval. Practically the nominations have remained in • the hands of the natives : bufc though the Government have never refused to confirm the elections that have been made, they have required that the announcement of thei appointment of a minister should >be conveyed to him through an official channel. Tbis intervention of the civil authorities was distasteful to the missionaries, who one by one resigned, until now only one representative of tho London Bible Society remains in Tahiti. He has no ministerial office, but is invited occasionally to preach.