NEVERpopulous，itwasyetbyachapterofaccidentsthatIfoundtheislandsodesertedthatnosoundofhumanlifediversifiedthehours；thatwewalkedinthattrimpublicgardenofatown，amongclosedhouses，withoutevenalodging-billinawindowtoprovesometenancyinthebackquarters；and，whenwevisitedtheGovernmentbungalow，thatMr。Donat，actingVice-Resident，greetedusalone，andentertaineduswithcocoa-nutpunchesintheSessionsHallandseatofjudgmentofthatwidespreadarchipelago，ourglassesstandingarrayedwithsummonsesandcensusreturns。TheunpopularityofalateVice-Residenthadbegunthemovementofexodus，hisnativeemployesresigningcourtappointmentsandretiringeachtohisowncoco-patchintheremoterdistrictsoftheisle。Uponthebackofthat，theGovernorinPapeeteissuedadecree：AlllandinthePaumotusmustbedefinedandregisteredbyacertaindate。Now，thefolkofthearchipelagoarehalfnomadic；
　　amancanscarcebesaidtobelongtoaparticularatoll；hebelongstoseveral，perhapsholdsastakeandcountscousinshipinhalfascore；andtheinhabitantsofRotoavainparticular，man，woman，andchild，andfromthegendarmetotheMormonprophetandtheschoolmaster，owned-Iwasgoingtosayland-ownedatleastcoralblocksandgrowingcoco-palmsinsomeadjacentisle。Thither-fromthegendarmetothebabeinarms，thepastorfollowedbyhisflock，theschoolmastercarryingalongwithhimhisscholars，andthescholarswiththeirbooksandslates-theyhadtakenshipsometwodaysprevioustoourarrival，andwereallnowengageddisputingboundaries。Fancyoverhearstheshrillnessoftheirdisputationminglewiththesurfandscattersea-fowl。Itwasadmirabletoobservethecompletenessoftheirflight，likethatofhibernatingbirds；nothingleftbutemptyhouses，likeoldneststobereoccupiedinspring；andeventheharmlessnecessarydominiebornewiththemintheirtransmigration。Fiftyoddsetout，andonlyseven，Iwasinformed，remained。ButwhenImadeafeastonboardtheCASCO，morethanseven，andnearerseventimesseven，appearedtobemyguests。Whencetheyappeared，howtheyweresummoned，whithertheyvanishedwhenthefeastwaseaten，Ihavenoguess。InviewofLowIslandtales，andthatawfulfrequentationwhichmakesmenavoidtheseawardbeachesofanatoll，sometwoscoreofthosethatatewithusmayhavereturned，fortheoccasion，fromthekingdomofthedead。
　　Itwasthissolitudethatputitinourmindstohireahouse，andbecome，forthetimebeing，indwellersoftheisle-apracticeI
　　haveeversince，whenitwaspossible，adheredto。Mr。Donatplacedus，withthatintent，undertheconvoyofoneTanieraMahinui，whocombinedtheincongruouscharactersofcatechistandconvict。Thereadermaysmile，butIaffirmhewaswellqualifiedforeitherpart。Forthatofconvict，firstofall，byagoodsubstantialfelony，suchasinalllandscaststheperpetratorinchainsanddungeons。Tanierawasamanofbirth-thechiefawhileago，ashelovedtotell，ofadistrictinAnaaof800souls。
　　InanevilhouritoccurredtotheauthoritiesinPapeetetochargethechiefswiththecollectionofthetaxes。Itisaquestionifmuchwerecollected；itiscertainthatnothingwashandedon；andTaniera，whohaddistinguishedhimselfbyavisittoPapeeteandsomehighlivinginrestaurants，waschosenforthescapegoat。ThereadermustunderstandthatnotTanierabuttheauthoritiesinPapeetewerefirstinfault。Thechargeimposedwasdisproportioned。IhavenotyetheardofanyPolynesiancapableofsuchaburden；honestanduprightHawaiians-oneinparticular，whowasadmiredevenbythewhitesasaninflexiblemagistrate-
　　havestumbledinthenarrowpathofthetrustee。AndTaniera，whenthepinchcame，scornedtodenounceaccomplices；othershadsharedthespoil，heborethepenaltyalone。Hewascondemnedinfiveyears。Theperiod，whenIhadthepleasureofhisfriendship，wasnotyetexpired；hestilldrewprisonrations，thesoleandnotunwelcomereminderofhischains，and，Ibelieve，lookedforwardtothedateofhisenfranchisementwithmerealarm。Forhehadnosenseofshameintheposition；complainedofnothingbutthedefectivetableofhisplaceofexile；regrettednothingbutthefowlsandeggsandfishofhisownmorefavouredisland。Andasforhisparishioners，theydidnotthinkonehairthelessofhim。
　　Aschoolboy，mulctedintenthousandlinesofGreekanddwellingsequesteredinthedormitories，enjoysunabatedconsiderationfromhisfellows。SowithTaniera：amarkedman，notadishonoured；
　　havingfallenunderthelashoftheunthinkablegods；aJob，perhaps，orsayaTanierainthedenoflions。SongsarelikelymadeandsungaboutthissaintlyRobinHood。Ontheotherhand，hewasevenhighlyqualifiedforhisofficeintheChurch；beingbynatureagrave，considerate，andkindlyman；hisfaceruggedandserious，hissmilebright；themasterofseveraltrades，abuilderbothofboatsandhouses；endowedwithafinepulpitvoice；endowedbesideswithsuchagiftofeloquencethatatthegraveofthelatechiefofFakaravahesetalltheassistantsweeping。Inevermetamanofamindmoreecclesiastical；helovedtodisputeandtoinformhimselfofdoctrineandthehistoryofsects；andwhenI
　　showedhimthecutsinavolumeofChambers’sENCYCLOPAEDIA-
　　exceptforoneofanape-reservedhiswholeenthusiasmforcardinals’hats，censers，candlesticks，andcathedrals。Methoughtwhenhelookeduponthecardinal’shatavoicesaidlowinhisear：
　　’Yourfootisontheladder。’
　　UndertheguidanceofTanieraweweresooninstalledinwhatI
　　believetohavebeenthebest-appointedprivatehouseinFakarava。
　　Itstoodjustbeyondthechurchinanoblongpatchofcultivation。
　　MorethanthreehundredsacksofsoilwereimportedfromTahitifortheResidencygarden；andthismustshortlyberenewed，fortheearthblowsaway，sinksincrevicesofthecoral，andissoughtforatlastinvain。Iknownothowmuchearthhadgonetothegardenofmyvilla；someatleast，foranalleyofprosperousbananasrantothegate，andovertherestoftheenclosure，whichwascoveredwiththeusualclinker-likefragmentsofsmashedcoral，notonlycoco-palmsandmikisbutalsofig-treesflourished，allofadeliciousgreenness。Ofcoursetherewasnobladeofgrass。Infrontapicketfencedividedusfromthewhiteroad，thepalm-
　　fringedmarginofthelagoon，andthelagoonitself，reflectingcloudsbydayandstarsbynight。Attheback，abulwarkofuncementedcoralenclosedusfromthenarrowbeltofbushandthenighoceanbeachwheretheseasthundered，theroarandwashofthemstillhumminginthechambersofthehouse。
　　Thisitselfwasofonestory，verandahedfrontandback。Itcontainedthreerooms，threesewing-machines，threesea-chests，chairs，tables，apairofbeds，acradle，adouble-barrelledgun，apairofenlargedcolouredphotographs，apairofcolouredprintsafterWilkieandMulready，andaFrenchlithographwiththelegend：
　　’LEBRIGADEDUGENERALLEPASSETBRULANTSONDRAPEAUDEVANTMETZ。’
　　Underthestiltsofthehouseastovewasrusting，tillwedrewitforthandputitincommission。Notfaroffwastheburrowinthecoralwhencewesuppliedourselveswithbrackishwater。Therewaslivestock，besides，ontheestate-cocksandhensandabraceofill-regulatedcats，whomTanieracameeverymorningwiththesuntofeedongratedcocoa-nut。Hisvoicewasourregularreveille，ringingpleasantlyaboutthegarden：’Pooty-pooty-poo-poo-
　　poo！’
　　Faraswewerefromthepublicoffices，thenearnessofthechapelmadeoursituationwhatiscalledeligibleinadvertisements，andgaveusasidelookonsomenativelife。Everymorning，assoonashehadfedthefowls，Tanierasetthebellagoinginthesmallbelfry；andthefaithful，whowerenotverynumerous，gatheredtoprayers。Iwasoncepresent：itwastheLord’sday，andsevenfemalesandeightmalescomposedthecongregation。Awomanplayedprecentor，startingwithalongishnote；thecatechistjoinedinuponthesecondbar；andthenthefaithfulinabody。Somehadprintedhymn-bookswhichtheyfollowed；someoftherestfilledupwith’eh-eh-eh，’thePaumotuantol-de-rol。Afterthehymn，wehadanantiphonalprayerortwo；andthenTanierarosefromthefrontbench，wherehehadbeensittinginhiscatechist’srobes，passedwithinthealtar-rails，openedhisTahitianBible，andbegantopreachfromnotes。Iunderstoodoneword-thenameofGod；butthepreachermanagedhisvoicewithtaste，usedrareandexpressivegestures，andmadeastrongimpressionofsincerity。Theplainservice，thevernacularBible，thehymn-tunesmostlyonanEnglishpattern-’GodsavetheQueen，’Iwasinformed，aspecialfavourite，-all，savesomepaperflowersuponthealtar，seemednotmerelybutausterelyProtestant。ItisthustheCatholicshavemettheirlowislandproselyteshalf-way。
　　Tanierahadthekeysofourhouse；itwaswithhimImademybargain，ifthatcouldbecalledabargaininwhichallwasremittedtomygenerosity；itwashewhofedthecatsandpoultry，hewhocametocallandpickamealwithuslikeanacknowledgedfriend；andwelongfondlysupposedhewasourlandlord。Thisbeliefwasnottobearthetestofexperience；and，asmychapterhastorelate，nocertaintysucceededit。
　　Wepassedsomedaysofairlessquietandgreatheat；shell-
　　gathererswerewarnedfromtheoceanbeach，wheresunstrokewaitedthemfromtentillfour；thehighestpalmhungmotionless，therewasnovoiceaudiblebutthatoftheseaonthefarside。Atlast，aboutfourofacertainafternoon，longcat’s-pawsflawedthefaceofthelagoon；andpresentlyinthetree-topsthereawokethegratefulbustleofthetrades，andallthehousesandalleysoftheislandwerefannedout。Tomorethanoneenchantedship，thathadlainlongbecalmedinviewofthegreenshore，thewindbroughtdeliverance；andbydaylightonthemorrowaschoonerandtwocutterslaymooredintheportofRotoava。Notonlyintheoutersea，butinthelagoonitself，acertaintrafficwokewiththerevivingbreeze；andamongtherestoneFrancois，ahalf-blood，setsailwiththefirstlightinhisownhalf-deckedcutter。Hehadheldbeforeacourtappointment；being，Ibelieve，theResidencysweeper-out。TroublearisingwiththeunpopularVice-Resident，hehadthrownhishonoursdown，andfledtothefarpartsoftheatolltoplantcabbages-oratleastcoco-palms。ThencehewasnowdrivenbysuchneedasevenaCincinnatusmustacknowledge，andfaredforthecapitalcity，theseatofhislatefunctions，toexchangehalfatonofcoprafornecessaryflour。Andhere，forawhile，thestoryleavestotellofhisvoyaging。
　　Itmusttell，instead，ofourhouse，where，towardsevenatnight，thecatechistcamesuddenlyinwithhispleasedairofbeingwelcome；armedbesideswithaconsiderablebunchofkeys。Theseheproceededtotryonthesea-chests，drawingeachinturnfromitsplaceagainstthewall。Headsofstrangersappearedinthedoorwayandvolunteeredsuggestions。Allinvain。Eithertheywerethewrongkeysorthewrongboxes，orthewrongmanwastryingthem。
　　ForalittleTanierafumedandfretted；thenhadrecoursetothemoresummarymethodofthehatchet；oneofthechestswasbrokenopen，andanarmfulofclothing，maleandfemale，baledoutandhandedtothestrangersontheverandah。
　　ThesewereFrancois，hiswife，andtheirchild。Abouteighta。m。，inthemidstofthelagoon，theircutterhadcapsizedinjibbing。