Tariwaspoor，andpoorlylodged。Hishousewasawoodenframe，runupbyEuropeans；itwasindeedhisofficialresidence，forTariwastheshepherdofthepromontorysheep。Icangiveaperfectinventoryofitscontents：threekegs，atinbiscuit-box，anironsaucepan，severalcocoa-shellcups，alantern，andthreebottles，probablycontainingoil；whiletheclothesofthefamilyandafewmatswerethrownacrosstheopenrafters。Uponmyfirstmeetingwiththisexilehehadconceivedformeoneofthebaselessislandfriendships，hadgivenmenutstodrink，andcarriedmeuptheden’toseemyhouse’-theonlyentertainmentthathehadtooffer。
　　Helikedthe’Amelican，’hesaid，andthe’Inglisman，’butthe’Flessman’washisabhorrence；andhewascarefultoexplainthatifhehadthoughtus’Fless，’weshouldhavehadnoneofhisnuts，andneverasightofhishouse。HisdistastefortheFrenchIcanpartlyunderstand，butnotatallhistolerationoftheAnglo-
　　Saxon。Thenextdayhebroughtmeapig，andsomedayslateroneofourpartygoingashorefoundhiminacttobringasecond。Wewerestillstrangetotheislands；wewerepainedbythepoorman’sgenerosity，whichhecouldillafford，and，byanaturalenoughbutquiteunpardonableblunder，werefusedthepig。HadTaribeenaMarquesanweshouldhaveseenhimnomore；beingwhathewas，themostmild，long-suffering，melancholyman，hetookarevengeahundredtimesmorepainful。ScarcehadthecanoewiththeninevillagersputofffromtheirfarewellbeforetheCASCOwasboardedfromtheotherside。ItwasTari；comingthuslatebecausehehadnocanoeofhisown，andhadfoundithardtoborrowone；comingthussolitaryasindeedwealwayssawhim，becausehewasastrangerintheland，andthedreariestofcompany。Therestofmyfamilybaselyfledfromtheencounter。Imustreceiveourinjuredfriendalone；andtheinterviewmusthavelastedharduponanhour，forhewasloathtotearhimselfaway。’Yougo’way。Iseeyounomore-no，sir！’helamented；andthenlookingabouthimwithruefuladmiration，’Thisgoodeeship-no，sir！-goodeeship！’hewouldexclaim：the’no，sir，’thrownoutsharplythroughthenoseuponarisinginflection，anechofromNewBedfordandthefallaciouswhaler。Fromtheseexpressionsofgriefandpraise，hewouldreturncontinuallytothecaseoftherejectedpig。’Ilikegivepresentall’esameyou，’hecomplained；’onlygotpig：younotakehim！’Hewasapoorman；hehadnochoiceofgifts；hehadonlyapig，herepeated；andIhadrefusedit。Ihaverarelybeenmorewretchedthantoseehimsittingthere，soold，sogrey，sopoor，sohardlyfortuned，ofsoruefulacountenance，andtoappreciate，withgrowingkeenness，theaffrontwhichIhadsoinnocentlydealthim；butitwasoneofthosecasesinwhichspeechisvain。
　　Tari’ssonwassmilingandinert；hisdaughter-in-law，agirlofsixteen，pretty，gentle，andgrave，moreintelligentthanmostAnahowomen，andwithafairshareofFrench；hisgrandchild，amiteofacreatureatthebreast。IwentupthedenonedaywhenTariwasfromhome，andfoundthesonmakingacottonsack，andmadamesucklingmademoiselle。WhenIhadsatdownwiththemonthefloor，thegirlbegantoquestionmeaboutEngland；whichItriedtodescribe，pilingthepanandthecocoashellsoneuponanothertorepresentthehouses，andexplaining，asbestIwasable，andbywordandgesture，theover-population，thehunger，andtheperpetualtoil。’PASDECOCOTIERS?PASDOPOPOI?’sheasked。I
　　toldheritwastoocold，andwentthroughanelaborateperformance，shuttingoutdraughts，andcrouchingoveranimaginaryfire，tomakesuresheunderstood。Butsheunderstoodrightwell；
　　remarkeditmustbebadforthehealth，andsatawhilegravelyreflectingonthatpictureofunwontedsorrows。Iamsureitrousedherpity，foritstruckinheranotherthoughtalwaysuppermostintheMarquesanbosom；andshebeganwithasmilingsadness，andlookingonmeoutofmelancholyeyes，tolamentthedeceaseofherownpeople。’ICIPASDEKANAQUES，’saidshe；andtakingthebabyfromherbreast，shehelditouttomewithbothherhands。’TENEZ-alittlebabylikethis；thendead。AlltheKanaquesdie。Thennomore。’Thesmile，andthisinstancingbythegirl-motherofherowntinyfleshandblood，affectedmestrangely；theyspokeofsotranquiladespair。Meanwhilethehusbandsmilinglymadehissack；andtheunconsciousbabestruggledtoreachapotofraspberryjam，friendship’soffering，whichIhadjustbroughtuptheden；andinaperspectiveofcenturiesIsawtheircaseasours，deathcominginlikeatide，andthedayalreadynumberedwhenthereshouldbenomoreBeretani，andnomoreofanyracewhatever，andwhatoddlytouchedmenomoreliteraryworksandnomorereaders。
　　CHAPTERIV-DEATH
　　THEthoughtofdeath，Ihavesaid，isuppermostinthemindoftheMarquesan。Itwouldbestrangeifitwereotherwise。Theraceisperhapsthehandsomestextant。Sixfeetisaboutthemiddleheightofmales；theyarestronglymuscled，freefromfat，swiftinaction，gracefulinrepose；andthewomen，thoughfatterandduller，arestillcomelyanimals。Tojudgebytheeye，thereisnoracemoreviable；andyetdeathreapsthemwithbothhands。WhenBishopDordillonfirstcametoTai-o-hae，hereckonedtheinhabitantsatmanythousands；hewasbutnewlydead，andinthesamebayStanislaoMoanatinicountedonhisfingerseightresidualnatives。OrtakethevalleyofHapaa，knowntoreadersofHermanMelvilleunderthegrotesquemisspellingofHapar。TherearebuttwowriterswhohavetouchedtheSouthSeaswithanygenius，bothAmericans：MelvilleandCharlesWarrenStoddard；andatthechristeningofthefirstandgreatest，someinfluentialfairymusthavebeenneglected：’Heshallbeabletosee，’’Heshallbeabletotell，’’Heshallbeabletocharm，’saidthefriendlygodmothers；’Butheshallnotbeabletohear，’exclaimedthelast。
　　ThetribeofHapaaissaidtohavenumberedsomefourhundred，whenthesmall-poxcameandreducedthembyone-fourth。Sixmonthslaterawomandevelopedtubercularconsumption；thediseasespreadlikeafireaboutthevalley，andinlessthanayeartwosurvivors，amanandawoman，fledfromthatnew-createdsolitude。
　　AsimilarAdamandEvemaysomedaywitheramongnewraces，thetragicresidueofBritain。WhenIfirstheardthisstorythedatestaggeredme；butIamnowinclinedtothinkitpossible。Earlyintheyearofmyvisit，forexample，orlatetheyearbefore，afirstcaseofphthisisappearedinahouseholdofseventeenpersons，andbythemonthofAugust，whenthetalewastoldme，onesoulsurvived，andthatwasaboywhohadbeenabsentathisschooling。
　　Anddepopulationworksbothways，thedoorsofdeathbeingsetwideopen，andthedoorofbirthalmostclosed。Thus，inthehalf-yearendingJuly1888thereweretwelvedeathsandbutonebirthinthedistrictoftheHatiheu。Sevenoreightmoredeathsweretobelookedforintheordinarycourse；andM。Aussel，theobservantgendarme，knewofbutonelikelybirth。Atthisrateitisnomatterofsurpriseifthepopulationinthatpartshouldhavedeclinedinfortyyearsfromsixthousandtolessthanfourhundred；whichare，oncemoreontheauthorityofM。Aussel，theestimatedfigures。Andtherateofdeclinemusthaveevenacceleratedtowardstheend。
　　AgoodwaytoappreciatethedepopulationistogobylandfromAnahotoHatiheuontheadjacentbay。Theroadisgoodtravelling，butcruellysteep。WeseemedscarcetohavepassedthedesertedhousewhichstandshighestinAnahobeforewewerelookingdizzilydownuponitsroof；theCASCOwelloutinthebay，androllingforawager，shrankvisibly；andpresentlythroughthegapofTari’sisthmus，Ua-hunawasseentohangcloudlikeonthehorizon。Overthesummit，wherethewindblewreallychill，andwhistledinthereed-likegrass，andtossedthegrassyfellofthepandanus，westeppedsuddenly，asthroughadoor，intothenextvaleandbayofHatiheu。Abowlofmountainsenclosesituponthreesides。Onthefourththisramparthasbeenbombardedintoruins，runsdowntoseawardinimminentandshatteredcrags，andpresentstheonepracticablebreachofthebluebay。Theinteriorofthisvesseliscrowdedwithlovelyandvaluabletrees，-orange，breadfruit，mummy-apple，cocoa，theislandchestnut，andforweeds，thepineandthebanana。Fourperennialstreamswaterandkeepitgreen；
　　andalongthedell，firstofone，thenofanother，ofthese，theroad，foraconsiderabledistance，descendsintothisfortunatevalley。Thesongofthewatersandthefamiliardisarrayofbouldersgaveusastrongsenseofhome，whichtheexoticfoliage，thedaft-likegrowthofthepandanus，thebuttressedtrunkofthebanyan，theblackpigsgallopinginthebush，andthearchitectureofthenativehousesdissipatedereitcouldbeenjoyed。
　　ThehousesontheHatiheusidebeginhighup；higheryet，themoremelancholyspectacleofemptypaepaes。Whenanativehabitationisdeserted，thesuperstructure-pandanusthatch，wattle，unstabletropicaltimber-speedilyrots，andisspeedilyscatteredbythewind。Onlythestonesoftheterraceendure；norcananyruin，cairn，orstandingstone，orvitrifiedfortpresentamoresternappearanceofantiquity。Wemusthavepassedfromsixtoeightofthesenowhouselessplatforms。Onthemainroadoftheisland，whereitcrossesthevalleyofTaipi，Mr。Osbournetellsmetheyaretobereckonedbythedozen；andastheroadshavebeenmadelongposteriortotheirerection，perhapstotheirdesertion，andmustsimplyberegardedaslinesdrawnatrandomthroughthebush，theforestoneitherhandmustbeequallyfilledwiththesesurvivals：thegravestonesofwholefamilies。Suchruinsaretapuinthestrictestsense；nonativemustapproachthem；theyhavebecomeoutpostsofthekingdomofthegrave。Itmightappearanaturalandpiouscustominthehundredswhoareleft，therearguardofperishedthousands，thattheirfeetshouldleaveuntrodthesehearthstonesoftheirfathers。Ibelieve，infact，thecustomrestsondifferentandmoregrimconceptions。Butthehouse，thegrave，andeventhebodyofthedead，havebeenalwaysparticularlyhonouredbyMarquesans。Untilrecentlythecorpsewassometimeskeptinthefamilyanddailyoiledandsunned，until，bygradualandrevoltingstages，itdriedintoakindofmummy。
　　Offeringsarestilllaiduponthegrave。InTraitor’sBay，Mr。
　　Osbournesawamanbuyalooking-glasstolayuponhisson’s。Andthesentimentagainstthedesecrationoftombs，thoughtlesslyruffledinthelayingdownofthenewroads，isachiefingredientinthenativehatredfortheFrench。
　　TheMarquesanbeholdswithdismaytheapproachingextinctionofhisrace。Thethoughtofdeathsitsdownwithhimtomeat，andriseswithhimfromhisbed；helivesandbreathesunderashadowofmortalityawfultosupport；andheissoinuredtotheapprehensionthathegreetstherealitywithrelief。Hedoesnotevenseektosupportadisappointment；atanaffront，atabreachofoneofhisfleetingandcommunisticlove-affairs，heseeksaninstantrefugeinthegrave。Hangingisnowthefashion。IheardofthreewhohadhangedthemselvesinthewestendofHiva-oaduringthefirsthalfof1888；butthoughthisbeacommonformofsuicideinotherpartsoftheSouthSeas，IcannotthinkitwillcontinuepopularintheMarquesas。FarmoresuitabletoMarquesansentimentistheoldformofpoisoningwiththefruitoftheeva，whichofferstothenativesuicideacruelbutdeliberatedeath，andgivestimeforthosedecenciesofthelasthour，towhichheattachessuchremarkableimportance。Thecoffincanthusbeathand，thepigskilled，thecryofthemournerssoundingalreadythroughthehouse；
　　andthenitis，andnotbefore，thattheMarquesanisconsciousofachievement，hislifeallroundedin，hisrobeslikeCaesar’s
　　adjustedforthefinalact。Praisenotanymantillheisdead，saidtheancients；envynotanymantillyouhearthemourners，mightbetheMarquesanparody。Thecoffin，thoughoflateintroduction，strangelyengagestheirattention。ItistothematureMarquesanwhatawatchistotheEuropeanschoolboy。FortenyearsQueenVaekehuhaddunnedthefathers；atlast，buttheotherday，theyletherhaveherwill，gaveherhercoffin，andthewoman’ssoulisatrest。Iwastoldadrollinstanceoftheforceofthispreoccupation。ThePolynesiansaresubjecttoadiseaseseeminglyratherofthewillthanofthebody。IwastoldtheTahitianshaveawordforit，ERIMATUA，butcannotfinditinmydictionary。Agendarme，M。Nouveau，hasseenmenbeginningtosuccumbtothisinsubstantialmalady，hasroutedthemfromtheirhouses，turnedthemontodotheirtrickupontheroads，andintwodayshasseenthemcured。Butthisotherremedyismoreoriginal：
　　aMarquesan，dyingofthisdiscouragement-perhapsIshouldrathersaythisacquiescence-hasbeenknown，atthefulfilmentofhiscrowningwish，onthemeresightofthatdesiredhermitage，hiscoffin-torevive，recover，shakeoffthehandofdeath，andberestoredforyearstohisoccupations-carvingtikisidols，letussay，orbraidingoldmen’sbeards。Fromallthisitmaybeconceivedhoweasilytheymeetdeathwhenitapproachesnaturally。
　　Iheardoneexample，grimandpicturesque。Inthetimeofthesmall-poxinHapaa，anoldmanwasseizedwiththedisease；hehadnothoughtofrecovery；hadhisgravedugbyawayside，andlivedinitfornearafortnight，eating，drinking，andsmokingwiththepassers-by，talkingmostlyofhisend，andequallyunconcernedforhimselfandcarelessofthefriendswhomheinfected。
　　Thispronenesstosuicide，andlooseseatinlife，isnotpeculiartotheMarquesan。Whatispeculiaristhewidespreaddepressionandacceptanceofthenationalend。Pleasuresareneglected，thedancelanguishes，thesongsareforgotten。Itistruethatsome，andperhapstoomany，ofthemareproscribed；butmanyremain，iftherewerespirittosupportortorevivethem。AtthelastfeastoftheBastille，StanislaoMoanatinishedtearswhenhebeheldtheinanimateperformanceofthedancers。WhenthepeoplesangforusinAnaho，theymustapologiseforthesmallnessoftheirrepertory。
　　Theywereonlyyoungfolkpresent，theysaid，anditwasonlytheoldthatknewthesongs。ThewholebodyofMarquesanpoetryandmusicwasbeingsufferedtodieoutwithasingledispiritedgeneration。ThefullimportisapparentonlytooneacquaintedwithotherPolynesianraces；whoknowshowtheSamoancoinsafreshsongforeverytriflingincident，orwhohasheardonPenrhyn，forinstanceabandoflittlestriplingmaidsfromeighttotwelvekeepuptheirminstrelsyforhoursuponastretch，onesongfollowinganotherwithoutpause。Inlikemanner，theMarquesan，neverindustrious，beginsnowtoceasealtogetherfromproduction。
　　Theexportsofthegroupdeclineoutofallproportionevenwiththedeath-rateoftheislanders。’Thecoralwaxes，thepalmgrows，andmandeparts，’saystheMarquesan；andhefoldshishands。Andsurelythisisnature。Fondasitmayappear，welabourandrefrain，notfortherewardsofanysinglelife，butwithatimideyeuponthelivesandmemoriesofoursuccessors；andwherenooneistosucceed，ofhisownfamily，orhisowntongue，IdoubtwhetherRothschildswouldmakemoneyorCatopractisevirtue。Itisnatural，also，thatatemporarystimulusshouldsometimesrousetheMarquesanfromhislethargy。OverallthelandwardshoreofAnahocottonrunslikeawildweed；manorwoman，whoevercomestopickit，mayearnadollarintheday；yetwhenwearrived，thetrader’sstore-housewasentirelyempty；andbeforeweleftitwasnearfull。Solongasthecircuswasthere，solongastheCASCO
　　wasyetanchoredinthebay，itbehovedeveryonetomakehisvisit；andtothisendeverywomanmusthaveanewdress，andeverymanashirtandtrousers。Neverbefore，inMr。Regler’sexperience，hadtheydisplayedsomuchactivity。
　　Intheirdespondencythereisanelementofdread。ThefearofghostsandofthedarkisverydeeplywritteninthemindofthePolynesian；notleastoftheMarquesan。PoorTaipi，thechiefofAnaho，wascondemnedtoridetoHatiheuonamoonlessnight。Heborrowedalantern，satalongwhilenervinghimselffortheadventure，andwhenheatlastdeparted，wrungtheCASCOSbythehandasforafinalseparation。Certainpresences，calledVehinehae，frequentandmaketerriblethenocturnalroadside；Iwastoldbyonetheywerelikesomuchmist，andasthetravellerwalkedintothemdispersedanddissipated；anotherdescribedthemasbeingshapedlikemenandhavingeyeslikecats；fromnonecouldIobtainthesmallestclearnessastowhattheydid，orwhereforetheyweredreaded。Wemaybesureatleasttheyrepresentthedead；forthedead，inthemindsoftheislanders，areall-