Uponthewhole，theproblemseemstometostandthus：-Wheretherehavebeenfewestchanges，importantorunimportant，salutaryorhurtful，theretheracesurvives。Wheretherehavebeenmost，importantorunimportant，salutaryorhurtful，thereitperishes。
　　Eachchange，howeversmall，augmentsthesumofnewconditionstowhichtheracehastobecomeinured。Theremayseem，APRIORI，nocomparisonbetweenthechangefrom’sourtoddy’tobadgin，andthatfromtheislandkilttoapairofEuropeantrousers。YetIamfarfrompersuadedthattheoneisanymorehurtfulthantheother；
　　andtheunaccustomedracewillsometimesdieofpin-pricks。Weareherefacetofacewithoneofthedifficultiesofthemissionary。
　　InPolynesianislandsheeasilyobtainspre-eminentauthority；thekingbecomeshisMAIREDUPALAIS；hecanproscribe，hecancommand；
　　andthetemptationisevertowardstoomuch。ThusbyallaccountstheCatholicsinMangareva，andthustomyownknowledgetheProtestantsinHawaii，haverenderedlifeinamoreorlessdegreeunliveabletotheirconverts。Andthemild，uncomplainingcreatureslikechildreninaprisonyawnandawaitdeath。Itiseasytoblamethemissionary。Butitishisbusinesstomakechanges。Itissurelyhisbusiness，forexample，topreventwar；andyetIhaveinstancedwaritselfasoneoftheelementsofhealth。Ontheotherhand，itwere，perhaps，easyforthemissionarytoproceedmoregently，andtoregardeverychangeasanaffairofweight。Itaketheaveragemissionary；IamsureI
　　dohimnomorethanjusticewhenIsupposethathewouldhesitatetobombardavillage，eveninordertoconvertanarchipelago。
　　ExperiencebeginstoshowusatleastinPolynesianislandsthatchangeofhabitisbloodierthanabombardment。
　　Thereisonepoint，ereIhavedone，whereImaygotomeetcriticism。Ihavesaidnothingoffaultyhygiene，bathingduringfevers，mistakentreatmentofchildren，nativedoctoring，orabortion-allcausesfrequentlyadduced。AndIhavesaidnothingofthembecausetheyareconditionscommontobothepochs，andevenmoreefficientinthepastthaninthepresent。Wasitnotthesamewithunchastity，itmaybeasked?WasnotthePolynesianalwaysunchaste?Doubtlesshewassoalways：doubtlessheismoresosincethecomingofhisremarkablychastevisitorsfromEurope。
　　TaketheHawaiianaccountofCook：Ihavenodoubtitisentirelyfair。TakeKrusenstern’scandid，almostinnocent，descriptionofaRussianman-of-warattheMarquesas；considerthedisgracefulhistoryofmissionsinHawaiiitself，whereinthewaroflust
　　theAmericanmissionarieswereonceshelledbyanEnglishadventurer，andonceraidedandmishandledbythecrewofanAmericanwarship；addthepracticeofwhalingfleetstocallattheMarquesas，andcarryoffacomplementofwomenforthecruise；
　　consider，besides，howthewhiteswereatfirstregardedinthelightofdemi-gods，asappearsplainlyinthereceptionofCookuponHawaii；andagain，inthestoryofthediscoveryofTutuila，whenthereallydecentwomenofSamoaprostitutedthemselvesinpublictotheFrench；andbearinmindhowitwasthecustomoftheadventurers，andwemayalmostsaythebusinessofthemissionaries，toderideandinfracteventhemostsalutarytapus。
　　Hereweseeeveryengineofdissolutiondirectedatonceagainstavirtueneverandnowhereverystrongorpopular；andtheresult，eveninthemostdegradedislands，hasbeenfurtherdegradation。
　　Mr。Lawes，themissionaryofSavageIsland，toldmethestandardoffemalechastityhaddeclinedtheresincethecomingofthewhites。
　　Inheathentime，ifagirlgavebirthtoabastard，herfatherorbrotherwoulddashtheinfantdownthecliffs；andto-daythescandalwouldbesmall。OrtaketheMarquesas。StanislaoMoanatinitoldmethatinhisownrecollection，theyoungwerestrictlyguarded；theywerenotsufferedsomuchastolookupononeanotherinthestreet，butpassedsomyinformantputitlikedogs；andtheotherdaythewholeschool-childrenofNuka-hivaandUa-puescapedinabodytothewoods，andlivedthereforafortnightinpromiscuousliberty。Readersoftravelsmayperhapsexclaimatmyauthority，anddeclarethemselvesbetterinformed。I
　　shouldpreferthestatementofanintelligentnativelikeStanislaoevenifitstoodalone，whichitisfarfromdoingtothereportofthemosthonesttraveller。Ashipofwarcomestoahaven，anchors，landsaparty，receivesandreturnsavisit，andthecaptainwritesachapteronthemannersoftheisland。Itisnotconsideredwhatclassismostlyseen。YetweshouldnotbepleasedifaLascarforemasthandweretojudgeEnglandbytheladieswhoparadeRatcliffeHighway，andthegentlemenwhosharewiththemtheirhire。Stanislao’sopinionofadecayofvirtueevenintheseunvirtuousislandshasbeensupportedtomebyothers；hisveryexample，theprogressofdissolutionamongsttheyoung，isadducedbyMr。BishopinHawaii。AndsofarasMarquesansareconcerned，wemighthavehazardedaguessofsomedeclineinmanners。Idonotthinkthatanyracecouldeverhaveprosperedormultipliedwithsuchasnowobtain；Iamsuretheywouldhavebeenneveratthepainstocountpaternalkinship。Itisnotpossibletogivedetails；sufficeitthattheirmannersappeartobeimitatedfromthedreamsofignorantandviciouschildren，andtheirdebauchesperseveredinuntilenergy，reason，andalmostlifeitselfareinabeyance。
　　CHAPTERVI-CHIEFSANDTAPUS
　　WEusedtoadmireexceedinglytheblandandgallantmannersofthechiefcalledTaipi-Kikino。Anelegantguestattable，skilledintheuseofknifeandfork，abravefigurewhenheshoulderedagunandstartedforthewoodsafterwildchickens，alwaysserviceable，alwaysingratiatingandgay，Iwouldsometimeswonderwherehefoundhischeerfulness。Hehadenoughtosoberhim，Ithought，inhisofficialbudget。Hisexpenses-forhewasalwaysseenattiredinvirginwhite-musthavebyfarexceededhisincomeofsixdollarsintheyear，orsaytwoshillingsamonth。Andhewashimselfamanofnosubstance；hishousethepoorestinthevillage。Itwascurrentlysupposedthathiselderbrother，Kauanui，musthavehelpedhimout。Buthowcomesitthattheelderbrothershouldsucceedtothefamilyestate，andbeawealthycommoner，andtheyoungerbeapoorman，andyetruleaschiefinAnaho?Thattheoneshouldbewealthy，andtheotheralmostindigentisprobablytobeexplainedbysomeadoption；forcomparativelyfewchildrenarebroughtupinthehouseorsucceedtotheestatesoftheirnaturalbegetters。ThattheoneshouldbechiefinsteadoftheothermustbeexplainedinaveryIrishfashiononthegroundthatneitherofthemisachiefatall。
　　SincethereturnandthewarsoftheFrench，manychiefshavebeendeposed，andmanyso-calledchiefsappointed。Wehaveseen，inthesamehouse，onesuchupstartdrinkinginthecompanyoftwosuchextrudedislandBourbons，men，whosewordafewyearsagowaslifeanddeath，nowsunktobepeasantsliketheirneighbours。SowhentheFrenchoverthrewhereditarytyrants，dubbedthecommonsoftheMarquesasfreeborncitizensoftherepublic，andendowedthemwithavoteforaCONSEILLER-GENERALatTahiti，theyprobablyconceivedthemselvesuponthepathtopopularity；andsofarfromthat，theywererevoltingpublicsentiment。Thedepositionofthechiefswasperhapssometimesneedful；theappointmentofothersmayhavebeenneedfulalso；itwasatleastadelicatebusiness。TheGovernmentofGeorgeII。exiledmanyHighlandmagnates。Itneveroccurredtothemtomanufacturesubstitutes；andiftheFrenchhavebeenmorebold，wehaveyettoseewithwhatsuccess。
　　OurchiefatAnahowasalwayscalled，healwayscalledhimself，Taipi-Kikino；andyetthatwasnothisname，butonlythewandofhisfalseposition。Assoonashewasappointedchief，hisname-
　　whichsignified，ifIrememberexactly，PRINCEBORNAMONGFLOWERS-
　　fellinabeyance，andhewasdubbedinsteadbytheexpressivebyword，Taipi-Kikino-HIGHWATERMAN-OF-NO-ACCOUNT-or，Englishingmoreboldly，BEGGARONHORSEBACK-awittyandawickedcut。A
　　nicknameinPolynesiadestroysalmostthememoryoftheoriginalname。To-day，ifwewerePolynesians，Gladstonewouldbenomoreheardof。WeshouldspeakofandaddressourNestorastheGrandOldMan，anditissothathimselfwouldsignhiscorrespondence。
　　Nottheprevalence，then，butthesignificancyofthenicknameistobenotedhere。Thenewauthoritybeganwithsmallprestige。
　　Taipihasnowbeensometimeinoffice；fromallIsawheseemedapersonveryfit。Heisnottheleastunpopular，andyethispowerisnothing。HeisachieftotheFrench，andgoestobreakfastwiththeResident；butforanypracticalendofchieftaincyaragdollwereequallyefficient。
　　WehadbeenbutthreedaysinAnahowhenwereceivedthevisitofthechiefofHatiheu，amanofweightandfame，lateleaderofawarupontheFrench，lateprisonerinTahiti，andthelasteateroflong-piginNuka-hiva。NotmanyyearshaveelapsedsincehewasseenstridingonthebeachofAnaho，adeadman’sarmacrosshisshoulder。’SodoesKooamuatohisenemies！’heroaredtothepassers-by，andtookabitefromtherawflesh。Andnowbeholdthisgentleman，verywiselyreplacedinofficebytheFrench，payingusamorningvisitinEuropeanclothes。Hewasthemanofthemostcharacterwehadyetseen：hismannersgenialanddecisive，hispersontall，hisfacerugged，astute，formidable，andwithacertainsimilaritytoMr。Gladstone’s-onlyforthebrownnessoftheskin，andthehigh-chief’stattooing，allonesideandmuchoftheotherbeingofanevenblue。Furtheracquaintanceincreasedouropinionofhissense。HeviewedtheCASCOinamannerthenquitenewtous，examiningherlinesandtherunningofthegear；toapieceofknittingonwhichoneofthepartywasengaged，hemusthavedevotedtenminutes’patientstudy；nordidhedesistbeforehehaddivinedtheprinciples；andhewasinterestedeventoexcitementbyatype-writer，whichhelearnedtowork。Whenhedepartedhecarriedawaywithhimalistofhisfamily，withhisownnameprintedbyhisownhandatthebottom。I
　　shouldaddthathewasplainlymuchofahumorist，andnotalittleofahumbug。Hetoldus，forinstance，thathewasapersonofexactsobriety；suchbeingtheobligationofhishighestate：thecommonsmightbesots，butthechiefcouldnotstoopsolow。Andnotmanydaysafterhewastobeobservedinastateofsmilingandlop-sidedimbecility，theCASCOribbonupsidedownonhisdishonouredhat。
　　ButhisbusinessthatmorninginAnahoiswhatconcernsushere。
　　Thedevil-fish，itseems，weregrowingscarceuponthereef；itwasjudgedfittointerposewhatweshouldcallacloseseason；forthatend，inPolynesia，atapuvulgarlyspelt’taboo’hastobedeclared，andwhowastodeclareit?Taipimight；heought；itwasachiefpartofhisduty；butwouldanyoneregardtheinhibitionofaBeggaronHorse-back?Hemightplantpalmbranches：itdidnotintheleastfollowthatthespotwassacred。Hemightrecitethespell：itwasshrewdlysupposedthespiritswouldnothearken。