Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

528 DRESS — CHIEFS— ELOQUENCE. NoV. of the woodwork is painted, neither is there any decoration. Entering the chapel with my companions, I turned towards the principal pews, expecting to see Pomare there ; but no, she was sitting almost alone, at the other end of the building, looking very disconsolate. Natives sitting promiscuously on the benches saluted us as we entered.: — order, or any kind of fcH*m, there was none. The only visible difference between Pomare and her subjects was her wearing a gay silk gown, tied however round the throat, though entirely loose elsewhere ; being made and worn like a loose smock-frock, its uncouth appearance excited more notice from our eyes than the rich material. In her figure, her countenance, or her manner, there was nothing prepossessing, or at all calculated to command the respect of foreigners. I thought of Oberea,* and wished that it had been possible to retain a modified dress of the former kind. A light under- garment added to the dress of Oberea might have suited the climate, satisfied decency, and pleased the eye, even of a painter. Disposed at first to criticise rather ill-naturedly — how soon our feelings altered, as we remarked the superior appearance and indications of intellectual ability shown by the chieftains, and by veiy many of the natives of a lower class. Their man- ner, and animated though quiet tone of speaking, assisted the good sense and apparent honesty of the principal men in eleva- ting our ideas of their talents, and of their wish to act correctly. Every reader of voyages knows that the chiefs of Otaheite are large, fine-looking men. Their manner is easy, respectful, and to a certain degree dignified; indeed on the whole surpris- ingly good. They speak with apparent ease, very much to the * Queen of Otaheite in 1767. " Both men and women aj-e not only decently, but gracefully clothed, in a kind of white cloth, that is made of the bark of a slirub, and very much resembles coarse China paper. Their dress consists of two pieces of this cloth : one of them, a hole having been made in the middle to put the head through, hangs down from the shoulders to the mid- leg before and behind; another piece, wliieh is between four and five yards long, and about one yard broad, they wrap round the body in a very easy manner." — Wallis's Voyage Round the World, I767.