{"id":"01KG8AKXZS9T95M78H4RKP1Q53","cid":"bafkreifyea634xgopeej2x7lfhgwm54luotjd442p2hyqfmdpuytkazame","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":11216,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":11149,"text":"roasted bananas. Pipes were then lighted, and a brisk conversation\r\nensued.\r\n\r\nThese ladies of the court, if not very polished, were surprisingly free\r\nand easy in their manners; quite as much so as King Charles’s beauties.\r\nThere was one of them—an arch little miss, who could converse with us\r\npretty fluently—to whom we strove to make ourselves particularly\r\nagreeable, with the view of engaging her services as cicerone.\r\n\r\nAs such, she turned out to be everything we could desire. No one\r\ndisputing her will, every place was entered without ceremony, curtains\r\nbrushed aside, mats lifted, and each nook and corner explored. Whether\r\nthe little damsel carried her mistress’ signet, that everything opened\r\nto her thus, I know not; but Marbonna himself, the bearer of infants,\r\ncould not have been half so serviceable.\r\n\r\nAmong other houses which we visited, was one of large size and fine\r\nexterior; the special residence of a European—formerly the mate of a\r\nmerchant vessel,—who had done himself the honour of marrying into the\r\nPomaree family. The lady he wedded being a near kinswoman of the queen,\r\nhe became a permanent member of her majesty’s household. This\r\nadventurer rose late, dressed theatrically in calico and trinkets,\r\nassumed a dictatorial tone in conversation, and was evidently upon\r\nexcellent terms with himself.\r\n\r\nWe found him reclining on a mat, smoking a reed-pipe of tobacco, in the\r\nmidst of an admiring circle of chiefs and ladies. He must have noticed\r\nour approach; but instead of rising and offering civilities, he went on\r\ntalking and smoking, without even condescending to look at us.\r\n\r\n“His Highness feels his ‘poee,’” carelessly observed the doctor. The\r\nrest of the company gave us the ordinary salutation, our guide\r\nannouncing us beforehand.\r\n\r\nIn answer to our earnest requests to see the queen, we were now\r\nconducted to an edifice, by far the most spacious, in the inclosure. It\r\nwas at least one hundred and fifty feet in length, very wide, with low\r\neaves, and an exceedingly steep roof of pandannas leaves. There were\r\nneither doors nor windows—nothing along the sides but the slight posts\r\nsupporting the rafters. Between these posts, curtains of fine matting\r\nand tappa were rustling, all round; some of them were festooned, or\r\npartly withdrawn, so as to admit light and air, and afford a glimpse\r\nnow and then of what was going on within.\r\n\r\nPushing aside one of the screens, we entered. The apartment was one\r\nimmense hall; the long and lofty ridge-pole fluttering with fringed\r\nmatting and tassels, full forty feet from the ground. Lounges of mats,\r\npiled one upon another, extended on either side: while here and there\r\nwere slight screens, forming as many recesses, where groups of\r\nnatives—all females—were reclining at their evening meal.\r\n\r\nAs we advanced, these various parties ceased their buzzing, and in\r\nexplanation of our appearance among them, listened to a few cabalistic\r\nwords from our guide.\r\n\r\nThe whole scene was a strange one; but what most excited our surprise\r\nwas the incongruous assemblage of the most costly objects from all\r\nquarters of the globe. Cheek by jowl, they lay beside the rudest native\r\narticles, without the slightest attempt at order. Superb writing-desks\r\nof rosewood, inlaid with silver and mother-of-pearl; decanters and\r\ngoblets of cut glass; embossed volumes of plates; gilded candelabra;\r\nsets of globes and mathematical instruments; the finest porcelain;\r\nrichly-mounted sabres and fowling-pieces; laced hats and sumptuous\r\ngarments of all sorts, with numerous other matters of European\r\nmanufacture, were strewn about among greasy calabashes half-filled with\r\n“poee,” rolls of old tappa and matting, paddles and fish-spears, and\r\nthe ordinary furniture of a Tahitian dwelling.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJNK0ES5TMVQH29S8R6JF","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKXZPE02SAZNW6WFQXMWG","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKXZSZVGW3WYRY5QYC02B","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:20.473Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:33.137Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}