Tahiti News.

Tourist Vessels’ Visits.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Feb. 25.

THAT Tahiti is becoming popular as a port of call for tourist vessels is evi denced by the fact that the “Carin thia” and the “Stella Polaris” both paid the island a visit during the early part of February, which, unfortunately, is about the worst month of the year in these islands. The weather at this time is apt to be rainy and the fine intervals between showers, unpleasantly warm and sticky. As luck had it, the visitors were favoured with comparatively fine days and appeared to enjoy immensely their first experience ashore in the Pacific.

The “Carinthia” carried some 250 pas sengers, who all came ashore in the ship’s boats, for the vessel draws too much water to risk entering the Pa peete pass. Though the “Carinthia” only remained here for about 12 hours, ad vance arrangements permitted the sight seers to make a tour of the island, wit ness a native dance, and still have enough time left to hunt for souvenirs in the various curio shops; she left on the evening of February 5.

The “Stella Polaris” arrived on Feb ruary 9 and, after remaining in port for two days, proceeded to the Leeward Group, where a large native dance had been arranged at Borobora and a fire walking exhibition at Raiatea. She then continued her journey to the Cook Is lands. The entertainments were capably organised by Messrs. Bambridge and Higgins, old-timers in this line of catering.