Is It Legendary ?
p. 59 · Read in the full issue
The Peace Of
Tahiti
From Our Own Correspondent
Papeete, June 10.
IN an essay published in the March number of the “Bulletin de la Societe des Etudes Oceaniennes” the author (a very old resident of Papeete) quotes from Mr. Cecil Lewis’ book, “The Trumpet is Mine”, the following sentence: “Taken all around Papeete maintains Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, more com pletely and simply as a practical way of life, than any other town I was ever in”.
The writer in the “Bulletin” adds this comment:—“However flattering for our chief settlement Mr. Lewis’ judgment on Papeete may be, it is somewhat difficult for those who have lived there a long time to entirely subscribe to it.”
Venerable survivors from an age-long past tell us of a time when the life of Papeete was that of a harmonious, happy family. It may have been so; but, with the essayist, we are inclined to re gard the story as somewhat legendary.
Papeete, in our time, has been the scene of many a teapot tempest when the kettle spout erupted vast clouds of steam with all the fury of Vesuvius, and the lid chattered alarmingly. But, usually, the storm abates, the maoae (the trade wind) blows away the clouds and the sun of peace and tranquility shines in a sapphire sky. It may have been during one of these periods of sweetness and light that Mr, Lewis sojourned at Papeete.