GEORGE.  “The Society Islands, Grandy.  They consist of six large and several smaller islands.  The principal is called Otaheite, or more properly, Tahiti; which is often styled the ‘Queen of the Pacific.’  The whole circumference of this royal isle is 180 miles; on all sides, rivers are seen descending in beautiful cascades, and the entire land is clothed, from the water’s edge to its topmost heights with continual verdure, which for luxuriance and picturesque effect, is certainly unparalleled.”

CHARLES.  “Excuse me interrupting you, George; but how do you contrive to remember all those long words?”

MR. WILTON.  “I have heard of honorable members being taken to task for ignorance, but never for possessing superior abilities, and I suggest that the learned member be allowed to proceed with his account, without further interruption.”

GEORGE.  “There, Charles, you are called to ‘order,’ and I hope you will not commit yourself again, by trying to break the thread of my narrative.”

CHARLES.  “I am full of contrition; pray proceed, and I trust you will find no great difficulty in joining your thread again.  If you are disposed to retaliate, I give you free permission to criticize me to any extent when my turn comes.”

GEORGE.  “Never fear but I will watch for an opportunity.  The Society Islanders are light-hearted, merry, and fond of social enjoyment, but, at the same time, indolent, deceitful, thievish, and addicted to the excessive use of ardent spirits.  The highest ambition of an Otaheitan is to have a splendid ‘morai,’ or family tomb.  The funerals, especially those of the chiefs, have a solemn and affecting character.  Songs are sung; the mourners, with sharks’ teeth, draw blood from their bodies, which, as it flows, mingles with their tears.  An apron, or maro of red feathers, is the badge of royal dignity, and great deference is paid to the chiefs.  These people manufacture handsome cloths and mats; but the commerce consisting of pearl-shells, sugar, cocoa-nut oil, and arrow-root, in exchange for European manufactures, is carried on chiefly by foreigners, as the natives have no vessels larger than their double canoes.  Otaheite is a fine place, but not so important a commercial station as Oahu, in the Sandwich Islands.  There, Charles, I am at the end of my thread.”

GRANDY.  “And very well you have spun it, George; but as you have not informed us on the subject of the religion of these islanders, I presume it is unknown to you.  They believe in a sort of deity, that he resides in the palace of heaven, with a number of other divinities, who are all designated ‘children of the night.’  The forms of Christian worship are enforced here as rigidly as in the Sandwich Islands; but civilization is considerably less advanced; although I am happy to add, in conclusion, that the people are undergoing a remarkable change, and Christianity is certainly gaining ground; for the idols are being destroyed, and the labors of the zealous missionaries are now sanctioned by the highest authorities.  We will make no more remarks on the Society Islands; for they have formed the subject of more writings, perhaps, than many a kingdom of Europe, and the Otaheitans are positively better known to us than the inhabitants of Sardinia or Corsica.”