NEVERpopulous，itwasyetbyachapterofaccidentsthatIfoundtheislandsodesertedthatnosoundofhumanlifediversifiedthehours；thatwewalkedinthattrimpublicgardenofatown，amongclosedhouses，withoutevenalodging-billinawindowtoprovesometenancyinthebackquarters；and，whenwevisitedtheGovernmentbungalow，thatMr。Donat，actingVice-Resident，greetedusalone，andentertaineduswithcocoa-nutpunchesintheSessionsHallandseatofjudgmentofthatwidespreadarchipelago，ourglassesstandingarrayedwithsummonsesandcensusreturns。TheunpopularityofalateVice-Residenthadbegunthemovementofexodus，hisnativeemployesresigningcourtappointmentsandretiringeachtohisowncoco-patchintheremoterdistrictsoftheisle。Uponthebackofthat，theGovernorinPapeeteissuedadecree：AlllandinthePaumotusmustbedefinedandregisteredbyacertaindate。Now，thefolkofthearchipelagoarehalfnomadic；
amancanscarcebesaidtobelongtoaparticularatoll；hebelongstoseveral，perhapsholdsastakeandcountscousinshipinhalfascore；andtheinhabitantsofRotoavainparticular，man，woman，andchild，andfromthegendarmetotheMormonprophetandtheschoolmaster，owned-Iwasgoingtosayland-ownedatleastcoralblocksandgrowingcoco-palmsinsomeadjacentisle。Thither-fromthegendarmetothebabeinarms，thepastorfollowedbyhisflock，theschoolmastercarryingalongwithhimhisscholars，andthescholarswiththeirbooksandslates-theyhadtakenshipsometwodaysprevioustoourarrival，andwereallnowengageddisputingboundaries。Fancyoverhearstheshrillnessoftheirdisputationminglewiththesurfandscattersea-fowl。Itwasadmirabletoobservethecompletenessoftheirflight，likethatofhibernatingbirds；nothingleftbutemptyhouses，likeoldneststobereoccupiedinspring；andeventheharmlessnecessarydominiebornewiththemintheirtransmigration。Fiftyoddsetout，andonlyseven，Iwasinformed，remained。ButwhenImadeafeastonboardtheCASCO，morethanseven，andnearerseventimesseven，appearedtobemyguests。Whencetheyappeared，howtheyweresummoned，whithertheyvanishedwhenthefeastwaseaten，Ihavenoguess。InviewofLowIslandtales，andthatawfulfrequentationwhichmakesmenavoidtheseawardbeachesofanatoll，sometwoscoreofthosethatatewithusmayhavereturned，fortheoccasion，fromthekingdomofthedead。
Itwasthissolitudethatputitinourmindstohireahouse，andbecome，forthetimebeing，indwellersoftheisle-apracticeI
haveeversince，whenitwaspossible，adheredto。Mr。Donatplacedus，withthatintent，undertheconvoyofoneTanieraMahinui，whocombinedtheincongruouscharactersofcatechistandconvict。Thereadermaysmile，butIaffirmhewaswellqualifiedforeitherpart。Forthatofconvict，firstofall，byagoodsubstantialfelony，suchasinalllandscaststheperpetratorinchainsanddungeons。Tanierawasamanofbirth-thechiefawhileago，ashelovedtotell，ofadistrictinAnaaof800souls。
InanevilhouritoccurredtotheauthoritiesinPapeetetochargethechiefswiththecollectionofthetaxes。Itisaquestionifmuchwerecollected；itiscertainthatnothingwashandedon；andTaniera，whohaddistinguishedhimselfbyavisittoPapeeteandsomehighlivinginrestaurants，waschosenforthescapegoat。ThereadermustunderstandthatnotTanierabuttheauthoritiesinPapeetewerefirstinfault。Thechargeimposedwasdisproportioned。IhavenotyetheardofanyPolynesiancapableofsuchaburden；honestanduprightHawaiians-oneinparticular，whowasadmiredevenbythewhitesasaninflexiblemagistrate-