ABSTRACT
Ariifaité, the prince-consort, played an almost invisible part at the court of his queen. Pomaré, whose aim it was to give the Tahitians a royal family of vigorous mould, had chosen this man as being the tallest and handsomest to be found in her island-realm. He was still a splendid old man, with white hair, a majestic figure, and noble and regular features. But he would not be presentable, obstinately refusing to wear enough clothes; the simple loin-cloth of his country to him seemed sufficient, and he never could accustom himself to a dress-coat. Moreover he often got drunk, so on the whole he was rarely on show.
