ABSTRACT
In the afternoon the queen and princesses came on board again to return to Papeete. When they had been received with the customary honours I stood watching the swarm of little barks, native canoes and fishing boats, which were bringing off her suite, the crowd being swelled by a number of women from Moorea, who wished to continue the revels at Tahiti. At last I descried Rarahu; she, too, was homeward-bound. She had changed her white tapa for a pink one, and put fresh flowers in her hair; she looked sad and absent-minded; her face was pale; the tattoo marks stood out on her pallid brow, and the blue rings round her eyes were darker than usual. She had danced till morning no doubt; but she was here, she had come back to me, and for the moment that was all I asked of her.
