Page:A Lady's Cruise in a French Man-of-War.djvu/327

Rh I might be ready for a six o'clock start; but it was fully eight before we got away, in a Haapiti boat, which agreed to bring us to this side of the island. We rowed out of harbour, hoping to catch a breeze, but it fell dead calm, and for four long hours we lay just outside the reef, rocked by heavy rollers—the water smooth as oil, and the burning heat of the sun so intense that I almost expected that the water would really frizzle! The thermometer at this season sometimes rises to 120° in the shade. I am afraid that if the truth must be confessed, both M. Brun and I were exceeding sea-sick.

At last, to our great relief, a fresh breeze sprang up, and our little boat literally flew over the water, and in less than two hours carried us across to the pretty village of Tiaia, in the district of Teaharoa, whence one hour's rowing inside the reef, along the most lovely shore, brought us here, where we were welcomed to this sweet French home by its pretty clever little mistress, and three charmingly old-fashioned children, Lucie, Henri, and Adrien, who administered refreshing hot tea to the tired and giddy travellers; after which I, for one, yielded to peaceful sleep, and awoke to find the watchful little trio all ready to escort me in any direction, and show me such treasures of delight as only true country children can discover. This is a fairy-like nest, on the shore of the loveliest sea lake, with wooded mountains all round, and a background of mighty rock-pinnacles, which are glorified in this evening light, and seem like the towers and ramparts of some celestial city.

Sunday, 9th.

To me this has been a day of intense peace. A silence which may be felt seems to enfold this exquisite spot, and from morning till evening not a ripple has disturbed the perfect calm of the blue waters—only the light fronds of the cocoa-palms quiver and gleam with every faint breath of air.

The village is perhaps a quarter of a mile from the house, and lies buried in a thicket of bread-fruit and mango trees. There my hosts have spent the greater part of the day, having held four church services, and morning and afternoon school. But I have rejoiced in a day of quiet idleness, spent chiefly on the lovely shore