Two girls soon appeared, carrying their mistress' repast; and then, surrounded by cut-glass and porcelain, and jars of sweetmeats and confections, Pomaree Vahinee I., the titular Queen of Tahiti, ate fish and "poee" out of her native calabashes, disdaining either knife or spoon.
"Come on," whispered Long Ghost, "let's have an audience at once;" and he was on the point of introducing himself, when our guide, quite alarmed, held him back and implored silence.

The other natives also interfered, and, as he was pressing forward, raised such an outcry that Pomaree lifted her eyes and saw us for the first.
She seemed surprised and offended, and, issuing an order in a commanding tone to several of her women, waved us out of the house.
Summary as the dismissal was, court etiquette, no doubt, required our compliance.

We withdrew; making a profound inclination as we disappeared behind the tappa arras.
We departed the ground without seeing Marbonna; and previous to vaulting over the picket, feed our pretty guide after a fashion of our own.

Looking round a few moments after, we saw the damsel escorted back by two men, who seemed to have been sent after her.

I trust she received nothing more than a reprimand.
The next day Po-Po informed us that strict orders had been issued to admit no strangers within the palace precincts..