| Show SPELLS S if E L L S DEATH I 1 A T IF 10 OF F PERFECT WOMEN famous south sea belles are now a drunken degraded race LIVE IN AN ALLURING EDEN remnant of race Is beyond redemption french can only allow Nati natives vesto to die off as speedily as possible washington there can be no doubt that today this drunken disease ridden remnant of the race la is beyond redemption and all the french colonial administration can do Is to pursue its present policy of nominal supervision and let the natives die off as speedily as possible such Is s the pathetic epitaph written by john W church in a communication to the national geographic society of a people whose women were pronounced the most beautiful in the south seas whose dances were the most joyous whose tattooing was vms a line fine art and whose island home was an alluring eden before the white man came to describe the dainty graceful Marque sanne as she unquestionably was will I 1 fear lay roe me open to the charge of exaggeration writes mr church attractions beyond C compare when a woman possesses beautiful luxuriant hair fine alne eyes perfect teeth a slender graceful ferni ferm a skin of velvet texture and unblemished surface and these physical attractions are combined with a vivacity of spirit and action exaggeration becomes difficult and unless all chroniclers of the islands have for several centuries coi agreed to deceive the world s such was the Marque sanne and so she Is today when sickness has not her charm 1 I doubt seriously if a more carefree or contented maiden ever existed her H er domestic duties were light and agreeable the furnishings of her thatched shelter consisted of a few PA odanus sleeping mats nothing in more ore on the stone platform was tin nn assortment of bowls crudely carved by the th men in their intervals froni from warfare these held fish fruit or whatever of food might be prepared for the only dally meal then there were dainty coconut shells ground thin and polished by rubbing on stone under water often carved which held the coco oll oil and other preparations for the tollet toilet dear to the heart of the Marque sanne 1 I have mentioned the use of coco oil by the Marque marquesano sans probably no race ever attained a greater skill in the art of massage certa certainly lilly none ever practiced it more constantly the oil was obtained by filling large wooden bowls with the meat of broken coconuts and placing them in the sun still into the oil thus drawn the intensely fragrant frn grant blossoms of pan or the seeds seed of the spicy aromatic lime were thrown scenting it with a delightful perfume much time spent at men and women alike were dally daily massaged with this scented oil every muscle being gently manipulated with a skill seldom found in a modern masseuse q usually two or three hous bouts were required for the operation at its conclusion the skin was like velvet in texture without a trace of oiliness they treat treated ed their hair in a similar manner and the wonderful luxuriant tresses were probably due to the attention given them in the use ot of coco oil and massage beyond the preparation of the single dally daily meal her massage and such t or mat maling making ns its desire or necessity prompted the life of the siar suesanne nue que sanne was devoted entirely to pleasure the marriage of the maiden to tile the youth of her choice was nas an all interesting ceremony A home for their occupation was built by their friends ind and tile various necessities for connubial 11 happiness Ip placed therein the maiden nias as taken in charge by several young matrons matrona mat rons to be massaged with perfumed oils and her hair and body decorated with wreaths and garlands of flowers the youth was waa con consigned to the ministrations of two older women who rendered him a sira lar service besides smoking him thoroughly with inith the he fumes of sandalwood at the appointed time the scented and garlanded pair vere ere escorted by ti lie e village vill to their fae or hut but where the ki king ng with fill much col ceremony emony declared them tupu tapu for or tn two o weeks for the period of aba th tapu none not might speak peak to them or in any way disturb their honeymoon food wai left each morning on their terrace together ge tiler with baskets of flowers to ha be woven noven irto ir to wreaths and garlands by the happy couple |
