Nevertheless, I will here
venture to give what I remember of it; and, as far as possible, in
Jack's phraseology, so as to lose nothing by a double translation.
"Good friends, I glad to see you; and I very well like to have some
talk with you to-day. Good friends, very bad times in Tahiti; it make
me weep. Pomaree is gone - the island no more yours, but the Wee-wees'
(French). Wicked priests here, too; and wicked idols in woman's
clothes, and brass chains.
"Good friends, no you speak, or look at them - but I know you won't
- they belong to a set of robbers - the wicked Wee-wees. Soon these
bad men be made to go very quick. Beretanee ships of thunder come and
away they go. But no more 'bout this now. I speak more by by.
"Good friends, many whale-ships here now; and many bad men come in
'em. No good sailors living - that you know very well. They come here,
'cause so bad they no keep 'em home.
"My good little girls, no run after sailors - no go where they go; they
harm you. Where they come from, no good people talk to 'em - just like
dogs. Here, they talk to Pomaree, and drink arva with great Poofai.
