This fascinating book provides a firsthand account of life in Tahiti in the early 19th century, based on the experiences of George Pritchard, a British consul who lived and worked on the island. The book focuses in particular on Pomare, the powerful queen of Tahiti, and her efforts to maintain a measure of autonomy and independence in the face of European colonization. Pritchard's observations of Tahitian culture and society are detailed and insightful, and provide a valuable window into a critical period in Polynesian history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.