134 cook's voyage to dec. 



strength and beauty of vegetation. Nature has been 

 no less liberal in distributing rivulets, which are 

 found in every valley ; and as they approach the sea, 

 often divide into two or three branches, fertilizing 

 the flat lands through which they run. The habit- 

 ations of the natives are scattered, without order, 

 upon the flats ; and many of them appearing toward 

 the shore, presented a delightful scene, viewed from 

 our ships ; especially as the sea, within the reefi 

 which bounds the coast, is perfectly still, and affords 

 a safe navigation at all times for the inhabitants, 

 who are often seen paddling in their canoes indolently 

 along, in passing from place to place, or in going to 

 fish. On viewing these charming scenes, I have 

 often regretted my inability to transmit to those who 

 have had no opportunity of seeing them, such a de- 

 scription as might, in some measure, convey an im- 

 pression similar to what must be felt by every one 

 who has been fortunate enough to be upon the spot. 



It is, doubtless, the natural fertility of the coun- 

 try, combined with the mildness and serenity of the 

 climate, that renders the natives so careless in their 

 cultivation, that, in many places, though overflowing 

 with the richest productions, the smallest traces of 

 it cannot be observed. The cloth plant, which is 

 raised by seeds brought from the mountains, and the 

 ava, or intoxicating pepper, which they defend from 

 the sun when very young, by covering them with 

 leaves of the bread-fruit-tree, are almost the only 

 things to which they seem to pay any attention ; and 

 these they keep very clean. 



1 have inquired very carefully into their manner 

 of cultivating the bread-fruit-tree ; but was always 

 answered, that they never planted it. This, indeed, 

 must be evident to every one who will examine the 

 places where the young trees come up. It will be 

 always observed, that they spring from the roots of 

 the old ones, which run along near the surface of the 

 ground. So that the bread-fruit-trees mav be reck- 



