1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 207 



the cordia sebasliiia), that grow about their villages, 

 or a sort called done dooe, that grow farther up the 

 country. 



The land, as to its general appearance, does not, in 

 the least, resemble any of the islands we have hitherto 

 visited within the tropic, on the south side of the 

 equator ; if we except its hills near the centre, which 

 are high, but slope gently to the sea, or lower lands. 

 Though it be destitute of the delightful borders of 

 Otaheite, and of the luxuriant plains of Tongataboo, 

 covered with trees, which at once afford a friendly 

 shelter from the scorching; sun, and an enchanting 

 prospect to the eye, and food for the natives, which 

 may be truly said to drop from the trees into their 

 mouths, without the laborious task of rearing; though, 

 I say, Atooi be destitute of these advantages, its pos- 

 sessing a greater quantity of gently-rising land, ren- 

 ders it, in some measure, superior to the above favour- 

 ite islands, as being more capable of improvement. 



The height of the land within, the quantity of clouds 

 which we saw, during the whole time we staid, hang- 

 ing over it, and frequently on the other parts, seems to 

 put it beyond all doubt, that there is a sufficient sup- 

 ply of water ; and that there are some running streams 

 which we did not see, especially in the deep valleys, 

 at the entrance of which the villages commonly stand. 

 From the wooded part to the sea, the ground is 

 covered with an excellent sort of grass, about two 

 feet high, which grows sometimes in tufts, and, though 

 not very thick at the place where we were, seemed 

 capable of being converted into plentiful crops of 

 fine hay. But not even a shrub grows naturally on 

 this extensive space. 



In the break, or narrow valley, through which we 

 had our road to the morai, the soil is of a brownish 

 black colour, somewhat loose ; but as we advanced 

 upon the high ground, it changed to a reddish brown, 

 more stiff and clayey, though, at this time, brittle 

 from its dryness. It is most probably the same all 



