<02 TAFIITL [chap. xviiT. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



TAHITI AND NEW ZEALAND. 



Pass through the Low Archipelago — Tahiti — Aspect — Vegetation on the 

 ^Mountains — View of Einieo — Excursion into the Interior — Profound 

 Ravines— Succession of Waterfalls — Number of wild useful Plants — 

 Temperance of the Inhabitants — Their moral state — Parliament convened 

 — New Zealand — Bay of Islands — Hippahs — Excursion to Waimate — 

 Missionary Establishment — English Weeds now run wild — AVaiomio — 

 Funeral of a New Zealand Woman — Sail for Australia. 



October 20th. — The survey of the Galapagos Archipelago being 

 roncluded, we steered towards Taliiti and commenced our long 

 passage of 3200 miles. In the course of a few days we sailed out 

 of the gloomy and clouded ocean-district which extends during 

 the winter far from the coast of South America. We then en- 

 joyed bright and clear weather, while running pleasantly along 

 at the rate of 150 or 160 miles a day before the steady trade- 

 wind. The temperature in this more central part of the Pacific 

 is higher tlian near tlie American shore. The thermometer in 

 the poop cabin, by night and day, ranged between 60^ and 83", 

 which feels very pleasant ; but with one degree or two higher, 

 the heat becomes oooressive. We passed through the Low or 

 Dangerous Archipelago, and aaw several of those most curious 

 rings of coral land, just rising above the water's edge, which have 

 been called Lagoon Islands. A long and brilliantly-white beach 

 is capped by a margin of green vegetation ; and the strip, look- 

 ing either way, rapidly narrows away in the distance, and sinks 

 beneath the horizon. From the mast-head a wide expanse of 

 smooth water can be seen within the ring. These low hollow 

 coral islands bear no proportion to the vast ocean out of which 

 they abruptly rise ; and it seems wonderful, that such weak in- 

 vaders are not overwhelmed, by the all-powerful and never-tiring 

 waves of that great sea, miscalled the Pacific. 



November \5th. — At daylight, Tahiti, an island which must 



