226 Voyage of the Novara. 



Close behind the hospitable dwelling of Mr. Johnson begins 

 the primitive forest, under the delightful cool shades of which 

 one can ride almost to the goal of the excm'sion, sm^rounded 

 on every side by luxuriant green canopies that seem to scale 

 the very clouds, under whose domes play grateful currents 

 of air.* 



The path, although always a steep ascent, was in very fair 

 condition ; only at the point where it was necessary to ford the 

 river Fautaua, which every year swells into an angry torrent 

 during the rainy season, did we find any serious impediment 

 to our further advance. The bridge across the stream had 

 been swept away, and there was nothing for it but to lead 

 the horses through the water, an achievement of no little diffi- 

 culty and waste of time, owing to the strength of the current 

 and the terror and obstinacy of some of our horses. 



After a ride of several hours in a sort of green twilight, the 

 forest began to open, and there before our astonished gaze was 

 the most important waterfall on the island, imparting an incon- 

 ceivable freshness and animation to the landscape around. 

 The Fautaua makes at this point a leap of about 200 metres 



* Among the splendid specimens of the forest flora of Tahiti we remarked, in 

 addition to the cocoa-nut palm, the bread-fruit tree and Pandanus, of which we shall 

 presently speak more at length, on account of their economic, industrial, and the- 

 rapeutic qualities. The Calophyllum Inojih^Uum (Ati), Inoccnyus edulis (Masse), Ale- 

 urites triloba (Tu-tui), Rhus Tditen&e (Apape), Ficus tinctoria (Mati), Ficusprolixa (Ora), 

 Gleichenia Hermanni (Eanuhe), Hibiscus tilinceus (Purau or Fao), Lagenaria vulgaris 

 (Hue), Pisonia inennis (Puna tehea), Spondias dulcis (Bri), Ariindo Bamhus (Ofe), 

 Tanghinia 3Iaughas (Ruva), Morinda citrifolia (Nono), Giietteiida speciosa (Tafano), 

 Boxa Orellann, S,-c. SfC. 



