SALUBRITY OF THE CLIMATE. 125 
hues of the Tropics. Although Tahaiti is only 
seventeen degrees from the Equator, the heat is 
so much moderated by refreshing breezes that 
it is very supportable even to an European. 
‘ Bougainville never found it above twenty-two, 
and often under eighteen degrees of Reau- 
mur. ‘That indeed was during the winter; but 
even in January, the middle of the Tahaitian 
summer, the atmosphere is much cooled by the 
frequent rains. The air is usually dry, clear, 
and particularly healthy ; sick people brought 
ashore from a sea voyage recover rapidly. 
Here are neither ants, musquitoes, nor any of 
the tormenting insects so common in tropical 
climates; no beast of prey, no destructive 
worm nor serpent; even the scorpion (of which 
a small sort is to be met with) here loses its 
poison. The only plague of this kind is a 
large rat, which does much mischief in the 
fields, and sometimes even bites the Tahaitians 
during their sleep. 
Bougainville says, ‘‘ The inhabitants of Ta- 
haiti consist of two distinct races, which re- 
main such, although their language and man- 
ners are the same, and they appear to mingle. 
