Royal Society of London. . 361 



fidelity as the whole troop performed their labours with ala- 

 crity. Mr. Menzies had a portable barometer of a fimple 

 conftruftion, by which he afcertained the height of different 

 places as accurately as the time would allow. _ The ifland 

 appeared to be in general in a ftate of high cultivation: the 

 provifions for the journey confided of live liogs, poultry, dried 

 fifti, yams, and cocoa-nuts, in quantities that loaded more 

 than twenty men. They left the fea-fide the 17th of Janu- 

 ary, after coming by water to the foot of the mountain, the 

 barometer (landing at 30-10, the thermometer at 81°, at 

 noon. The road was through lava and other volcanic pro- 

 duftions for about three miles': here the plantations of bread- 

 fruit trees began, and the country was fertile and pleafani ; 

 the night was pafled in the uppermoft village, confifting of a 

 few fcattered huts. Beyond this was a thick foreft, flcirted 

 by fruitful plantations of bananas and plantains : about three 

 miles within the foreft, the elevation appeared to be 2600 feet 

 above the fea. The thermometer was 59", at noon. The 

 natives conftrucled a number of fmall huts, which afforded 

 flicker to the whole party for the night at the upper extre- 

 mity of the foreft. Here the thermometer was at 58", in 

 the evening : the uniformity of temperature at heights confi- 

 derably different, Mr. Menzies attributes to the ihelter of the 

 foreft, and the evaporation from the trees. But the next 

 morning the thermometer was at 43^. The fummit of the 

 mountain was rugged and barren : Mr. Menzies arrived at it 

 in a few hours From the laft ftation. It afforded a very ex- 

 tenfive view of the ifland, although parts of it were hidden 

 by clouds : its moft confpicuous features were two other 

 mountains, of which the fummits are covered with perpetual 

 fnow, bearing E.N. E. and S.E. by E. of Whararai. On 

 this hill there is a very deep crater of a volcano, with aflies 

 and cinders appearing quite frefli : the natives confider it as 

 the habitation of evil ipirits, whom they attempt to pacify 

 by offerings of various kinds. The party of travellers (pent 

 the whole of this and the following day on the mountain, 

 and paffed the night in caverns thatched with plantain leaves, 

 and ftrewcd with grafs and mats for the occafion. The fo- 

 phora tetrai)tcra was in flower, as a filiall fln-ub ; in the lower 

 parts of the ifland it becomes a tree, of which the natives 

 make their fpears, and which takes a fine polifh. The do- 

 donaea vifcofa thrived on the fummit of the hill ; and a fmall 

 fhrubby geranium was found there. The height appeared to 

 be Socbfeel above the fea. The thermometer was lower at 

 fun-fet th:in at ffvcn in the morning. 



Mr. Menzies dt-lcendcd on the fouih-caft fide of the hill, 



and 



