THIRD VOYAGE 307 



anchor having been conveyed to them. To the same cause 

 we must ascribe the intention of transporting to their island 

 the Spanish bull ; and they had already got possession of 

 a ram, brought to Otaheite by the Spaniards. I carried 

 ashore a ewe which we had brought from the Gape of Good 

 Hope ; and I hope that by this present I have laid the 

 foundation for a breed of sheep at Bolabola. I also left 

 at Ulietea, under the care of Oreo, an English boar and 

 sow, and two goats ; so that not only Otaheite, but all the 

 neighbouring islands will, in a few years, have their race 

 of hogs considerably improved and probably be stocked 

 with all the valuable animals which have been transported 

 hither by their European visitors." 



Captain Cook informs his readers that the following ob- 

 servations on these islands are written by Mr. Anderson. 



" Perhaps there is scarcely a spot in the universe that 

 affords a more luxuriant prospect than the south-east part 

 of Otaheite. The hills are high and steep, but they are 

 covered to the very summits with trees and shrubs. The 

 flat land, which bounds those hills towards the sea, and 

 interjacent valleys also, teem with various productions, that 

 grow with the most exuberant vigour. Nature has been 

 no less liberal in distributing rivulets, which are found in 

 every valley. The habitations of the natives are scattered 

 without order, upon these flats ; and many of them appear- 

 ing toward the shore, presented a delightful scene viewed 

 from our ships. 



" The natural fertility of the country, combined with the 

 mildness and serenity of the climate, renders the natives 

 careless in their cultivation. The cloth-plant, which is 

 raised by seeds brought from the mountains, and the ava, 

 or intoxicating pepper, are almost the only things to which 

 they seem to pay any attention. 



" I have inquired very carefully into their manner of 

 cultivating the bread-fruit tree, but was always answered 

 that they never planted it. This, indeed, must be evident 

 to every one who will examine the places where the young 

 trees come up. 



" Their chief trees beside are the cocoa-nut and the 

 plantain ; the latter only requires attention ; in three 

 months after it is planted it begins to bear, during which 

 time it gives young shoots, which supply a succession of 

 fruit. For the old stocks are cut down as the fruit is taken 

 off. 



" Curiosities of any kind are not numerous. Amongst 

 these we may reckon a pond or lake of fresh water, at the 

 top of one of the highest mountains ; to go to, and to return 

 from, which, takes three or four days. It is remarkable for 



