The Porpoise sails for the 



TAHITI AND EIMEO. 



Samoan or Navigator's Group. 



2 P.M. Here they found a guide, and were in- 1 

 formed that the stream was much swollen : they 

 however determined to go forward, and were ac- 

 companied by a troop of boys and girls with 

 flowers. Before they had proceeded far, they 

 reached a place where it was necessary to ford the 

 stream, which they found difficult on account of 

 the rapidity, although the water was only three 

 feet deep. Other fords of the same description 

 occurred every few rods, until they at last reached 

 one in which the water reached to their necks. 

 This was of course dangerous to those who could 

 not swim, but all crossed in safety. A young 

 native, as if in derision of the difficulty which they 

 appeared to experience, and of their effeminate 

 bringing up, dashed into the flood, and was seen 

 plunging down the rapids in sport, and evidently 

 with great enjoyment, although frequently wholly 

 immersed in the foam. 



When they reached the edge of the lake, their 

 guides constructed a hut, in which they passed the 

 night. The next day Lieutenant Emmons made 

 a survey of the lake, and sounded its depth from a 

 raft. It was found to be half a mile in length, a 

 third of a mile in breadth, and in shape nearly 

 oval. The depth in the middle was ninety-six 

 feet, whence it gradually decreases to the edge. 

 It had rained the whole of the preceding night, 

 and the lake was observed to rise about five feet 

 in twenty hours. As far as could be discovered, 

 it has no outlet ; but the natives assert that if a 

 bread-fruit be thrown into the water, it will make 

 its appearance at a spring, which gushes from the 

 hill-side, about two miles north of Ooaigarra, and 



near the sea. The height of the surface of the 

 lake, measured by the sympiesometer, is about one 

 thousand seven hundred feet above the level of the 

 sea. 



Most of the vessels that visit Tahiti are those 

 belonging to our whaling fleet : these average less 

 than a hundred annually. From them the natives 

 are enabled to dispose of some of the supplies they 

 raise, and in return obtain such articles as will 

 promote their comfort and add to their pleasure. 

 The whale-ships, for the most part, have articles of 

 trade which they barter with the natives, so that 

 little money is required to carry on their business. 

 The natives, particularly the chiefs, are however 

 well acquainted with the value of money. 



The few other vessels that visit the islands 

 bring Mttle cargo ; if two arrive at the same time 

 they destroy each other's ventures by glutting the 

 market. 



The pearl-shell fishery of the Paumotu Group 

 centres here. I was told it was principally in the 

 hands of the French consul. For few a years be- 

 fore our arrival, viz. from 1832 to 1838, it had 

 been very productive. The amount obtained was 

 about nine hundred tons, which was estimated 

 to be valued at 45,000 to 50,000 dollars ; the 

 greater part of this was sent to France. Of the 

 agricultural products they have little to dispose of 

 as yet ; neither is the island susceptible of any 

 very extended operations, to induce vessels to 

 visit it exclusively for its trade or productions. 

 The three chief articles of production are sugar, 

 cocoa-nut oil, and arrow-root. 



CHAPTER XII. 

 TAHITI AND EIMEO. 



THE PORPOISE SAILS FOR THE SAMOAN OR NAVIGATOR'S GROUP APPLICATION FROM "jIM" THE PILOT THE 

 V1NCENNES PROCEEDS TO PAPIETI INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEFS GENERAL FREI'RE H1TOTI, A NATIVE 

 CHIEF GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF TAHITI VILLAGE AND BAY OF PAPIETI COMMERCE OP PAPIETI POPU- 

 LATION OP TAHITI DISEASES CRIMINAL TRIAL CULTIVATION USEFUL PLANTS ASCENT OF MOUNT AORAI 

 ABSENCE OF FOSSILS ON TAHITIAN MOUNTAINS MANUFACTURES OF TAHITI REMARKS ON THE CONDUCT OF 

 FOREIGN VISITORS SALE OF ARDENT SPIRITS THEATRICALS BY THE CREW OF THE PEACOCK VINCENNES 

 SAILS FOR EIMEO RESIDENCE OF MR. SIMPSON AT EIMEO SCHOOL FOR THE CHILDREN OF MISSIONARIES 

 CHARACTER OF THE NATIVES SUPPLIES TO BE PROCURED THERE VILLAGES SUGAR PLANTATIONS VON 

 SCHANTZ'S CHART OF TALOO HARBOUR CONCLUSION. 



THE Pcrpoise, having been refitted, was sent to 

 sea on the 20th September, 1839, for the purpose 

 of again visiting the west end of Nairsa or Dean's 

 Island, with Krusenstern's and Lazareff. She was 

 also ordered to p.iss over the supposed locality of 

 Recreation Island, and then to meet the Vincennes 

 at Rose Island, the easternmost of the Samoan or 

 Navigator's Group. 



A stormy evening having occurred previous to 

 our leaving Matavai Bay, " Jim," the pilot, desired 

 to see me ; on his coming into the cabin, to my 

 great amusement, he urged me to allow him to go 

 to Papieti, where he was sure he would be wanted; 

 and when I asked for what purpose, he told me 

 that the " thunder and lightning would bring in 

 ships of war." He was displeased when I laughed 



and said, that as he was engaged on board my ship, 

 I would wait until I saw the ships before I could 

 give him permission. He then reminded me of 

 the night before we arrived, when there was plenty 

 of thunder and lightning, and that he had told me 

 as soon as he came on board that he expected us. 

 He went on to repeat that he was sure that they 

 would want him early in the morning at Papieti, 

 but I persisted in my refusal ; and in the morning 

 he appeared much disconcerted to find that there 

 was nothing in sight out of which he could make a 

 ship of war. 



The Vincennes moved to the harbour of Papieti 

 on the 22nd September. At the same time, orders 

 were given to the Peacock and Flying-Fish to 

 take on board their articles from Point Venus, 



