Ofoo. Division of the survey of the 

 Samoan Group. 



SAMOAN GROUP. 



Harbour of 1'ago-pago. 



81) 



: 



before he could be made to understand what the 

 reward was for, but when he found it was for his 

 honesty, he laughed heartily. 



This having excited our suspicions, the boat's 

 crew informed me that a canoe that was paddling 

 off had been alongside of the gig, and that they 

 felt satisfied that the natives had taken something 

 from us. It being in our course towards the ship, 

 we gave chase, and being favoured by the wind, 

 soon overtook the canoe, to the great fright of the 

 two natives, who were paddling with all their 

 might, and whose eyes were full of tears when 

 overtaken. They had nothing at all in their canoe, 

 and after examination it proved we had lost no- 

 thing. To console them for this alarm, I gave 

 them a few trifles, and they became easy and 

 cheerful. 



The coral reef around this island was different 

 from any I had hitherto seen. It consisted of two 

 regular shelves, the outer one from fifty to sixty 

 feet wide, and the inner in places measuring one 

 hundred and forty feet. A distinct mark of high 

 water was measured along the beach, and found to 

 be twenty feet above the ordinary sea-tide, which 

 lias from four to five feet rise. 



Ofoo lies to the westward of Oloosinga. There 

 is a passage for boats of about a fourth of a mile 

 in width between them, and anchorage on the 

 western side. Ofoo resembles Oloosinga ; and, 

 from the accounts we received, it has but few 

 inhabitants : those of Oloosinga having made war 

 upon them, and killed the "natives" off. There is 

 a small and comparatively low islet off its western 

 end, near which there is an anchorage. After sun- 

 set we bore away for Tutuila, which can be seen in 

 fine weather from these islands. 



The temperature in the passage from Tahiti to 

 the Samoan Islands had increased from 77'6 to 

 81' 1 1 in the air; and that of the water from 

 79 6 to 81-6. 



As it was my intention to make a thorough 

 examination of this group, I resolved, in oi'der to 

 accomplish it in the least possible time, to divide 

 the squadron, so as to put all the remaining islands 

 under examination at the same time. The island 

 of Tutuila being the most central, and, from the 

 information I had obtained, the best position for 

 my astronomical observations, I selected it for the 

 Vincennes. That of Upolu was reserved for the 

 Peacock and Flying-Fish when they should arrive; 

 and in case of their being detained longer than I had 

 anticipated, I should be ready to take up the survey 

 of the latter, or assist in completing it. The Porpoise 

 was ordered to examine the island of Savaii ; and 

 one of the naturalists, Dr. Pickering, was. directed 

 to join her, for the purpose of exploring the in- 

 terior of the island during her operations in its 

 vicinity. 



On the 10th of October we had light winds, in 

 consequence of which we did not reach Tutuila 

 that day. At daylight on the llth we were near 

 its eastern end, and off the island of Anuu. 



About eight miles to windward of the harbour of 

 Pago-pago, we were boarded by several canoes, in 

 which were some natives, with a white man, by 

 name William Gray, whom I retained as interpre- 

 ter during our stay here, and found of much use. 



The island of Tutuila is high, broken, and of 

 volcanic appearance. It is seventeen miles long, 

 and its greatest width is five miles. The harbour 



of Pago-pago penetrates into the centre, and al- 

 most divides the island into two parts. It is less 

 varied in surface than the Society Islands ; and its 

 highest peak, that of Matafoa, was found to be 

 2327 feet above the sea. The spurs and ridges 

 that form the high land are like those of Tahiti : 

 precipitous, sharp-edged, and frequently rise in 

 mural walls from the water to a height of three 

 or four hundred feet, showing the bare basaltic 

 rock. Above this height, the surface is covered 

 with a luxuriant vegetation to the vei-y top of the 

 mountains ; the cocoa-nut tree and tree-fern give 

 the principal character to this beautiful scenery. 

 Dead coral is seen along the shores, above high- 

 water mark. 



The harbour of Pago-pago is one of the most 

 singular in all the Polynesian isles. It is the last 

 point at which one would look for a place of 

 shelter : the coast near it is peculiarly rugged, 

 and has no appearance of indentations, and the 

 entrance being narrow, is not easily observed. Its 

 shape has been compared to a variety of articles : 

 that which it most nearly resembles is a retort. It 

 is surrounded on all sides by inaccessible mural 

 precipices, from eight hundred to one thousand 

 feet in height. The lower parts of these rocks are 

 bare, but they are clothed above with luxuriant 

 vegetation. So impassable did the rocky barrier 

 appear in all but two places, that the harbour was 

 likened to the valley of Rasselas changed into a 

 lake. The two breaks in the precipice are at the 

 head of the harbour arid at the Pilot's Cove. The 

 harbour is of easy access, and its entrance, which 

 is about a third of a mile in width, is well marked 

 by the Tower Rock and Devil's Point 



As we arrived off the harbour the wind grew 

 light, and finally came out ahead, thus compelling 

 us to beat in to our anchorage, under the direction 

 of Edmund Foxall, a white pilot. He usually 

 comes off to vessels when within two or three 

 miles of the harbour, on a signal being made. We 

 made many tacks before we reached our anchorage, 

 which was in deep water, twenty-nine fathoms. 

 About half a mile from the entrance of the har- 

 bour, it bends at right angles. In this position, 

 surrounded by cliffs, the firing of a gun produces a 

 remarkable reverberation, resembling loud peals of 

 thunder. 



We were surrounded, as soon as we entered, by 

 a large number of canoes, filled with natives, who 

 all seemed delighted with the ship and the number 

 of men on board. When we had moored, one of 

 the principal chiefs, whose name was Toa, was 

 admitted on board ; he was an athletic, muscular 

 man, of large frame, about forty years of age, with 

 a pleasant expression of countenance ; he mani- 

 fested great pleasure in welcoming us. He began 

 by telling me, through the interpreter, that he was 

 a missionary ; that he had formerly been a great 

 thief, and a doer of many bad acts, but being now 

 a missionary, he was reformed and stole no more. 

 He told this with such an open expression of 

 countenance and so much simplicity, that I could 

 scarcely forbear smiling. After I had finished 

 asking him questions, he continued eyeing me from 

 head to foot, as if determining my dimensions. I 

 old the interpreter to ask him why he looked at 

 me so intently. He replied, that he had a coat on 

 shore that was too tight for him about the arms 

 and chest, and lie believed it would fit me : if 



