The Peacock and Flying-Fish sail 

 for Upulu. 



SAMOAN GROUP. 



Climate of Tutuila. 



The Peacock and Flying-Fish again joined us on 

 the 18th of October, ill eight days from Papieti. 

 Orders were at once given them to proceed to 

 Upolu, to commence the survey of that island. 

 They did not sail, however, until the 20th, having 

 been detained by the winds. The harbour of Pago- 

 pago, though easy of access, is extremely difficult 

 to leave, in consequence of the south-east trade- 

 winds blowing directly in, and rendering it neces- 

 sary to make short tacks. Indeed, a vessel no 

 sooner gets headway on one tack, than it is found 

 necessary to tack again. The sea is often heavy 

 at the mouth of the harbour, and the shore is lined 

 with a narrow coral reef all around it. I was glad 

 to see the Peacock safe outside, after beating about 

 four hours. 



During our stay on this island, the whole was 

 examined, the harbour surveyed, and the principal 

 heights determined. Tide-gauges were kept on 

 the north and south sides, and the observations for 

 magnetic dip, variation, and intensity made. The 

 temperature during our stay of fourteen days 

 varied from 73 to 88; the mean temperature was 

 8050. 



The climate of Tutuila is mild and agreeable, 

 particularly at Pago-pago, where the temperature 

 is lower than it is elsewhere on the island, in con- 

 sequence of its generally being overshadowed with 

 clouds that hang on the high land. There is 

 usually a fine breeze, which sets in about ten 

 o'clock, and continues until sunset. The nights 

 being calm, much dew falls in fine weather. We 

 had little fair weather during our stay, and the 

 prognostication of the natives proved too true, 

 respecting the difficulty of seeing the sun and 

 stars. The wind at times was very strong, almost 

 a gale, accompanied by light rain and mist I was 

 informed that there is a good deal of rain during 

 the year, but seldom such a continuance of it as we 

 experienced. There does not appear to be any 

 particular rainy season, but they are liable to these 

 high winds during the winter mouths, or from 

 October to March. During eleven days of our 

 stay, the quantity of rain that fell was 4$j inches. 



In our explorations, nearly all the villages of 

 this island were visited by some of the officers of 

 the squadron, and from their report they much 

 resemble each other. Those of Fagaitua and 

 Leone, on the southern coast, are the largest, and 

 are more of the Devil's towns than the others. One 

 of their customs is truly savage. They seldom use 

 pork as a food, consequently it is a great rarity 

 with them; but at intervals of several months the 

 villagers assemble at a feast, at which thirty or 

 forty hogs are killed, when they gormandize on 

 them for four or five days, or as long as the food 

 lasts. The whole is eaten, entrails and all. Fish 

 and taro are the principal food, and large numbers 

 of the natives may be seen fishing off the coast in 

 fine weather. The kind of fish usually caught are 

 mullet. 



There is a large kind of worm which they esteem 

 a great delicacy, and which is eaten with much 

 relish. It is impossible to see them sucking down 

 the entrails of the biche-de-mar, holithuria, and 

 echina, without disgust. They also eat many of 

 the shell-fish that are found on the shore. 



The temperature found on the top of Matafoa, 

 at the altitude of two thousand three hundred and 

 fifty-nine feet, was at 4 P.M. 69'4, whilst that on 

 board the ship was 79'5- 



We made an endeavour here to search the reefs 

 at night for shells, with flambeaux or torchlight, 

 after the manner of the Chain islanders, by which 

 means it is said that many species of shells are 

 taken, which are never seen by daylight. We can- 

 not vouch for this being the case, our experiment 

 not having succeeded. The leaves of the cocoa- 

 nut were either too green or too wet to burn, if 

 success really attends this method, it is a singular 

 trait in the economy of mollusca, which are gene- 

 rally supposed to be partial to daylight. It was my 

 determination to make another trial, under more 

 favourable circumstances; but from our constant 

 occupation and fatigue of the crew in the day- 

 time, we were unable to renew the experi- 

 ment. 



