ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 285 



within five miles. This is a very long, low island, profusely co- 

 vered with vegetation, very undulating, and with a fine sand 

 beach surrounding it, upon which the surf breaks furiously. It 

 is said to be sparsely inhabited by people of a very wild and 

 unsocial nature. Ships rarely, if ever, touch here, as the island 

 produces nothing to tempt the cupidity of our mariners. In the 

 evening we had a heavy squall, with rain, and incessant and 

 very vivid lightning. We shortened sail immediately, and lay 

 to, under a double reefed maintopsail and reefed foresail, for 

 about an hour, when the gale subsided, and a dead calm of about 

 the same duration succeeded. During the storm, we observed a 

 little speck of brilliant light, like a star, resting upon the main 

 trucTc or top of the mainmast. In a few minutes after, a similar 

 light appeared upon the summits of both the other masts, and 

 continued visible for about an hour. This is what sailors call a 

 " complaisant" and is of course occasioned by an excess of elec- 

 tricity in the atmosphere. 



In the afternoon we made Tahiti, (or Otaheite,) and the next 

 morning approached to within two miles of it, brought our vessel 

 to, in a fine breeze, and hoisted our signal for a pilot. After 

 waiting about two hours, a native, who spoke English well, board- 

 ed us in a whale boat, and announced himself as authorized pilot 

 of the port. The charge of the vessel was of course given into 

 his hands, and in another hour we were riding at anchor in a 

 beautiful, and very safe harbor. Tahiti, like most islands in 

 these seas, is nearly surrounded by a coral reef, a narrow passage 

 only being found for entrance, but the native pilot appears to be 

 skilful, and I am told that no accident has ever happened here. 



The outline of this island is exceedingly uneven and rugged, 

 being formed of high hills and valleys alternately, but the whole 

 of the land is profusely covered with vegetation. The bay in 

 which we are anchored, (Papeete,) is one of the most beautiful I 

 have seen ; the water in the harbor is at all times so smooth and 



