J. D. Dana on Denudation in the Pacific. 51 
without descending into the deep valleys which bordered our 
path. An occasional descent, and a climb on the opposite side of 
the valley were undertaken ; and although the sides were nearly 
perpendicular, it was accomplished, without much difficulty, by 
clinging from tree to tree, with the assistance of ropes, at times, 
where the mural front was otherwise impassable. By noon of 
the second day, we had reached an elevation of five thousand 
feet and stood on an area twelve feet square, the summit of an 
t 
a a ee 
isolated crest in the ridge on which we were travelling. ty) 
east, we looked down two thousand feet into the Matavai Vailey ; 
to the west a thousand feet into a branch of the Papaua Valley, 
the slopes either way, being from sixty to eighty degrees, or 
within thirty degrees of perpendicular. On the side of our 
ascent, and beyond, on the opposite side, our peak was united 
with the adjoining summit by a thin ridge, reached by a steep 
| descent of three hundred feet. This ridge was described, by our 
natives, as no wider at top than a man’s arm, and a fog coming 
on, they refused to attempt it that day. The next morning being 
clear, we pursued our course. For a hundred rods, the ridge on 
which we walked was two to four feet wide, and from it, we 
looked down, on either side a thousand feet or more, of almost 
perpendicular descent. , Beyond this the ridge continued narrow, 
though less dangerous, until we approached the high peak of 
Aorai. This peak had appeared to be conical and equally access- 
ible on different sides. but it proved to have but one place of ap- 
proach, and that along a wall with precipices of two to three 
thousand feet, and seldom exceeding two feet in width at top. 
In one place we sat on it as on the back of a horse, for it was no 
Wider, and pushed ourselves along till we reached a spot where its 
Width was doubled to two feet, and numerous bushes again afford- 
ing us some security, we dared to walk erect. We at last stood 
us only by the Valley of Matavai, from whose profound depths 
it rose with nearly erect sides. The 
gged outline, stood 
