TAHITI AND EIMEO. 51 



quence ; its timber is used for many purposes ; the fruit was not in 

 season while we were at Tahiti. 



Wild sugar-cane was found in the interior, commonly growing in 

 tufts, but so small in size that it was with difficulty recognised ; the 

 cultivated kind is derived from this, and is also of small size. 



The fruits we met with were oranges, lemons, limes, shaddocks, 

 pine-apples, papayas, bananas, figs, vi-apple, fahies, cocoa-nut, and 

 bread-fruit; the six first mentioned have been introduced since Cook's 

 time. 



The vegetables are sweet-potatoes (Convolvulus), yams of small size, 

 taro (Caladium esculentum), the ape (Caladium macrorhizon), turnips, 

 onions, and leeks ; but there were no common potatoes cultivated. I 

 gave Mr. Wilson some of the yellow Peruvian potato (Papas amarillas), 

 but he informed me that all their attempts to raise potatoes in the low 

 ground had failed. 



The tacca, from which arrow-root is manufactured, grows in quan- 

 tities, but we did not see it cultivated. 



In the botanical researches it was remarkable that not a single stem 

 of paper mulberry (Broussonetia) was found, although former visiters 

 speak of it as the tree from which their cloth was made. 



There are a vast variety of ornamental shrubs, and many aromatic 

 plants, which the natives use to perfume their cocoa-nut oil. 



The tutui tree (Aleurites triloba), the nut of which is used in tattoo- 

 ing, is very common all over the island. 



Tobacco is grown in small quantities. 



Mr. Henry informed me that grapes succeeded well on the south- 

 east side of the island. 



The price of labour is from two to four dollars a month, but for 

 occasional labour fifty cents a day is usually paid. 



Wild hogs are said to be numerous in the mountain region; none of 

 our parties, however, met any. Horses are possessed by many persons 

 on the island, and goats were seen. Dogs and cats were abundant. 

 The island is well supplied with cattle ; they are suffered to run wild, 

 and frequent the neighbourhood of the hills, whither they are obliged to 

 go for pasturage, which is now very scarce on the island, on account 

 of the thick growth of the guava. 



After the departure of the Vincennes, a party from the Peacock, 

 consisting of Mr. Dana and some others, obtained leave of absence from 

 Captain Hudson for five days, with the design of ascending Mount 

 Aorai. They commenced the ascent immediately in the rear of 

 Papieti, and by noon on the second day had reached an elevation of 



