TAHITI AND EIMEO. 53 



height at which these cease to grow, the ground is chiefly covered 

 with a wiry grass (Gleichenia), which springs up in many places to 

 the height of ten feet, and is every where almost impenetrable. When 

 this was not too high, they broke it down by casting their bodies at 

 full length upon it ; and when of larger growth, they had recourse to 

 cutting away or breaking its stiff and crowded stems, until they had 

 formed a way beneath it, whence the light was almost excluded. 



The want of water, which after a few days of dry weather is 

 seldom found even in the elevated valleys, was an additional discom- 

 fort. It is to be recommended to future travellers in the mountains 

 of Tahiti to make provision against this inconvenience. The party 

 was so much distressed from this cause as to enjoy the dew upon the 

 leaves as a luxury. 



Mr. Dana reported that the visit to Aorai conclusively settled one 

 questionable point in the geology of the island. He found upon its 

 summit neither corals nor " screw-shells," which vague rumours have 

 long located on the top of the Tahitian mountains. Every one who 

 has visited this island has probably heard that such formations exist in 

 these lofty positions ; but the report rests wholly on native authority. 

 Moera, the guide who accompanied the party, and who resides near 

 One-Tree Hill, insisted that he had seen both, and promised to show 

 them. On reaching the summit, he began digging, and the rest of the 

 party aided him. He soon brought up what he called coral, but which 

 proved to be a grayish trachytic rock ; and, although he continued to 

 dig for some time longer, he could find nothing which he could venture 

 to exhibit as screw-shells. 



Tn their descent from Mount Aorai they followed the western side 

 of the valley of Papoa, along a narrow ledge, similar to that by which 

 they had ascended. After proceeding for two hours they reached a 

 small plain, which speedily narrowed to a mere edge of naked rock, 

 with a steep inclination ; this they were compelled to traverse on 

 their hands and knees, taking the greatest care to avoid detaching the 

 rock, which in many places overhung a precipice ; next followed a 

 perpendicular descent of about twenty-five feet, down which they let 

 themselves by ropes ; this difficulty overcome, the rest of the route 

 presented no dangerous features, and was performed in safety. 



The manufactures of Tahiti are of little amount. Among them is 

 that of arrow-root from the Tacca pinnatifida, which employs a por- 

 tion of the population. Cocoa-nut oil is also made, and preserved for 

 use in pieces of bamboo, cut off at the joints, when the natural dia- 

 phragms form a bottom, and the piece is thus a convenient bucket. 



E2 



