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valley of Pépenéo.* Amid many irregularities, we readily distin- 
guish that the general course of the ridges corresponds nearly to 
radiating lines from the centre toward the shores. 
Bold precipices, or inaccessible slopes, form the sides of these 
ridges, and a narrow edge, scarcely affording a safe pathway for man, 
their summits. ‘This is especially the case beyond four or five miles 
from the shores. The lower declivities are more gradual and less 
broken. 
The valleys enclosed between the precipitous ridges are usually as 
narrow and rugged as the ridges themselves, affording at bottom barely 
room for the streamlet which comes dashing down its rocky bed. 
Within two or three miles from the shore, they are five hundred toa 
thousand feet in depth, and from this they continue increasing in 
abruptness, till they finally abut against the face of the central peak, 
in a precipice of two or three thousand feet. Owing to this peculi- 
arity, it is useless to attempt the ascent of the mountains along the 
valleys. For if not stopped by impassable rocks in the bed of the tor- 
rent, the explorer, when in full hope of success, soon finds himself 
suddenly checked by lofty precipices, the sought-for peak still rearing 
its head several thousand feet above him. 
A few of the valleys enclose, at bottom, a slip of land, through which 
a stream winds its way to the sea. Yet to these there are the same 
abrupt sides, often a thousand feet in height; and far toward the in- 
terior they assume the character above described: the stream becomes 
a mountain torrent, and the bottom of the valley its rocky bed. 
The island is thus a succession of ridges and valleys, the former, 
in height and boldness, scarcely rivalling the depth of the latter. But 
to conceive of Tahitian scenery, it should be borne in mind, that the 
declivities throughout the island are mostly buried in foliage; for 
there is hardly a bluff which is not faced with ferns or shrubbery, or 
hung above with vines, and the steepest slope is concealed beneath 
dense forests. ‘The backs of the ridges, ten or fifteen hundred feet 
above the level of the sea, are generally covered with grass, and look 
dry in aview from shipboard, disappointing the voyager, who is ready 
to expect groves from the shores to the summit. 
To give a more definite idea of the topography of the island, we 
dwell for a moment upon the features of a few of the valleys. 
On the north and west sides of the island, there are five of the larger 
valleys of Tahiti :—the Papenoo, Matavai, Papaua, Papiete, and 
* Pronounced Pahpayno. 
