479 



CHAPTER XX. 



Tahiti — Aspect — Vegetation on the slope of the mountains— View of 

 Eimeo — Excursion in the interior — Profound ravines — Succession of 

 waterfalls — Number of wild useful plants — Temperance of inhabitants 

 — Their moral state — Parliament convened — New Zealand — Bay of 

 islands — Hippahs — Absence of all government — Excursion to Waimate 

 — Missionary establishment— English weeds now run wild — Waiomio — 

 Funeral service — Sail from New Zealand. 



TAHITI AND NEW ZEALAND. 



October 20th. — The survey of the Galapagos Archi- 

 pelago being concluded, a course was steered towards Tahiti ; 

 and we commenced our long passage of 3200 miles. In the 

 course of a few days we sailed out of the gloomy and clouded 

 region, which extends during the winter far from the coast of 

 South America. We then enjoyed bright and clear weather, 

 while running pleasantly along at the rate of 150 or 160 miles 

 a day before a steady trade-wind. The temperature in this 

 more central part of the Pacific, is higher than near the 

 American shore. The thermometer in the poop cabin, both 

 by night and day, ranged between 80° and 83°, which to my 

 feelings was quite delightful; but with one degree higher, 

 the elFect became oppressive. We passed through the 

 Dangerous or Low Archipelago, and saw several of those 

 most curious rings of land, just rising above the edge of the 

 water, which have been called Lagoon Islands. A long and 

 brilliantly-white beach is capped by a margin of green vege- 

 tation ; and this strip appears on both hands rapidly to nar- 

 row away in the distance, and then sinks beneath the horizon. 

 From the mast-head a wide expanse of smooth water can be 

 seen within the annular margin of land. These low islands 

 bear no proportion to the va^ ocean out of which they 

 abruptly rise ; and it seems wonderful, that such weak in- 



