Nov. 1835. 



TAHITI. 



485 



and out of it the mountains rose abruptly. The effect was 

 very pleasing, and might aptly be compared to a framed 

 engraving, where the frame represented the breakers, the 

 marginal paper the lagoon, and the drawing the island itself. 

 When in the evening I descended from the mountain, a 

 man, whom I had pleased with a trifling gift, met me, 

 bringing with him hot roasted bananas, a pine-apple, and 

 cocoa-nuts. After having walked under a burning sun, I 

 do not know any thing more delicious than the milk of a 

 young cocoa-nut. Pine-apples are here so abundant, that 

 the people eat them in the same wasteful manner as we 

 might turnips. They are of an excellent flavour, — perhaps 

 even better than those cultii^ated in England ; and this I 

 believe is the highest compliment which can be paid to a 

 fruit, or indeed to any thing else. Before going on board 

 I went to Mr. Wilson, who interpreted to the Tahitian, who 

 had paid me so adroit an attention, that I wanted him 

 and another man to accompany me on a short excursion 

 into the mountains. 



November 18th. — In the morning I came on shore 

 early, bringing with me some provisions in a bag, and two 

 blankets for myself and servant. These were lashed to 

 each end of a pole, and thus carried by my Tahitian com- 

 panions : from custom these men are able to walk for a 

 whole day, with as much as fifty pounds at each end. I 

 told my guides to provide themselves with food and 

 clothing : but for the latter, they said their skins were suf- 

 ficient, and for the former, that there was plenty of food 

 in the mountains. The line of march was the valley of 

 Tia-auru, in which the river flows that enters the sea by 

 Point Venus. This is one of the principal streams in the 

 island, and its source lies at the base of the loftiest pin- 

 nacles, which attain the elevation of about 7000 feet. The 

 whole island may be considered as one group of mountains, 

 so that the only way to penetrate the interior is to follow 

 up the valleys. Our road, at first, lay through the wood 

 which bordered each side of the river; and the glimpses 



