NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
783 
A. Charmer and Mr. F. Pearcey, the birdskinner and naturalists’ assistant. Mr. Miller, 
English Consul at Tahiti, kindly procured the guides and otherwise assisted the party. 
Some of the mountains of Tahiti rise to a height of over 7000 feet, and it was hoped 
to be able to reach a considerable altitude in the search of mountain plants. It was 
settled that at all events the head of a valley in the interior called Papeno should be 
reached. The party was provided with native guides ; one, an old man, supposed to be 
thoroughly acquainted with the mountains. 
The men carried the little baggage on the ends of poles resting on their shoulders 
Fig. 272. — Tahiti. 
like Chinese coolies. The practice of this method of carrying has been remarked Upon 
as one of the many evidences of the Polynesian affinities of the New Zealanders. The 
beautiful valley of Fataua, closed at its head by the irregularly peaked outline of the 
mountain, termed by the French, from its form, the “ Diadem,” was first traversed. 
At some distance from its mouth the valley is barred across by a high cliff 
over which the stream traversing it falls in a very beautiful waterfall. In the cliff 
beneath the falling water is a wide hollow, overhung by the rock above, and in this 
the Tropic Birds ( Phoethon ) nest, and two or three were constantly to be seen flying 
about the cliff and across the deep chasm of the valley, conspicuous against the dense 
(narr. chall. exp. — vol. i. — 1885.) 99 
