TAHITI. 
177 
Like its twin-sister, Great Tahiti, it was originally a huge volcano, shaped like a flattened 
cone or dome. It appears to have suffered less from the effects of subaerial denudation 
than Great Tahiti, and is therefore, probably, of more recent creation. The almost uniform 
direction of the axis of the volcanic groups of the Pacific Ocean, from north-west to south¬ 
east, has struck many observers ; but there exists yet another point of resemblance, the cause 
of which may perhaps be accurately settled in the future—namely, that the successive eruptions 
to which these island-groups owe their existence seem to have begun at the north-western 
extremity of each group, the volcanoes at that end being of older date than those found 
at the south-eastern extremity. Thus, in the Hawaiian group, Kauai, at the north-western 
end of the group, is older than Oahu, the latter older than Maui, while Hawaii, at the 
south-eastern point, is the island most recently raised from the sea-bottom. In the Tahitian 
group, judging from the effects of denudation, Eimeo seems older than Tahiti-nui, and the 
latter older than Tahiti-iti or Taiarapu. The peninsula is only 3700 feet high, little more 
than half the elevation of its neighbour. 
Returning in the direction of Tere’s house, the way led through a large orange grove 
at the back of his dwelling. It was more a wood than a grove, the trees attaining a height 
of about thirty feet. The oranges and pine-apples of Tahiti surpass in size and flavour 
those of any other part of the world visited by us, and are very different from the half- 
ripened, acid, and tough fruits which are sold under these names at home. 
The time had come to bid farewell to our kindly host and hostess, who, according to 
the custom of their race, filled our carriage with parting gifts of fruit and fowl. On our 
return trip we gazed again with admiration at the beautiful mountain and coast scenery visible 
from the road, and thought with a touch of sadness that at least the elder of our little paity 
was not likely to look on it again. During our stay at Papeete, I once happened to express 
to the accomplished aide-de-camp of the Governor, himself a successful amateur landscape 
painter, my regret that none of our European artists—who must be weary of reproducing 
the same aspects of sea and land year after year should have thought of spending some 
time among the genial Tahitians in order to depict the marvellous scenery of these islands. 
A series of truthful representations of tropical views would surely prove a welcome surprise to 
lovers of art, and a novel feature in our exhibitions. No doubt a journey to Tahiti is a 
serious undertaking, and the effects of a hot climate-though this drawback may be 
exaggerated—are not favourable to work requiring long-sustained effort. An obstacle less 
thought of, but perhaps not less real, is the presence of mosquitoes, which render sketching 
or painting in the open air an irksome task. Half-a-dozen of these tormentors will 
sometimes settle on the hand which wields the pencil or brush. However, a passionate lover 
of his craft would find means to overcome even this difficulty, against which may be set the 
advantage of almost perpetual sunshine. On the other hand, the painter must be ready 
to abandon many cherished traditions, and begin to study nature over again, for the effects 
of form and colour, of light and shade, in a tropical landscape, demand a treatment different 
from that employed in the reproduction of the more subdued features of English or 
