THE SOCIETY ISLANDS 
513 
extolled by almost every traveller who has visited it. 
In Captain Cook’s description, he says :—“ Perhaps there 
is scarcely a spot in the universe that affords a more 
luxuriant prospect than the south-east part of Otaheite. 
The hills are high and steep, and in many places craggy; 
but they are covered to the very summit with trees and 
shrubs in such a manner that the spectator can scarcely 
help thinking that the very rocks possess the property 
of producing and supporting their verdant clothing. The 
flat land which bounds those hills towards the sea, and the 
interjacent valleys also, teem with various productions 
which grow with the most exuberant vigour, and at once 
fill the mind of the beholder with the idea that no place 
upon earth can outdo this in the strength and beauty of 
vegetation.” 
Tahiti is entirely formed of lavas and other volcanic 
products, but it is so very ancient, and has suffered so 
much denudation, that its craters have entirely disap¬ 
peared, enormous valleys have been excavated, and a wide 
belt of excessively fertile soil been formed around its 
base. The American geologist Dana considered it to 
present the most wonderful and instructive example of 
volcanic rocks to be found on the globe. The fantastic 
shape of these is no doubt due largely to sudden up¬ 
heaval and disruption. Kemains of plants and insects 
similar to those now living in the country are found under 
some of the ancient lava flows, showing that the 
formation, as well as the denudation, of the island is, 
geologically, a recent phenomenon. 
This terrestrial Eden is peopled by one of the finest 
races in the wmrld, whose slightly veiled, or even fully 
displayed, symmetrical proportions did not fail to excite 
the admiration of the first European discoverers. Eecent 
opinions, however, are less enthusiastic on the subject, 
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