444 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
vicinity of the shore, had been selected by the people, 
who were waiting till we had made our choice, that 
they might build as near our dwelling as would be 
convenient. 
We explored the district carefully, but often found the 
brushwood, and interlaced branches of the trees, so imper¬ 
vious, that, without a hatchet, we should have penetrated 
but a short distance from the winding paths trodden by 
the natives. The soil was good throughout; and, as the 
natives had chosen the most eligible places along the 
shore, we fixed upon a small elevation near the junction 
of two clear and rapid streamlets, about a quarter of 
a mile from the entrance of the valley of Mahamene. 
It was at this time a complete wilderness, overgrown 
with rank weeds and thick brushwood. We com¬ 
menced preparing it for the site of our dwelling; and 
when cleared, it was a most delightful spot. 
A garden is a valuable acquisition in this part of the 
world; and, next to our dwellings, we regarded it as an 
important part of our domestic establishment. As 
soon as the sites of our houses were fixed, we em¬ 
ployed natives to enclose a piece of ground adjoin¬ 
ing them. I had received from governor Macquarie in 
New South Wales, a hundred ears of Egyptian wheat, 
which being a kind frequently grown in a warm cli¬ 
mate, it was supposed might flourish in the islands. 
The grain was planted with care, and grew remark¬ 
ably well; the leaf was green, the stalks high and 
strong, and the ears large; but as they began to turn 
yellow, it appeared that scarcely one of them con¬ 
tained a single grain of corn, and the few that 
were found, were shrivelled and dry. Potatoes were 
also tried, and have been repeatedly planted since, in 
