*773-
A ugust .
gill with a boat, in order to take advantage of their pre-
fent difpolition.
We were now able to breathe a little, after the continual
hurry which had been the neceffary confequence of the
multiplicity of new objects around us, and of the flxort
fpace of time which we had to obferve them. This interval
of repofe was the more acceptable, as it gave us leifure
to indulge the refledtions which had crouded upon us during
our flay. The refult of thefe was a conviction, .that
this ifland is indeed one of the happieft fpots on the globe.
The rocks of New Zeeland appeared at firft in a favourable
light to our eyes, long tired with the conftant view of fea,
and ice, and ik y ; but time ferved to undeceive us, and gave
us daily caufe of diflike, till we formed a juft conception
of that rude chaotic country. But O-Taheitee, which had
prefented a pleafing profpecl at a diftance, and difplayed
its beauty as we approached, became more enchanting to
us at every excurfion which we made on its plains. Our
long run out of fight of land might have been fuppofed
at firft to have had the fame efiedl as at New Zeeland ; but
our flay confirmed inftead of deftroying the emotions
which we had felt at the firft fight j even though we had
no room to be fo well pleafed with the refrefliments we
had obtained, which were not by far fo plentiful as the fifti
and wild-fowl of New Zeeland, and flill obliged us to have
recourfe
3 !
recourfe to fait provifions. The feafon of the year, which A(j.”
anfwered to our month of February, had naturally brought
on a fcarcity of fruits ; for though it does not manifeft it-
felf here by refrigerating the air, as in countries remote
from the tropics, yet it is the feafon when all vegetation
recovers the juices which have formed the late crop, and
prepares them for a new one. At this time feveral trees entirely
ihed their leaves, feveral plants died away to the
very root, and the remaining ones looked parched on account
of the want of rain, which commonly takes place
then, becaufe the fun is in the oppofite hemifphere. The
■ whole plain therefore was arrayed in a fober brownifli and
Sometimes fallow colour. Only the lofty mountains preserved
richer tints in their forefts, which are fupplied with
more moifture from the clouds that hang on their fummits
almoft every day. From thence, among other things, the
natives brought great quantities of wild plantanes (veheej,
and that perfumed wood (e-ahai), with which they give
their coco-nut oil (monoe), a very fragrant fmell. The
Shattered ftate in which we faw the tops of thefe mountains,
feemed to have been the work of an earthquake;
and the lavas, of which many of the mountains confift,
and of which the natives make feveral tools, convinced us
of the exiftence of former volcanoes on this ifland. The
rich foil of the plains, which is a vegetable mould, mixed
with volcanic decays, and a black irony fand, which is
Vox.. I. S s often