*773>
A ugust. which we faw was of the laft fort, and two canoes with their
fails fet, were at that time returning from thence, where
our guide informed us they often went to catch fifh in the
lagoon. Having relied a little while, we advanced up towards
the interior mountains, which now appeared diftinct-
ly before us. The rich groves which crowned their fummits,
and filled the vallies between them, invited us to advance, and
promifed to reward our prefeverance with a load of new
produftions. But we foon perceived a number of barren
hills and vallies which lay between us and thofe defireable
forefts, and found it was in vain to attempt to reach them
this day. We confulted amongft ourfelves, whether we
fhould venture to pafs a night on thefe hills, but this was
unadvifeable, on account of the uncertainty of the time
when our fhips were to fail, and likewife impraaicable
for want of provifions.— Our Taheitian told us, we fhould
meet with no inhabitants, dwelling, or provifions on the
mountains, and pointed out a narrow path which led down
the fteep fide of the hill into the valley of Matava'f. We began
to defcend therefore, but found it more dangerous than
when we came up: we Humbled every moment, and in
many places were obliged to Aide down on our backs. Our
fhoes were rather a difadvantage to us, being made extremely
flippery by the dry graffes over which we had walked,
while the native with his bare feet was furprifingly fure-
footed. In a fhort time we gave him our fowling-pieces,
to
to enable us to make ufe of our hands, and at laft we refumed
them again, and letting him go before, leaned on
his arm in the moft difficult places. When we were about
half-way down, he hallooed very loud to fome people
whom he faw in the valley ; but we did not believe at that
time that they had heard him, efpecially becaufe he received
no anfwer. However, prefently after we obferved feveral
people coming up towards us, who afcended very fall, fb
as to meet us in about half an hour. They brought us three
frefh coco-nuts, which, whether they were really excellent
in their kind, or whether our great fatigue recommended
them to our tafte, we looked upon as the beft we had ever
emptied. The natives bid us reft a while, and told us that
a little farther down they had left a number of coconuts,
which they would not bring up left we fhould drink
too haftily at firfl. Their precaution was very laudable,
but our thirft made us very impatient till they would permit
us to move forward. At laft we fet out, and coming
on a more level ground, entered a delicious little fhrubbery,
where we fat down in the frefh grafs, and indulged with
the cool neftar which our friends had provided- This
draught enabled us to come down into the valley, where
we were prefently furrounded by a croud of the natives,
and prepared to return with them over the plain to the
fea-fide ; when a well-looking man, accompanied by his
daughter, a young girl ahout fixteen, invited us to his
ho ufe,
*773*
A ugust.