8s
»774- left plants there, they frequently met with precipices which
are really tremendous. Still higher up the whole ridge was
covered with a foreft, where they gathered a number of
plants, which they had never feen in the vallies below.
After they had eroded the ridge, there fella heavy (hower
of rain ; and they coming to a very dangerous part, Tahea-
faid they could go no farther. They refolved however to
leave their heavy plant and provifion bags behind, and went
up with a (ingle mulket to the fummit of the mountain,
which they reached in about half an hour. Juft about
that time the clouds broke, and they had a profpeft of Hua-
hine, Tethuroa, and Tabbuamanoo. The view o f the fertile-
plain under their feet, and of the valley of Matavai', where
the river makes innumerable meanders, was delightful in the-
higheft degree. Thick clouds however prevented their discerning
any thing on the fouth fide of the ifland. In a few-
moments even the other part Was covered again, and" they
were involved in a mift which wetted them to the fkin. In
their defcent my father had the misfortune to fall in a very
rocky place, and bruifed his leg in fuch a manner, that he
nearly fainted away. When he recovered, and attempted
to proceed, he found that he had alfo received a dangerous
rupture, for which he now continues to wear a bandage.
Tahea affifted him in going down ; and they all arrived on
board about four o’clock in the afternoon. The upper hills
they found to confift of a kind of clay extremely compact
and
and ft iff. The vegetation on the upper part of the moun- $Ltl.
tains was luxuriant, and the woods confided of many unknown
forts of plants. They enquired particularly for the
perfume-wood, with which the natives perfume their oil.
Tahea (hewed them feveral plants which are fometimes ufed
as fubftitutes ; but the mod precious fort itfelf he either could
not, or would not, point out to them. O-Mai has told me
that there are at Taheitee no lefs than fourteen different
forts of plants employed for perfuming ; which (hews how
remarkably fond thefe people are of fine fmells.
The number of common women on board our (hip was
confiderably encreafed fince we had begun to deal in red feathers;
and this night in particular many (trolled about the
decks who-could not meet with partners. The abundance
of pork likewife attradled them; for being alrnoft entirely
deprived of that rich food in their own houfhold, they were
eager to obtain it among our failors, and fometimes con-
fumed incredible quantities. The goodnefs of their appetite
and digeftion expofed them however to the inconvenience
o f reftleffnefs, and often difturbed thofe who wifhed to deep
after the fatigues of the day. On certain urgent occafions
they always required the attendance of their lovers; but as
they were frequently refufed, the decks were made to refem-
ble the paths in the iflands. Every evening thefe women divided
into different troops, which danced on the quarterdeck,
the forecaftle, and the main-deck. Their tmrth was
M 2 often