i f it has a fharp found, and the waves fucceed each other
fail, that the reverfe w ill happen.
Perhaps, there is fcarcely a fpot in the univerfe that affords
a more luxuriant profpeft than the South Eaft part o f
Otaheite. T h e h ills are h ig h and fteep; and, in many
places, craggy. But they are covered to the very furnmns
w ith trees and ihrubs, in fuch a manner, that the fpeftator
can fcarcely help thin kin g, that the ve ry rocks poffefs the
property o f producing and fupporting their verdant clothin
g . T h e flat land w hich bounds thofe hills tdward the fea,
and the interjacent valleys alfo, teem w ith various productions
that grow w ith the moft exuberant v ig o u r ; and, at
once, fill the mind o f the beholder w ith the idea, that no
place upon earth can outdo this, in the ftrength and beauty
o f vegetation. Nature has been no lefs liberal in diftributing
rivulets, w hich are found in every valley ; and as they approach
the fea, often divide into two o r three branches, fertiliz
in g the flat lands throu gh w hich they run. T h e habitations
o f the natives are fcattered, without order, upon thefe flats ;
and many o f them appearing toward the ihore, prefented
a d e ligh tfu l fcene, viewed from our Ihips ; efpecially as the
fea, within the reef, w hich bounds the coaft, is perfectly
ftill, and affords a fafe navigation, at all times, fo r the in habitants
; w ho are often feen paddling in their canoes in dolently
along, in pafllhg from place to place, or in go in g
to fifli. On view in g thefe charming fecncs, 1 have often r e gretted
m y inability to tranfmit to thofe who have had no
opportunity o f feeing them, fuch a defcription as might,
in fome m eafure, convey an impreffion fimilar to what muft
be felt by every one who has been fortunate enough to be
upon the fpot.
Tt is, doubtlefs, the natural fertility o f the country, combined D |g||
-with the mildnefs and ferenity o f the climate, that renders
the natives fo carelefs in their cultivation, that, in many
places, thou gh overflowing with the richeft productions,
thé fmalleft traces o f it cannot be obferved. T he cloth
plant, w hich is raifed b y feeds brought from the mountains,
and the ava, or intoxicating pepper, w hich they defend from
the fun w h en ve ry youn g, by covering them w ith leaves o f
the bread-fruit-tree, are almoft the on ly things to which
they feem to pay any attention ; and thefe th e y keep ve ry
clean.
I have inquired ve ry ca re fu lly into their manner o f cu ltivating
the bread-fruit-tree ; but was always anfwered, that
they never planted it. This, indeed, muft be evident to every
one who w ill examine the places where the yo u n g trees come
up. It w ill be a lwa y s obferved, that they fpring from the
roots o f the old ones; w h ich run a lon g near the furface
o f the ground. So that the bread-fruit-trees ma y be reckoned
thofe that would naturally cover the plains, even
fuppofing that the ifland was not inhabited ; in the fame
manner that the white-bark ed trees, found at Van Diemen’s
Land, conftitute the forefts there. And from this we may
obferve, that the inhabitant o f Otaheite, inftead o f being
obliged to plant his bread, w ill rather be under a n e c e flty
o f preventing its progrefs ; which, I fuppofe, is fometimes
done, to g iv e room for trees o f another fort, to afford him
fome variety in his food.
T he ch ie f o f thefe are the cocoa-nut and plantain ; the
firft o f w hich can giv e no trouble, after it has raifed itfe lf
a foot or two above-the ground ; but the plantain requires a
little more care, lo r , after it is planted, it ihoots up, and,
V o l . II. U ' fo