November15th——Atdaylight，Tahiti，anislandwhichmustforeverremainclassicaltothevoyagerintheSouthSea，wasinview。Atadistancetheappearancewasnotattractive。Theluxuriantvegetationofthelowerpartcouldnotyetbeseen，andasthecloudsrolledpast，thewildestandmostprecipitouspeaksshowedthemselvestowardsthecentreoftheisland。AssoonasweanchoredinMatavaiBay，weweresurroundedbycanoes。
　　ThiswasourSunday，buttheMondayofTahiti：ifthecasehadbeenreversed，weshouldnothavereceivedasinglevisit；fortheinjunctionnottolaunchacanoeonthesabbathisrigidlyobeyed。Afterdinnerwelandedtoenjoyallthedelightsproducedbythefirstimpressionsofanewcountry，andthatcountrythecharmingTahiti。Acrowdofmen，women，andchildren，wascollectedonthememorablePointVenus，readytoreceiveuswithlaughing，merryfaces。TheymarshalledustowardsthehouseofMr。Wilson，themissionaryofthedistrict，whometusontheroad，andgaveusaveryfriendlyreception。
　　Aftersittingaveryshorttimeinhishouse，weseparatedtowalkabout，butreturnedthereintheevening。
　　Thelandcapableofcultivation，isscarcelyinanypartmorethanafringeoflowalluvialsoil，accumulatedroundthebaseofthemountains，andprotectedfromthewavesoftheseabyacoralreef，whichencirclestheentirelineofcoast。Withinthereefthereisanexpanseofsmoothwater，likethatofalake，wherethecanoesofthenativescanplywithsafetyandwhereshipsanchor。Thelowlandwhichcomesdowntothebeachofcoral-sand，iscoveredbythemostbeautifulproductionsoftheintertropicalregions。Inthemidstofbananas，orange，cocoa-nut，andbread-fruittrees，spotsareclearedwhereyams，sweetpotatoes，andsugar-cane，andpine-applesarecultivated。Eventhebrush-woodisanimportedfruit-tree，namely，theguava，whichfromitsabundancehasbecomeasnoxiousasaweed。InBrazilIhaveoftenadmiredthevariedbeautyofthebananas，palms，andorange-treescontrastedtogether；andherewealsohavethebread-fruit，conspicuousfromitslarge，glossy，anddeeplydigitatedleaf。Itisadmirabletobeholdgrovesofatree，sendingforthitsbrancheswiththevigourofanEnglishoak，loadedwithlargeandmostnutritiousfruit。Howeverseldomtheusefulnessofanobjectcanaccountforthepleasureofbeholdingit，inthecaseofthesebeautifulwoods，theknowledgeoftheirhighproductivenessnodoubtenterslargelyintothefeelingofadmiration。Thelittlewindingpaths，coolfromthesurroundingshade，ledtothescatteredhouses；theownersofwhicheverywheregaveusacheerfulandmosthospitablereception。
　　Iwaspleasedwithnothingsomuchaswiththeinhabitants。Thereisamildnessintheexpressionoftheircountenanceswhichatoncebanishestheideaofasavage；andintelligencewhichshowsthattheyareadvancingincivilization。Thecommonpeople，whenworking，keeptheupperpartoftheirbodiesquitenaked；anditisthenthattheTahitiansareseentoadvantage。Theyareverytall，broad-shouldered，athletic，andwell-proportioned。
　　Ithasbeenremarked，thatitrequireslittlehabittomakeadarkskinmorepleasingandnaturaltotheeyeofanEuropeanthanhisowncolour。
　　AwhitemanbathingbythesideofaTahitian，waslikeaplantbleachedbythegardener’sartcomparedwithafinedarkgreenonegrowingvigorouslyintheopenfields。Mostofthemenaretattooed，andtheornamentsfollowthecurvatureofthebodysogracefully，thattheyhaveaveryeleganteffect。Onecommonpattern，varyinginitsdetails，issomewhatlikethecrownofapalm-tree。Itspringsfromthecentrallineoftheback，andgracefullycurlsroundbothsides。Thesimilemaybeafancifulone，butIthoughtthebodyofamanthusornamentedwaslikethetrunkofa，nobletreeembracedbyadelicatecreeper。
　　Manyoftheelderpeoplehadtheirfeetcoveredwithsmallfigures，soplacedastoresembleasock。Thisfashion，however，ispartlygoneby，andhasbeensucceededbyothers。Here，althoughfashionisfarfromimmutable，everyonemustabidebythatprevailinginhisyouth。Anoldmanhasthushisageforeverstampedonhisbody，andhecannotassumetheairsofayoungdandy。Thewomenaretattooedinthesamemannerasthemen，andverycommonlyontheirfingers。Oneunbecomingfashionisnowalmostuniversal：namely，shavingthehairfromtheupperpartofthehead，inacircularform，soastoleaveonlyanouterring。Themissionarieshavetriedtopersuadethepeopletochangethishabit；butitisthefashion，andthatisasufficientansweratTahiti，aswellasatParis。Iwasmuchdisappointedinthepersonalappearanceofthewomen：theyarefarinferiorineveryrespecttothemen。Thecustomofwearingawhiteorscarletflowerinthebackofthehead，orthroughasmallholeineachear，ispretty。
　　Acrownofwovencocoa-nutleavesisalsowornasashadefortheeyes。
　　Thewomenappeartobeingreaterwantofsomebecomingcostumeeventhanthemen。
　　NearlyallthenativesunderstandalittleEnglish——thatis，theyknowthenamesofcommonthings；andbytheaidofthis，togetherwithsigns，alamesortofconversationcouldbecarriedon。Inreturningintheeveningtotheboat，westoppedtowitnessaveryprettyscene。Numbersofchildrenwereplayingonthebeach，andhadlightedbonfireswhichilluminedtheplacidseaandsurroundingtrees；others，incircles，weresingingTahitianverses。Weseatedourselvesonthesand，andjoinedtheirparty。
　　Thesongswereimpromptu，andIbelieverelatedtoourarrival：onelittlegirlsangaline，whichtheresttookupinparts，formingaveryprettychorus。Thewholescenemadeusunequivocallyawarethatwewereseatedontheshoresofanislandinthefar-famedSouthSea。
　　17th——Thisdayisreckonedinthelog-bookasTuesdaythe17th，insteadofMondaythe16th，owingtoour，sofar，successfulchaseofthesun。
　　Beforebreakfasttheshipwashemmedinbyaflotillaofcanoes；andwhenthenativeswereallowedtocomeonboard，Isupposetherecouldnothavebeenlessthantwohundred。Itwastheopinionofeveryonethatitwouldhavebeendifficulttohavepickedoutanequalnumberfromanyothernation，whowouldhavegivensolittletrouble。Everybodybroughtsomethingforsale：shellswerethemainarticlesoftrade。TheTahitiansnowfullyunderstandthevalueofmoney，andpreferittooldclothesorotherarticles。Thevariouscoins，however，ofEnglishandSpanishdenominationpuzzlethem，andtheyneverseemedtothinkthesmallsilverquitesecureuntilchangedintodollars。Someofthechiefshaveaccumulatedconsiderablesumsofmoney。Onechief，notlongsince，offered800dollarsabout160poundssterlingforasmallvessel；andfrequentlytheypurchasewhale-boatsandhorsesattherateoffrom50to100dollars。
　　AfterbreakfastIwentonshore，andascendedthenearestslopetoaheightofbetweentwoandthreethousandfeet。Theoutermountainsaresmoothandconical，butsteep；andtheoldvolcanicrocks，ofwhichtheyareformed，havebeencutthroughbymanyprofoundravines，divergingfromthecentralbrokenpartsoftheislandtothecoast。Havingcrossedthenarrowlowgirtofinhabitedandfertileland，Ifollowedasmoothsteepridgebetweentwoofthedeepravines。Thevegetationwassingular，consistingalmostexclusivelyofsmalldwarfferns，mingledhigherup，withcoarsegrass；itwasnotverydissimilarfromthatonsomeoftheWelshhills，andthissocloseabovetheorchardoftropicalplantsonthecoastwasverysurprising。Atthehighestpoint，whichIreached，treesagainappeared。
　　Ofthethreezonesofcomparativeluxuriance，theloweroneowesitsmoisture，andthereforefertility，toitsflatness；for，beingscarcelyraisedabovethelevelofthesea，thewaterfromthehigherlanddrainsawayslowly。
　　Theintermediatezonedoesnot，liketheupperone，reachintoadampandcloudyatmosphere，andthereforeremainssterile。Thewoodsintheupperzoneareverypretty，tree-fernsreplacingthecocoa-nutsonthecoast。
　　Itmustnot，however，besupposedthatthesewoodsatallequalinsplendourtheforestsofBrazil。Thevastnumbersofproductions，whichcharacterizeacontinent，cannotbeexpectedtooccurinanisland。
　　FromthehighestpointwhichIattained，therewasagoodviewofthedistantislandofEimeo，dependentonthesamesovereignwithTahiti。Ontheloftyandbrokenpinnacles，whitemassivecloudswerepiledup，whichformedanislandinthebluesky，asEimeoitselfdidintheblueocean。
　　Theisland，withtheexceptionofonesmallgateway，iscompletelyencircledbyareef。Atthisdistance，anarrowbutwell-definedbrilliantlywhitelinewasalonevisible，wherethewavesfirstencounteredthewallofcoral。
　　Themountainsroseabruptlyoutoftheglassyexpanseofthelagoon，includedwithinthisnarrowwhiteline，outsidewhichtheheavingwatersoftheoceanweredark-coloured。Theviewwasstriking：itmayaptlybecomparedtoaframedengraving，wheretheframerepresentsthebreakers，themarginalpaperthesmoothlagoon，andthedrawingtheislanditself。WhenintheeveningIdescendedfromthemountain，aman，whomIhadpleasedwithatriflinggift，metme，bringingwithhimhotroastedbananas，apine-apple，andcocoa-nuts。Afterwalkingunderaburningsun，Idonotknowanythingmoredeliciousthanthemilkofayoungcocoa-nut。Pine-applesareheresoabundantthatthepeopleeattheminthesamewastefulmanneraswemightturnips。Theyareofanexcellentflavor——perhapsevenbetterthanthosecultivatedinEngland；andthisIbelieveisthehighestcomplimentwhichcanbepaidtoanyfruit。Beforegoingonboard，Mr。WilsoninterpretedformetotheTahitianwhohadpaidmesoadroitanattention，thatIwantedhimandanothermantoaccompanymeonashortexcursionintothemountains。
　　18th——InthemorningIcameonshoreearly，bringingwithmesomeprovisionsinabag，andtwoblanketsformyselfandservant。Thesewerelashedtoeachendofalongpole，whichwasalternatelycarriedbymyTahitiancompanionsontheirshoulders。Thesemenareaccustomedthustocarry，forawholeday，asmuchasfiftypoundsateachendoftheirpoles。
　　Itoldmyguidestoprovidethemselveswithfoodandclothing；buttheysaidthattherewasplentyoffoodinthemountains，andforclothing，thattheirskinsweresufficient。OurlineofmarchwasthevalleyofTiaauru，downwhichariverflowsintotheseabyPointVenus。Thisisoneoftheprincipalstreamsintheisland，anditssourceliesatthebaseoftheloftiestcentralpinnacles，whichrisetoaheightofabout7000feet。
　　Thewholeislandissomountainousthattheonlywaytopenetrateintotheinterioristofollowupthevalleys。Ourroad，atfirst，laythroughwoodswhichborderedeachsideoftheriver；andtheglimpsesoftheloftycentralpeaks，seenasthroughanavenue，withhereandthereawavingcocoa-nuttreeononeside，wereextremelypicturesque。Thevalleysoonbegantonarrow，andthesidestogrowloftyandmoreprecipitous。Afterhavingwalkedbetweenthreeandfourhours，wefoundthewidthoftheravinescarcelyexceededthatofthebedofthestream。Oneachhandthewallswerenearlyvertical，yetfromthesoftnatureofthevolcanicstrata，treesandarankvegetationsprungfromeveryprojectingledge。Theseprecipicesmusthavebeensomethousandfeethigh；andthewholeformedamountaingorgefarmoremagnificentthananythingwhichIhadeverbeforebeheld。
　　Untilthemiddaysunstoodverticallyovertheravine，theairfeltcoolanddamp，butnowitbecameverysultry。Shadedbyaledgeofrock，beneathafacadeofcolumnarlava，weateourdinner。Myguideshadalreadyprocuredadishofsmallfishandfresh-waterprawns。Theycarriedwiththemasmallnetstretchedonahoop；andwherethewaterwasdeepandineddies，theydived，andlikeotters，withtheireyesopenfollowedthefishintoholesandcorners，andthuscaughtthem。
　　TheTahitianshavethedexterityofamphibiousanimalsinthewater。
　　AnanecdotementionedbyEllisshowshowmuchtheyfeelathomeinthiselement。WhenahorsewaslandingforPomarrein1817，theslingsbroke，anditfellintothewater；immediatelythenativesjumpedoverboard，andbytheircriesandvaineffortsatassistancealmostdrownedit。Assoon，however，asitreachedtheshore，thewholepopulationtooktoflight，andtriedtohidethemselvesfromtheman-carryingpig，astheychristenedthehorse。
　　Alittlehigherup，theriverdivideditselfintothreelittlestreams。