Journal - The Pandora Home James Morrison On Tahiti - Soil & Produce
Revised May 29 2021
The Island of Taheite is better laid down by Captain Cook then I with an indifferent Quadrant could be able to assertain. Its Lattitude is between 17° 28′ and 18′ South and its Longitude about 211° East. (According to Captain Cook Pt. Venus is in Latitude 17° 29′ 30″ South, Longitude 149° 32′ 30″ West.)
It Consists of two Peninsulas both of which are of a Circular form with an Isthmus of Low land about 2 or 3 Miles a Cross—the larger Peninsula is Calld Taheite Nooe or Great Taheite, and is about 80 Miles in Circumference and the Smaller, which lies to S E of Taheite Nooe, is Calld by the Names of Taheite Eete (Little Taheite) and Tyarrabboo and is about 30 Miles in Circumference according to my Computation; having no aperatus for surveying I can only give the Distance according to my own oppinion. It is in most parts defended by a reef of Corral, in some places a Mile or a Mile & a half from the Shore, within which is several small keys—the Beach in some places Black & others White.
Both peninsulas are Mountainous, and Covered with Trees of different sorts—having each a border of Flat land (except where it is seperated by Mountains rising out of the Sea) which is likewise Covered with Trees chiefly the Bread fruit & Cocoa Nutt—Several of the Mountains rising out of the Sea rise Gradually till they form one great or general pile in the Center of the Island which may be seen at 20 leagues distant; they are intersected by innumerable Vallys all of which are Cloathed with Verdure—the Ridges are covered with reeds which at a Distance resemble Grass while they are Green, and the tops of the Hills are for the Most part Covered with large trees—and the Highest Mountains teem with innumerable Cascades forming a Delightful prospect and thirty of these may be Counted pouring from a high Mountain lying behind Maatavye Calld Ora fwhanna which water the neighbouring vallys —and before it reaches the Sea forms many small rivers & Brooks all of which are Excellent Water, being produced by Springs some of which Issue from the Solid Rock.
The Climate of the Society Isles differs very little from that of the Leeward Islands, and may be calld (after Changing the Seasons one being in North & the other South Latitude) the same—during the Six Months that the Sun is to the Southward of the Equator, the Weather is unsetled and the Wind Variable and when the Sun Draws nearly over head the Rainy Season begins and continues with intermissions while it is passing to the South & repassing to the Northward which is Generally from October till April—in this season the Westerly Wind is the most prevailing and it sometimes Blows very hard & brings with it a heavy Sea, and when the North or South Wind happens to prevail it generally brings much Thunder & Lightning with it, and the rain falls in deluges, swelling the rivers so as to overflow the low land in a few hours, bringing large trees from the Mountains, and tumbling Huge Rocks before it—and frequently Carrying away the Houses of the Natives into the Sea, however the loss they sustain is not great and they are generally supplyd with plenty of Timber for Fuel without the trouble of going to the Hills for it—as the Westerly Winds bring a heavy sea with them; this Season of the year is the worst that a ship could Choose to visit Taheite as the Bay of Maatavye is by no means a safe Road being entirely open to these Winds, nor is there any place about the Island that Affords a Good Harbour except Oparre, where the Bounty lay, and the entrance of this being narrow & rocky it is necessary to have buoys placed to steer in by; and the advantage of a Calm must be taken to tow out, as the trade wind blows right in and the Westerly Winds always bring bad weather.
While the Sun is to the N. of the Equator the air is Clear and the Weather fine, and the S E wind blows regularly, the low land being covered with trees affords an agreeable shade and the Heat is not felt to any excess and during this season the Natives pass through the Mountains from one side of the Island to the other which they cannot do in the rains and are then forced to keep to the sea side if they have occasion to travel.
The seasons differ much on the opposite sides of this Island, partly owing to the Island of Morea or Eymayo lying in a N. & S. direction a cross the west part of it and while the Trade wind blows on the North side the West wind blows fresh on the South, but when the Wind gets to the Southward of S.E. it prevails against the West wind and then the south side is deluged with rain from the Clouds which settle on the Mountains of Tyarrabboo while the N side enjoys fine pleasant weather with scarce a shower of rain for 6 Months—this makes a material difference in the Breadfruit Harvest, which generaly begins on the N side about November and is over by January; but on the S. side it is sometimes over by November at one Season and does not begin till January at another. The Tides in this as in Other Tropical Countrys are not Great, and the Highest tide which I observed at Point Venus was Eighteen Inches and the time nearly two oClock at Full & Change.
Oparre Harbour is the only one which Taheite affords where a Ship may ride in safety at any season of the Year (Maatavye Bay Cannot be Counted safe more then Six or Seven Months in the Year) the Anchorage is Good in 8 to 16 fathoms Black sand—to the Westward of the reef which defends Point Venus about a Cables length lies a bank of Coral which is Calld the Dolphin bank —the shoalest part of it is bare 13 feet but between it and the reef is a Good Passage with 22 fathom water; and this passage I would recommend before going to leeward & by keeping the reef aboard, and coming no nearer then 10 fathom—You may run in and anchor in Safety—but by going to the Westward You are liable to meet with sudden puffs thrown off in a Southerly diriction from One tree hill (a Bluff Commanding the Bay) which is sometimes followed by a few Minutes Calm before the true wind recovers its force—and a ship may be baffled and if weakly mand, as is often the Case after a long Voyage, forced to bring up in foul ground or be driven out and obliged to work to windward again but this is not always the Case & with a Fresh Sea Breeze there is no fear, but by keeping to the Eastward of the Bank all trouble may be avoided— there is another Rock in the Bay but it is in sight and close to the East part of the Beach.
Water is plenty all over the Island but Wood for Fuel is not, as there are few other trees in the lowland exceept the Breadfruit & Cocoa Nut, with which it is Covered; but evry tree has its owner, & must be either purchased or leave obtaind to Cut of the Natives.
Journal - The Pandora Home James Morrison On Tahiti - Soil & Produce