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Show GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO. Oct. 1835. um. hn abl'te d b yman, these two are among the mos.t import-ant. From the foregoing statements we may, I tlunk, co~- clude; first, that the wildness of. birds .with regard to man, IS a particular instinct directed agamst hzm, and not dependent 1 degree Oon any genera f caution arising f. rom other sou.r ces of danger; secondly, that it is not acqmred by the~ m ~ sh ort t1. me, even when much persecuted ; but .t hat m t.h e course of successive generations it becomes hered1tar!. ~1th domesticated animals we are accustomed to see mstmc~s becoming hereditary ; but with those in a state o~ nature, 1t is more rare to discover instances of such acqmred know- 1 d In regard to the wildness of birds towards men, tl1ere e ge. b' d . is no other way of accounting for it. Few young 1r. s m England have been injured by man, yet all are afraid of him : many individuals, on the other hand, both at the Galapagos and at the Falklands, have been injured, but yet have not learned that salutary dread. We may infer from these facts, what havoc the introduction of any new beast of. ~rey must cause in a country, before the instincts of the abongmes become adapted to the stranger's craft o~ power· CHAPTER XX. Tahiti-Aspect-Vegetation on the slope of the mountains-View of Eimeo-Excursion in the interior-Profound ravines-Succession of waterfalls-Number of wild useful plants-Temperance of inhabitants -Their moral state-Parliament convened-New Zealand-Bay of islands-Hippahs-Absence of all government-Excursion to Waimate -Missionary establishment-English weeds now run wild-WaiomioFuneral service-Sail from New Zealand. TAHITI AND NEW ZEALAND. OcTOBER 20TH.-The survey of the Galapagos Archipelago being concluded, a course was steered towards Tahiti· and we commenced our long passage of 3200 miles. In th~ course of a few days we sailed out of the gloomy and clouded region, which extends during the winter far from the coast of South America. We then enjoyed bright and clear weather while running pleasantly along at the rate of 150 or 160 mile: a day before a steady trade-wind. The temperature in this more central part of the Pacific, i~ higher than near the American shore. The thermometer in the poop cabin, both by night and day, ranged between 80° and 83°, which to my feelings was quite delightful; but with one degree higher, the effect became oppressive. We passed through the Dangerous or Low Archipelago, and saw several of those most curious rings of land, just rising above the edge of the water, which have been called Lagoon Islands. A lonO" and bri~iantly-white beach is capped by a margin of green ~egetation ; and this strip appears on both hands rapidly to narrow away in the distance, and then sinks beneath the horizon. From the mast-head a wide expanse of smooth water can be seen within the annular margin of land. These low islands bear no proportion to the vast ocean out of which they abruptly rise ; and it seems wonderful, that such weak in- |