A Trip to the Fort of Fautaua, Tahiti, Society Islands
By L. A. Roth
Much has been said about the Society Islands, and much more might be said. Each one coming to this part of the world sees the country differently. One who loves nature will be bound to talk about the beauties of nature, and of the wonderful works of our Creator, while another will have very little to say about this, but will see other things that interest him. I have recently made a visit to the Fautaua Fort and its vicinity, a spot that is more or less visited, which I will describe. Starting from Papeete, we follow the main island road up to what is called the Fautaua River, one of the largest streams or rivers on Tahiti; turning here toward the center of the island, we follow a valley that bears the same name as the stream. This valley is quite wide at first, but soon gets very narrow as it reaches the center of the island; three miles will take us to a place where there is just enough room for the river and the road, and a little farther on, the road stops entirely, as there is only room for the river, the mountains standing on both sides as straight and faithful sentinels. The great Fautaua Fall is about a mile farther up, so that if any one desires to reach the foot of it, he will have to do so by following the river, jumping from stone to stone, and very often will have to swim. Where the road stops, there is a bridge that takes us on the other side of the river and also of the mountain, and this one starts right up on the other side of the river. By following a trail made by the soldiers that live near the fort, we shall soon be up in the mountains, where we shall have a grand panorama of nature all around us. On our right, and near our path, is a precipice of about14one thousand feet, in the bottom of which the river is running. In front of us we see the great six-hundred-foot fall of Fautaua, and the wall of the fort, made to blockade the trail. In this wall there are about fifteen or twenty holes where the noses of guns can be put in to defend the fort. When this fort is guarded, it is impossible for any one to go farther up, as on the left stands the almost perpendicular mountain, on the right the precipice, and the fort and the fall in front. Behind this fort is a little valley where the French people have built a home for the governor's family, and a home for the soldiers that guard the fort. In this valley grows everything that grows anywhere else in this island. The soldiers have a nice vegetable garden, containing a large bed of strawberries. This place is cooler than Papeete, and would make a nice place for a cool resort. Here are kept provisions for the French people who would take refuge here in time of war. The valley in which the fort is located is closed up on three sides by higher mountains, one of them being about seven thousand feet high, more than twice as high as the place where the fort is, and the ascent impossible on either side. By walking to the top of a hill situated on the back of the fort home, one gets a view of the surrounding country that in some respects surpasses even the sceneries of Switzerland, the rocks and mountains being nearly all covered with bushes, shrubbery, ferns, banana trees, plantains, cocoanut trees, orange trees, etc. This is a wonderful island. One can indeed say, How great are the works of God! how wonderful is his creation! This walk to the fort is as far as one wants to walk in one day; with the return trip it is eighteen kilometers. One can not do so much walking here, on account of the heat, and such a walk as this will be enough for any white man. The natives do not mind long walks, as they are use to the climate, but even they will not be willing to take this walk very often. The mountain is so steep at some places that it is difficult to keep from running when on the way down, and those who can, do run to the bottom of it. After half an hour's walk, we arrive at the bathing pool. The water is very cold here, much colder than we get at Papeete; and a good cold bath acts as a tonic to our vitality. Coming out of it, we all feel refreshed, and soon arrive at our home, thankful to the Lord for his guiding hand over us, and glad to know that we are serving such a loving Saviour.