Journal of Edwin H. Bryan, Jr. while with the Whitney Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History on the schooner France, February to October 1924
Page 345
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Transcription
ever caught about Salailua. Had them save me the jaws for the Museum. All day strenuous field trip to high central plateau following trail which leads across to Aopo, nearly to summit. Ashore at 7 A.M. W. along beach road past large castle-like residence occupied by Methodist Missionary. Road turns inland there being villages both on bench and beach 100 feet below. Trail turns off just beyond (W. of) Foailuga church, running in general N.N.E. Noted 'an interesting example of mimicry small gray green moth flattened against mossy bark of a tree. Took the moth specimen. Trail passes up through a large taro patch, most extensive yet seen. From here "France" bears S.S.W. 1/2 W. Elevation about 900'-1000'. Roll 48:3 Looking S.W. by S. down through the native gardens in which are grown taro, bananas, sugar cane, pineapples, and a few coconuts, palms and cocoa trees. Saw large swallowtail butterfly. Above the gardens the trail traversed a vine covered open space, past another large Ficus banyan and entered the rainforest at about 1200'. Here the climb- ing begins, up through a damp forest where the moths disappear and numerous crickets - light brown and large and small dark fuscens and quite a variety of small hym. and dipt. appear. Came out at about 2,000-2500', at a little clearing of banana trees containing a small leaky, banana thatched hut. Added more leaves to the roof and left my knapsack there while I hurried on to the summit, about 4500'-5000'. The trail was good all the way and continued on across summit high plateau. On return hurt my ankle and broke my shoe and had to limp back about 6 miles to Sala'lua. In village - saw boys playing a native game. Five rows of five or six boys. A coconut is passed back in each row, both hands being employed to pass it over the head to the boy behind. The last boy runs to the head of the line with the nut etc.