1774*- ROUND THE WORLD. c 2<)5 



stones morticed and tenanted one into another, in a 

 very artful manner. The side walls are not perpen- 

 dicular, but inclining a little inwards, in the same 

 manner that breast-works, &c., are built in Europe : 

 yet had not all this care, pains, and sagacity been 

 able to preserve these curious structures from the 

 ravages of all-devouring time. 



The statues, or at least many of them, are erected 

 on these platforms which serve as foundations. They 

 are, as near as we could judge, about half length, 

 ending in a sort of stump at the bottom, on which 

 they stand. The workmanship is rude, but not bad ; 

 nor are the features of the face ill formed, the nose 

 and chin in particular ; but the ears are long beyond 

 proportion ; and, as to the bodies, there is hardly any 

 thing like a human figure about them. 



I had an opportunity of examining only two or 

 three of these statues, which are near the landing- 

 place ; and they were of a grey stone, seemingly of 

 the same sort as that with which the platforms were 

 built. But some of the gentlemen who travelled 

 over the island, and examined many of them, were 

 of opinion that the stone of which they were made 

 was different from any other they saw on the island, 

 and had much the appearance of being factitious. 

 We could hardly conceive how these islanders, 

 wholly unacquainted with any mechanical power, 

 could raise such stupendous figures, and afterwards 

 place the large cylindric stones, before mentioned, 

 upon their heads. The only method I can con- 

 ceive, is by raising the upper end by little and little, 

 supporting it by stones as it is raised, and building 

 about it till they got it erect ; thus a sort of mount, 

 or scaffolding, would be made, upon which they 

 might roll the cylinder, and place it upon the head 

 of the statue, and then the stones might be removed 

 from about it. But if the stones are factitious, the 

 statues might have been put together on the place 

 in their present position, and the cylinder put on by 



u 4 



