84 cook's voyage to oct. 



contrary, has hills running in different directions, 

 which are very steep and rugged, leaving, in the in- 

 terspaces, very large valleys, and gently-rising grounds 

 about their sides. These hills, though of a rocky 

 disposition, are in general covered almost to their 

 tops with trees ; but the lower parts, on the sides, 

 frequently only with fern. At the bottom of the 

 harbour where we lay, the ground rises gently to 

 the foot of the hills which run across nearly in the 

 middle of the island ; but its flat border, on each 

 side, at a very small distance from the sea, becomes 

 quite steep. This gives it a romantic cast, which 

 renders it a prospect superior to any thing we saw at 

 Otaheite. The soil, about the low grounds, is a 

 yellowish and pretty stiff mould ; but, upon the 

 lower hills, it is blacker and more loose ; and the 

 stone that composes the hills is, when broken, of a 

 blueish colour, but not very compact texture, with 

 some particles of glimmer interspersed. These par- 

 ticulars seem worthy of observation. Perhaps the 

 reader will think differently of my judgment, when 

 I add, that, near the station of our ships, were two 

 large stones, or rather rocks, concerning which the 

 natives have some superstitious notions. They con- 

 sider them as Eatooas, or divinities ; saying that 

 they are brother and sister, and that they came, by 

 some supernatural means, from Ulietea. 



