PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 57 



wards, when visited by Captain Cook, there were no 

 traces of them left. The revolution that has taken 

 place in La Dominica, one of the Marquesa Islands, 

 affords another instance of this kind : when first 

 visited by Mendana, in 1595, it exhibited an en- 

 chanting aspect : " vast plains displayed a smiling 

 verdure, and divided hills, crowned with tufted 

 woods," &c. : but in 1774 it was found by Captain 

 Cook to have so completely altered its features, that 

 Marchand ascribes the change to one of those great 

 " convulsions of nature, which totally disfigure every 

 part of the surface of the globe, over which its 

 ravages extend." Easter Island is studded with vol- 

 canos, and an eruption may have driven the natives 

 into the sea, or have so torn up the soil and vege- 

 tation, that they could no longer subsist upon it. 



I cannot say a word on the success that has at- 

 tended the humane efforts of the much-lamented 

 Perouse, who planted many useful fruit-trees and 

 seeds upon the island ; but there is every reason to 

 believe they have perished, or shared the fate of the 

 vines at Otaheite, as they brought us no fruits or 

 roots beyond what he found there on his arrival. 

 Perhaps a tuft of trees in a sheltered spot at the back 

 of Cook's Bay, which had the appearance of orange- 

 trees, are the offspring of his benevolent care and 

 attention. Cook had no opportunity of benefiting 

 the islanders in this way ; but he planted in them a 

 warm and friendly feeling towards strangers, and 

 his usual rectitude and generous treatment taught 

 them a lesson of which Perouse felt the good effects, 

 and which possibly might have existed until now, 

 but for the interference of a few unprincipled mas- 

 ters of vessels, who have unfortunately found their 



Nov. 



1825. 



