PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 41 



have actually passed over the place assigned to it. chap. 

 Easter Island had at first the appearance of being v — - v—-' 

 divided into two, rather flat at the top, with round- 18 55. 

 ed capes ; the north-eastern of which is distinguish- 

 ed by two hillocks. To avoid over-running the dis- 

 tance, the ship was hove to at night, and at day- 

 light on the following morning we bore up for the 

 northern shore of the island. I preferred that side, 

 as it had been but partially examined by Captain 

 Cook, and not at all by M. La Perouse. 



As we approached, we observed numerous small 

 craters rising above the low land, and near the N.E. 

 extremity, one of considerable extent, with a deep 

 chasm in its eastern side. None of these were in 

 action, nor indeed did they appear to have been so for 

 a very long time, as, with the exception of the one 

 above-mentioned, they were covered with verdure. 

 The N. E. promontory, already noticed as having two 

 small hillocks upon it, was composed of horizontal 

 strata, apparently of volcanic origin ; and near it, 

 some patches of earth, sloping down to the cliff, 

 were supposed to consist of red scoriae. The hills, 

 and exposed parts of the earth, were overgrown 

 with a short burnt-up grass, which gave the surface 

 a monotonous and arid aspect ; but the valleys were 

 well cultivated, and showed that the island required 

 only a due proportion of moisture and labour to 

 produce a luxuriant vegetation. 



Passing along the northern shore, we saw several 

 of those extensive habitations which M. La Perouse 

 has described, situated in a valley surrounded by 

 groves of banana trees and other patches of cultiva- 

 tion. The larger huts were placed near the wood, 

 and the smaller ones close together outside them. 



