200 AVOYAGETO 



'77S. ccffary, I left the command to Mr. Williamfon, who had 



January. 



v^ — ^— — ' landed with me, and made an excurfion into the country, up 

 the valley, accompanied by Mr. Anderfon and Mr. Webber; 

 the former of whom was as well qualified to defcribe with 

 the pen, as the latter was to reprefent with his pencil, every 

 thing we might meet with worthy of obfervation. A nu- 

 merous train of natives followed us ; and one of them, 

 whom I had diftinguiflied for his acflivity in keeping the reft 

 in order, I made choice of as our guide. This man, from 

 time to time, proclaimed our approadi ; and every one, whom 

 we met, fell proftrate upon the ground, and remained in 

 that pofition till we had pafTed. This, as I afterward under- 

 ilood, is the mode of paying their refped to their own 

 great Chiefs. As we ranged down tlie coaft from the Eaft, 

 - in the fliips, we had obferved at every village one or more 

 elevated white obje(5ls, like pyramids or rather obelifks ; 

 and one of thefe, which 1 guefTed to be at leaft fifty feet high, 

 was very confpicuous from the fliip's anchoring Ration, 

 and feemed to be at no great diflance up this valley. To 

 have a nearer infpeiflion of it, was the principal obje(51: of 

 my walk. Our guide perfe(5lly underftood that we wiflied 

 to be condu6led to it. But it happened to be fo placed, that 

 we could not get at it, being feparated from us by the pool 

 of water. However, there being another of the fame kind 

 within our reach, about lialf a mile off, upon our fide of 

 the valley, we fet out to vifit that. The moment we got to 

 if, we faw that it flood in a burying-ground, or 7norai ; the 

 rcfcmblance of which, in many refpcc^s, to thofe we were 

 fo well acquainted with at other ifiands in this ocean, and 

 particularly Otalieitc, could not but flrike us ; and we alfo 

 foon found, that the fcveral parts that compofe it, were 

 called by the fame names. It was an oblong fpace, of 



confiderable 



