1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 97 



chilled on all sides by an immense tract of perpetual 

 snow. 



The coast of Kaoo presents a prospect of the most 

 horrid and dreary kind: the whole country appearing 

 to have undergone a total change from the effects of 

 some dreadful convulsion. The ground is every 

 where covered with cinders, and intersected in many 

 places with black streaks, which seem to mark the 

 course of a lava that has flowed, not many ages back, 

 from the mountain Roa to the shore. The southern 

 promontory looks like the mere dregs of a volcano. 

 The projecting head-land is composed of broken and 

 craggy rocks, piled irregularly on one another, and 

 terminating in sharp points. 



Notwithstanding the dismal aspect of this part of 

 the island, there are many villages scattered over it; 

 and it certainly is much more populous that the ver- 

 dant mountains of Apoona. Nor is this circumstance 

 hard to be accounted for. As these islanders have 

 no cattle, they have consequently no use for pastu- 

 rage, and therefore naturally prefer such ground, as 

 either lies more convenient for fishing, or is best 

 suited to the cultivation of yams and plantains. Now, 

 amidst these ruins, there are many patches of rich 

 soil, which are carefully laid out in plantations, and 

 the neigbouring sea abounds with a variety of most 

 excellent fish, with which, as well as with other pro- 

 visions, we were always plentifully supplied. Off this 

 part of the coast, we could find no ground at less than 

 a cable's length from the shore, with a hundred and 

 sixty fathoms of line, excepting in a small bight to 

 the eastward of the south point, where we had re- 

 gular soundings of fifty and fifty-eight fathoms over 

 a bottom of fine sand. Before we proceed to the 

 western districts, it may be necessary to remark, 

 that the whole coast side of the island, from the 

 northern to the southern extremity, does not afford 

 the smallest harbour, or shelter for shipping. 



VOL. VII. h 



