692 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



EXPEDITION AROUND THE COAST LINE. 



The investigations upon wliich this report is based cover a period of 

 twelve daj's, from December 19 to December 30, 188G, inclusive, and 

 were conducted in association with two other officers (the paymaster 

 and the navigator) of the ship, to whon), as to the writer, special duties, 

 predicated upon the information desired by the Smithsonian Institution, 

 were assigned, resi)ectively. 



The Mohican anchored in the roadstead of the Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, 

 in the forenoon of Saturday, December 18, and on the morning of the 

 19th the writer proceeded ashore and immediately began his duties. On 

 that day the crater of Rana Kao was visited and a general insi)ection 

 was made of the stone huts, the painted slabs in their interior, the 

 sculptured rocks, etc., and of the crater itself, in the immediate vicinity 

 of which these objects of interest are located. At 3 o'clock p. m. the 

 party returned to the house of Mr. John Brander, near the base of the 

 volcano, from which we had taken our departure in the morning, and 

 toward evening, mounting a wagon, were driven to the residence of Mr. 

 Alexander P. Salmon at Yaihu, distant 5 miles, on the southeast coast 

 of the island and formerly a Catholic mission. 



At an early hour on Monday morning, December 20, we were driven 

 back to the house of Mr. Brander, obtaining a view of the Obsidian 

 Mountain as we skirted its base, and shortly after ascended Rana Kao, 

 accompanied by a detail of men from the ship, with the necessary imple- 

 ments and instruments for making excavations and surveying. Private 

 Anton Ayasse, of the marine guard of the ship, a clever draftsman, 

 also accompanied the party for the purpose of making sketches of 

 objects of interest. 



The entire day was passed upon the mountain and a large amount of 

 work i)erformed, in the way of exploring the stone houses, inspecting 

 the sculptured rocks in the vicinity, excavating, etc. Toward evening 

 the descent was made and the night was passed at the house of Mr. 

 Brander with somewhat more of comfort than had attended the pre- 

 vious one. 



On the following morning, Tuesday, December 21, early preparations 

 were made for the expedition around the entire coast line of the island. 

 Four native men, named Huki, Luka, Haie, and Brotto, were engaged 

 as guides and general utility men, with two pack horses for carrying 

 camp equipage and provisions. jSTine men, including the chief quarter- 

 master of the ship, a boatswain's mate, and private Ayasse as drafts- 

 man, were detailed to accompany the party with tools for excavating, 

 etc. The j^aymaster and navigator, with the writer and a naval cadet 

 as assistant to the navigator, comprised the officers, and a young Ameri- 

 can, Mr. Frank Allen, in the employ of Mr. Salmon, went along as 

 interpreter. 



All being ready, the party started from the house of Mr, Brander at 



