TE PITO TE IIEXUA OR EASTER ISLAND. 699 



coiulitiou, still adherent to the bed rock and measuring 69 feet 9 inches 

 in length. 



That evening, after dark, the natives remaining with ns entertained 

 us with an exhibition of their manner of capturing the crayfish. Strip- 

 ped to the skill and holding aloft in the left hand a liugh lighted torch 

 composed of loose fagots, they would Jump from rock to rock and 

 bowlder to bowlder with the agility of monkeys. Peering into the 

 depths below, and having discovered their prey, they would leap into 

 the water, often to their necks, deftly seize the crustacean and pass it 

 to a companion who, with another burning torch, attended them for the 

 purpose. Again they would sight their game in a cleft, or under a sub- 

 merged overhanging rock, and, swiftly inserting the hand, would rarely 

 fail to bring forth a captive. For an hour or more the sport continued. 

 The sight was a strange, wierd, savage, and interesting one, and the array 

 of tua (Rapa Xui for crayfish), which at the termination of the hunt 

 they proudly spread before us gave ample testimony to their dexterity. 



Sunday, December 26, the writer passed quietly in camp, and the 

 following day was devoted to further explorations and excavations. 



Tuesday, December 28, we broke camp and abandoned Ana Havea, 

 which had so long sheltered us, all the party, except the paymaster 

 and writer, returning across the island to the shiii, which had been 

 moved around to La Perouse Bay, on the north side of the island, for 

 the more convenient transportation on board of the selected image. 



In company with Mr. Salmon, who had passed the previous night 

 with us at the cave, and riding with him in his "buggy," we were 

 taken to his house at Yaihu, formerly a Catholic mission but now 

 abandoned as such. The church and parsonage, with outbuildings, 

 are still standing, the former being used in part as a storehouse, 

 while in the remaining portion divine service is held daily under 

 native leadership. The parsonage, comprising three rooms, is occu- 

 pied by Mr. Salmon as his dwelling, and he has here displayed a 

 portion of his verj' curious, interesting, and valuable collection of 

 Rapa Xui antiquities. 



It is but just to note, in this place, that too much credit can not 

 be awarded Mr. Salmon for the great interest he takes in everything 

 pertaining to the island — its history, its people, traditions, and remains. 

 He is an enthusiast upon this subject, has made it a study of years, 

 and has devoted time, money, and his best energies toward assisting 

 in elucidating the mystery which envelops this isolated mid-ocean 

 island, its hieroglyphs, its rock carvings, its colossal remains and the 

 strange people who wrought them. Mr. Salmon has resided here for 

 a period of seven years in all, and during that time, in addition to 

 his large collection, he has made a study of his subject, has inter- 

 ested himself in the natives and their improvement, and has accumu- 

 lated a large amount of information, legends, and traditions, which 

 otherwise, perhaps, would in a few years have perished with the people 



