TE PITO TE HENUA OR EASTER ISLAND. 703 



cairu, is 1,100 miles, aud the South American coast is 2,100 miles to 

 the eastward. 



The islaud is irregularly triangular in shape. Its greatest length 

 from KE. to SW. is 13 miles; its greatest width from North Cape to 

 Cape Hoe-Hoe, in a direction from IsTNW. to SSE., is 7 miles. The cir- 

 cumference, measuring from headland to headland, is about 34 miles, 

 and the area of the island is 34 square miles. 



The surface is diversified mountain and i^laiu, the former usually 

 rising abruptly from the latter, and generally at a distance from each 

 other, so that, with one or two exceptions, it can hardly be said that 

 there are valleys, strictly si^eaking. The mountains — a goodly number 

 in proportion to the area of the island — are mostly cone shaped, and 

 not of very great elevation, the tallest, near Cape North, being but 1,767 

 feet high. The most extensive plain is at the base of Eana Koraka, 

 extending thence in a westerly direction for several miles, and it is 

 believed that in ancient times a large town existed on this site, in whose 

 vicinity all the monoliths were carved. 



The coast line on the southern and western sides, except at the ex- 

 treme southwest end where Raua Kao looms up, is generally low, but 

 extremely rocky. The northwestern, northern, northeastern, and east- 

 ern coasts are a succession of black, frowning, precipitous, basalt cliffs, 

 worn into innumerable caves by the erosion of the sea, and with huge 

 attached bowlders scattered at the base, over and against which the 

 waves dash with resistless fury, forming a veritable iron-bound coast. 

 Many of the caves thus formed have been inhabited and have also been 

 used as burial places ; and the remains of human beings, with imple- 

 ments interred with them or secreted by the modern natives, sometimes 

 reward the diligent searcher. 



There are but two or three points around the entire coast line at 

 which a sandy beach may be met with. One of these, small in extent, 

 is on the south side, near Mr. Salmon's residence at Vaihu, in a pictur- 

 esque little bay, used as a bathing ground aud boat landing. 



Another, and much the larger, forms the beach of Anakana Bay on 

 the north side of the island, the legendary landing place of Hotu 

 Metua, and by far the best and safest boat harbor around the coast. 



The soil is for the most part decomposed or disintegrated lava, 

 nowhere of any great depth, but exceedingly fertile and in places, as 

 for example, where excavations were made inside of cairns, it was 

 found of the fineness, color and richness of garden mold. 



Except where a few clearings have been made, nearly the entire sur- 

 face of the island is covered in astonishing profusion with fragments 

 of lava, varying in size from that of a pebble to that of a huge 

 bowlder. They are nearly black in color, hard, sharp, angular, weather- 

 worn; and it is these, in places coverinr/ the ground, which render 

 pedestrianism so difficult and laborious. 



Until supi^lied with wood from wrecked lumber vessels the modern 



