486 OP [NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



found one of octagon shape that stood the test of measurement very 

 well. Between platforms 4 and 5 the laud falls away gently to the sea, 

 and this slope is paved regularly with small round bowlders, having 

 every appearance of having been constructed as a way for hauling out 

 boats. The coast iu this vicinity is perfectly rock-bound, but a narrow 

 channel extends from the paved way out to sea. Boats might land 

 here at any time. With the wind southeast, or in any direction ex- 

 cept west, the landing would be perfectly smooth. The place is admir- 

 ably adapted to the landing of heavy weights, but, as far as known, the 

 images were never transported by sea, nor did the islanders possess 

 boats sufficiently large to float them, or material from which they could 

 be constructed. 



CAVE AND TOMB NEAR AHUAKAPU POINT. 



On the face of the cliff near the point, Ahuakapu, a large and inter- 

 esting cave, was visited. Many of the recesses and angles had been 

 walled up and contained human remains. Fossiliferous specimens of 

 marine animals were obtained by digging up the floor of the cave. The 

 igneous rocks in the vicinity show evidences of rude sculptures, among 

 which could be traced canoes, fishes, and men in various attitudes. Upon 

 the extreme point we found another one of those round towers, built 

 for the purpose of observing the movements of turtles on the beach. 

 The shaft measures 24£ feet, and stands in the center of a narrow plat- 

 form G7 feet long, filled with tombs containing human remains that had 

 long been undisturbed, as evidenced by a luxuriant growth of lichens 

 on the rough rocks, 



RUINS OF THE OLDEST HABITATION ON THE ISLAND. 



On the high bluff west of Kotatake Mountain we discovered the ruins 

 of a settlement extending more than a mile along the coast line and in- 

 land to the base of the hill. These remains bear unmistakable evidences 

 of being the oldest habitations on the island. The houses are elliptical in 

 shape, with door-ways facing the sea, and were built of uncut stoue. 

 Some of the walls are standing, but the majority are scattered about 

 in the utmost confusion. An extremely interesting feature of these an- 

 cient ruins is the fact that each dwelling was provided with a small cave 

 or niche at the rear end, built of loose lava stones, which was in a number 

 of instances covered by an arch supported by a fairly shaped key-stone. 

 The recesses were undoubtedly designed to contain the household gods, 

 and the key-stone, although extremely rough in construction, is unmis- 

 takable in its application. Our guides had no knowledge of this locality 

 and knew no distinctive name for it. 



Messrs. Salmon and Brander had not visited the spot, because the 

 location is bleak and desolate and, as far as they had heard, was a track- 

 less waste, devoid of all interest. 



