528 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



buildings abandoned, and the population probably now 

 does not exceed 200 souls. 



12. Easter Island. 



Far out in mid-Pacific, 1400 miles beyond the lonely 

 Pitcairn, over 2000 from the South American coast, 

 and about 1900 from the island of Ptapa or Oparo, 

 whence its inhabitants are believed to have come, lies 

 Easter Island, the farthest outpost of the vast series of 

 Pacific Islands. Triangular in shape, with its major 

 diameter 13 miles in length, it is entirely volcanic, with 

 several large extinct craters, of which that at the N.E. 

 point is the highest (1968 feet). Terano Kau, at the 

 southern end, has a crater 700 feet deep and 2^ miles 

 in circumference, but is of lower altitude. The soil is 

 composed entirely of decomposed lavas, and is very fertile. 

 There is, however, no running water, although there are 

 several springs near the shore, and deep pools in some of 

 the craters. There are no trees, the tallest vegetation 

 being bushes of Hibiscus, Edwardsia, and Broussonetia, 1 

 or 12 feet high. Decayed trunks of trees are neverthe- 

 less found, and the paddles and other wooden articles in 

 possession of the natives show that formerly there must 

 have been wood in some plenty. 



The island was discovered on Easter Day, 1721, by 

 Eoggewein, and visited both by Cook and La Perouse in 

 their celebrated voyages, the latter giving a lengthy 

 account of the curious monuments for which the island 

 is celebrated. The population at that time was probably 

 not less than about 3000, but in 1863 these numbers 

 were greatly lessened by an atrocious outrage committed 

 by some Peruvian vessels. Anchoring in the bay, these 

 people rowed ashore and seized every person they could 



