SECOND VOYAGE 159 



hitherto led the way, and one or two more, coming running 

 towards them ; but instead of stopping when they came up 

 they continued to run round them, repealing, in a kind 

 manner, a few words until they set forwards again. Then 

 their old guide hoisted his flag, leading the way as before, 

 and none ever attempted to steal from them the whole day 

 afterwards. 



Towards the eastern end of the island, they met with a 

 well whose water wos perfectly fresh, being considerably 

 above the level of the sea ; but it was dirty, owing to the 

 filthiness or cleanliness (call it which you will) of the natives, 

 who never go to drink without washing themselves all over 

 as soon as they have done ; and if ever so many of them are 

 together, the first leaps right into the middle of the whole, 

 drinks, and washes himself without the least ceremony ; 

 after which another takes his place and does the same. 



They observed that this side of the island was full of those 

 gigantic statues before mentioned ; some placed in groups 

 on platforms of masonry ; others single, fixed only in the 

 earth, and that not deep ; and these latter are, in general, 

 much larger than the others. Having measured one, which 

 had fallen down, they found it very near twenty-seven feet 

 long, and upwards of eight feet over the breast or shoulders ; 

 and yet this appeared considerably short of the size of one 

 they saw standing, its shade, a little past two o'clock, being 

 sufficient to shelter all the party, consisting of nearly thirty 

 persons, from the lays of the sun. 



They saw not an animal of any sort, and but few birds ; 

 nor indeed anything which can induce ships that are not in 

 the utmost distress to touch at this island. Captain Cook 

 determined to sail the next morning, since nothing was to 

 be obtained that could make it worth his while to stay 

 longer. 



The produce of the island is sweet potatoes, yams, terra, or 

 eddy root, plantains, and sugar-canes, all pretty good, the 

 potatoes especially, which are the best of the kind they ever 

 tasted. They have a few tame fowls, such as cocks and hens, 

 small, but well tasted. The coast seemed not to abound 

 with fish ; at least they could catch none with hook and 

 line, and it was but very little they saw amongst the natives. 



The inhabitants do not seem to exceed six or seven 

 hundred souls, and above two-thirds of those they saw were 

 males. They either have but few females among them, or 

 else many were restrained from making their appearance. 



In general the people of this island are a slender race. 

 They did not see a man that would measure six feet ; so far 

 are they from being giants, as one of the authors of 

 Roggewein's voyage asserts. They are brisk and active, 



