10 EEPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 188?. 



they stood in groups of six to twelve on platforms of hewed stone facing 

 the sea ; but in later years they have been thrown down during the 

 civil strife among the natives. Most of them are to be found on hill- 

 sides at the eastern end of the island. They were hewn out of volcanic 

 tufa in the center of an extinct volcano, and transported over its sides, 

 sometimes 3 or 4 miles, to their destination. The island is almost 

 treeless, and the wonder is how savages could remove objects fragile 

 as these, weighing from 3 to 30 tons each, over a country so rugged. 

 The images exhibited in the National Museum, together with many 

 other objects of ethnological interest, were procured during a twelve- 

 days' visit. 



There are now about 400 people living on the island, and they are of 

 pure Polynesian stock. They know nothing whatever of the erection 

 of these images, and it is quite possible that they are the descendants 

 of a later migration. The following brief description of the objects in 

 this collection may be found interesting: 



Eo. 1. Stone image, weighing about 3 tons and about 8 feet in height 

 by 4 in width, showing head, shoulders, and bust, but only outline of 

 arms, the latter not distinct from the body, but a slightly raised surface 

 carved straight down the side, with the forearms placed across the 

 stomach at right angles, fingers touching and slightly interlaced. Be- 

 low this point the general shape of the monolith is square. 



No. 2. Block of red tufa, or calcareous rock, porous and brittle, 

 slightly oval shaped, square on top, with slightly convex base. Sup- 

 posed to be a crown for image. 



No. 3. Image (bead and shoulders) composed of or cut from substance 

 resembling sandstone, measuring about 26 inches across shoulders and 

 about 40 in height. Mouth small, lips very thin, nose and ears well 

 defined and abnormally large. Eyes are simply deep recesses. 



Nos. 4 and 5. Stone slabs, with hieroglyphics in reddish-brown and 

 white color traced upon them. Average thickness about 3 inches. 

 Length and width about 4 feet by 2. 



Nos. 6, 7, and 8. Stone slabs, similar to, but smaller than, the above, 

 and hieroglyphics more indistinct. 



No. 9. Stone slab slightly larger and heavier than Nos. 4 or 5, with 

 diagonal and horizontal lines. 



No. 10. Small, irregular shaped porous stone, with an indistinct hiero- 

 glyphic cut iuto it. Weighs about 25 pounds. 



No. 11. Stone about three times as large as No. 10, having numerous 

 hieroglyphics cut into it. Weight about 60 pounds. 



No. 12. Small stone of about the same size and weight as No. 10, on 

 which is a rude carving representing a human head and features. 



Nos. 13, 14, 15, and 16. Small slabs, seemingly of iron ore, very brit- 

 tle. No tracings, carvings, or hieroglyphics anywhere visible. 



