EARTH AND LAND. 



2r 



0-Tahcites and 



Society IJles are no doubt of the fame 



STRATA- 



ture. Their fhores are coral rock extending f] 



the reef 



\ 



ing thefe illes to the very high- water mark. There begins the fand, 

 formed in fome places from fmall fliells, and rubbed pieces of coral 

 rock ; but in others the ihores are covered by a blackifh kind of fand, 

 confining of the former fort mixed with black, fometimes fhining 



L 



and glittering particles of coarfe daze or glifl (Mica J and here and 



ft 



there fome particles of refrad:ory iron ores called in England Shim 

 fferrum micaceu7n, Linn.) and Kall (molybdcenumfpiimalupiy Linn.)- 

 The plains from the fhores to the foot of the hills, are covered with 

 a very fine thick flratum of black mould, mixed with the above-men- 

 tioned kind of fand, and when the natives cultivate fome fpots for 

 raiiing the inebriating pepper plant (piper methyjlicum) or the cloth 



P 



plant (morns papyrifera) they often ufe fhells as a kind of ma- 



The firfl and lower range of hills are commonly formed of a 

 red ochreous earth (ochramartis Linn.) fometimes fo intenfely red 



n u re . 



and cloth 



d 



th 



that the natives ufe it to paint their canoes 



earth I found here and there pieces, as I believe of the ofleocoUa 



(tophus ofteocolla Linn.) The higher hills confifl of a hard, compad:^ 



flrata that 



of 



and ftiff clayey fubflance, which in the 



reach of fun,' air and rain, are hardened into a ftone. There are 



at the top of the valleys, along the banks of the rivers, large maffes 



of coarfe granite flones (faxumj of 



mixtures, and at a pi 



of" 



^ 



