JUNE 1769 A LARGE MARAT 103 
The foundation was of rock stone, likewise squared; the 
corner-stone measured 4 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 4 inches. 
The building made part of one side of a spacious area walled 
in with stone ; the size of this, which seemed to be intended 
for a square, was 118 by 110 paces, and it was entirely 
paved with flat paving-stones. It is almost beyond belief 
that Indians could raise so large a structure without the 
assistance of iron tools to shape their stones or mortar to 
join them; which last appears almost essential, as most of 
them are round: but it is done, and almost as firmly as an 
European workman would have done it, though in some 
things they seem to have failed. The steps for instance, 
which range along its greatest length, are not straight; they 
bend downward in the middle, forming a small segment of 
a circle. Possibly the ground may have sunk a little under 
the immense weight of such a great pile; such a sinking, if it 
took place regularly, would have this effect. The labour of 
the work is prodigious, the quarried stones are but few, but 
they must have been brought by hand from some distance ; 
at least we saw no signs of a quarry near it, though I looked 
carefully about me. The coral must have been fished up 
from under the water, where indeed it is most plentiful, but 
usually covered with at least three or four feet of water, and 
generally with much more. The labour of forming the 
blocks when obtained must also have been at least as great 
as that employed in getting them. The natives have not 
shown us any way by which they could square a stone 
except by means of another, which must be a most tedious 
process, and liable to many accidents through tools breaking. 
The stones are also polished as-well and as truly as stones 
of the kind could be by the best workman in Europe; in that 
particular they excel, owing to the great plenty of a sharp 
coral sand which is admirably adapted to the purpose, and 
which is found everywhere upon the sea-shore in this neigh- 
bourhood. 
About a hundred yards to the west of this building was 
another court or paved area, in which were several Lwhattas, 
a kind of altar raised on wooden pillars about seven feet 
