456 Geological Society. 



rejoin the Expedition. Hence no formal geological report on 

 the island conld be submitted to the Meeting. It was thought 

 best, therefore, to endeavour to convey the conditions existent on 

 Easter Island by means of a series of panoramic and other photo- 

 graphs, specially taken to illustrate geological features. As these 

 very largely consist of coast-sections, the opportunity was taken to 

 show, and explain, other pictures that were closely associated with 

 them. Such were the ruins of the village called Orongo, consisting 

 of peculiar canoe-shaped houses built of imbricated slabs of shale, 

 with the roof convex, both longitudinally and transversely, on its 

 exterior aspect, and covered with earth. They are romantically 

 situated on the rim of the volcano of Rano Kao, with an almost 

 sheer drop of 900 feet into the sea, or of 600 feet into the crater- 

 lake. At Orongo, too, are found certain large rocks, carved with 

 the symbol of a bird-headed man, holding in its hand an egg. A 

 cult, based on annually obtaining the first-laid egg of a certain 

 migratory sea-bird, was thus gradually brought to light, and appears 

 to be a unique form. A brief outline only could be given of 

 some of the knoAvledge obtained concerning the peculiar routine 

 associated with seeking, and taking, the sacred egg, and of the part 

 which it occupied in the former religious life of the island. 



Proceeding along the coast, typical examples of the great terraces, 

 and their giant stone figures, were shown, and their leading cha- 

 racteristics discussed. A submarine freshwater spring, near the 

 great image-terrace of Tongariki, and opposite certain typical 

 lava-formed caves, gave occasion to the lecturer to explain how 

 had arisen the longstanding, and world-wide spread report, that 

 man and beast on Easter Island habitually drink sea-water, in the 

 place of fresh. 



The old volcano of Rano Raraku, the centre of the former 

 religious life of the island, was then described. A series of 

 panoramic pictures, preceded by an accurate survey made by 

 Lieut. R. D. Ritchie, R.N.. the Cartographer of the Expedition, 

 shoAved a crater-lake surrounded by a rim of tuff which rises to a 

 height of 540 feet above the surrounding plain. The plain is 

 undulating in surface, formed superficially of hard, dense, but 

 nevertheless vesicular, lava, and it rests on compact non-columnar 

 basalt. One section of this crater Avail, some 600 yards long, 

 on both its interior and exterior aspects. Avas seen to be quarried 

 right up to the highest point. On the mountain -face, both inside 

 and out, large numbers of statues, in every state of completion, 

 were to be seen. The largest of these measured 68 feet in length. 

 Some of those excavated by the Expedition exhibited fine details, 

 such as the finger-nails, in perfect condition. 



In conclusion, Easter Island might be described as a plateau of 

 basalt raised from 50 to 100 feet above the sea. Superimposed on 

 this were numerous cones ranging up to nearly 2000 feet. The 

 plateau Avas covered but sparsely Avith soil, and could only be 

 crossed with difficulty in any direct line. The cones, on the other 

 hand, Avere generally smooth of surface, Avith a good depth of soil. 

 Nevertheless the island is practically Avithout trees, bushes, or 

 shrubs. 



