PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
31 
only a due proportion of moisture and labour to produce a luxuriant CHAP, 
vegetation. ' II. 
Passing along the northern shore, we saw several of those extensive 
habitations which M. La Perouse has described, situated in a valley, 
surrounded by groves of banana trees and other patches of culti- 
vation. The larger huts were placed near the wood, and the smaller 
ones close together outside them. Nearer the sea-shore, which here 
lorms a bay, was a morai, sui mounted by four images standing upon a 
ong ow p atform, precisely answering the description and representation 
of one given by Perouse ; and also an immense enclosure of stones, 
and several large piles, which, as well as the images, were capped with 
rr^se ' noticed both by Captain Cook and 
The greatest attention appeared to be paid to the cultivation of 
tlie soil, huch places as were not immediately exposed to the scorching 
rays of the sun were laid out in oblong strips, taking the direction of 
le ravines; and furrows were ploughed at right angles to them, for the 
purpose of intercepting the streams of water in their descent. Near 
the middle of the small bay just mentioned, there was an extinguished 
crater, the side of which fronting the sea had fallen in. The natives 
vai mg themselves of this natural reservoir for moisture, in which 
cent’ island are so deficient, had cultivated the soil in its 
‘iverv* 1 ^ grove of banana-trees, wfoich, as we passed, had 
Lion J H and followed the ship 
wbite p/niR numbers increasing at every step. Some had a 
hrown loosely over their shoulders, but by far the greater 
number were naked, with the exception of the Maro. 
1 „ ^ad arrived off the N.W. point of the island, she was 
ove o or t e purpose of taking observations ; and a boat was lowered 
to examine the bays, and obtain soundings near the shore. Immediately 
she put off, the natives collected about the place where they sunnosed 
she would land. The sea broke heavily upon the rocks, aL soL o^' 
them apprehending the boat would be damaged, waved their cloaks m 
caution her against making the attempt to land; while others, eager 
