528 
COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
buildings abandoned, and the population probably now 
does not exceed 200 souls. 
12. Easter Island. 
Far out in mid-Pacific, 1400 miles beyond the lonely 
Pitcairn, over 2000 from the South American coast, 
and about 1900 from the island of Papa or Oparo, 
whence its inhabitants are believed to have come, lies 
Easter Island, the farthest outpost of the vast series of 
Pacific Islands. Triangular in shape, with its major 
diameter 13 miles in length, it is entirely volcanic, with 
several large extinct craters, of which that at the N.E. 
point is the highest (1968 feet). Terano Kau, at the 
southern end, has a crater 700 feet deep and miles 
in circumference, but is of lower altitude. The soil is 
composed entirely of decomposed lavas, and is very fertile. 
There is, however, no running water, although there are 
several springs near the shore, and deep pools in some of 
the craters. There are no trees, the tallest vegetation 
being bushes of Hibiscus , Edwardsia , and Broussonetia , 10 
or 12 feet high. Decayed trunks of trees are neverthe¬ 
less found, and the paddles and other wooden articles in 
possession of the natives show that formerly there must 
have been wood in some plenty. 
The island was discovered on Easter Day, 1721, by 
Eoggewein, and visited both by Cook and La Perouse in 
their celebrated voyages, the latter giving a lengthy 
account of the curious monuments for which the island 
is celebrated. The population at that time was probably 
not less than about 3000, but in 1863 these numbers 
were greatly lessened by an atrocious outrage committed 
by some Peruvian vessels. Anchoring in the bay, these 
people rowed ashore and seized every person they could 
