310 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
piles of skulls, in their various stages of decay, 
exhibit a ghastly spectacle. They are prin¬ 
cipally, if not entirely, the skulls of those who 
have been slain in battle. A number of beautiful 
trees grow around, especially the tamanu, callo- 
phyllum inophyllum, and the aoa , ficus prolixa , 
resembling, in its growth and appearance, one 
of the varieties of the banian in India. 
In the inland part of the district there is a cele¬ 
brated pare, or natural fortress, frequently resorted 
to by the inhabitants in seasons of war ; and with 
a little attention it might easily be made impreg¬ 
nable, at least to such forces or machines as the 
natives could bring against it. 
A fine quay, or causeway, of coral rock, had 
been raised along the edge of the southern side of 
the bay, on which the natives had erected the 
frame of a large and substantial place of worship. 
It appeared to have remained in the state in which 
we saw it for some months past. The king and 
chiefs, with their numerous attendants, had 
removed to the vicinity of the Missionary station 
on the other side of the island, and the district 
was comparatively deserted. The frame of the 
building had been prepared with great care, 
several of the pillars being of polished aito , or 
casuarina. 
Early in the afternoon we left our kind friends, 
and enjoyed a pleasant sail within the reef, along 
the eastern shore of the island; which was 
remarkably broken, and beautiful in mountain 
scenery, as well as rich and verdant in the foliage 
with which the woody parts of the country were 
clothed. We passed between Tahaa and Raia- 
tea, and arrived at the new Missionary settle¬ 
ment on the north-west side of the latter, about 
