MOUA TABU. 
6 
the cocoa-nut, waving its crown of elegant leaves, 
and the no less elegant casuarina, whose boughs 
hang in arches over the water, are most con¬ 
spicuous. The eastern side was doubtless origi¬ 
nally the shore of the sea, and the lake filled by 
its waters, while the low border of the land on the 
opposite side constituted the reef. After the reef 
reached the level of the sea at high-water, it 
ceased to ascend, but spread horizontally ; frag¬ 
ments of coral, and pieces of wood, were thrown 
upon its widened surface, till at length it resisted 
the shock of the ocean, and the waves rolled back 
without overflowing it. Every year increased the 
substances accumulated on its surface ; vegetation 
at length commenced, and the process of organi¬ 
zation and decomposition, accelerated by the 
humidity of the atmosphere and the warmth of 
the climate, formed the mould, in which the trees, 
at present covering it, spread their roots, and find 
their nourishment. 
The most conspicuous and picturesque object, in 
connexion with the lake scenery, is moua tabu, sacred 
or devoted mountain, which rises on the eastern 
shore near the northern end. It is a beautiful, and 
in one direction appears almost a regular cone, par¬ 
tially covered with trees and bushes, even to its sum¬ 
mit, while the shining basaltic or volcanic rocks, 
occasionally projecting through the cypress or pine¬ 
growing casuarina, add to the novel and agreeable 
diversity which its figure produces. The northern 
shore of the roto , or lake, of Maeva, was the favourite 
residence of many of the native kings. Here, also, 
the chief who governed the island after the last 
visit of Captain Cook, resided, and erected a 
house for Mai, or Omai, that he might be near 
him. The shores, and even the smooth surface of 
