THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 
33i 
productions, which are never fo much affected, with re- 
fpecft to the foliage, as to fhed that all at once; for every 
leaf is fucceeded by another, as faff as it falls; which 
caufes that appearance of univerfal and continual fpring 
found here. 
The balls of the illand, as far as we know, is entirely a 
coral rock, which is the only fort that prefents itlelf on the 
lliore. Nor did we fee the leaft appearance of any other 
ftone, except a few fmall blue pebbles ftrewed about the 
fiatookas ; and the fmooth, folid black ftone, fomething like 
the lapis lydius , of which the natives make their hatchets. 
But thefe may, probably, have been brought from other 
illands in the neighbourhood; for a piece of flatey, iron- 
coloured ftone was bought at one of them, which was never 
feen here. Though the coral projects in many places above 
the furface, the foil is, in general, of a conliderable depth. 
In all cultivated places, it is, commonly, of a loofe, black 
colour ; produced, feemingly, in a great meafure, from the 
rotten vegetables that are planted there. Underneath which 
is, very probably, a clayey Jlratum ; for a foil of that kind 
is often feen both in the low, and in the riling grounds ; 
but efpecially in feveral places toward the Ihore, where it is 
of any height; and, when broken off, appears fometimes of 
a reddifh, though oftener of a brownifh yellow colour, and 
of a pretty ftiff confiftence. Where the Ihore is low, the 
foil is commonly fandy, or rather compofed of triturated 
coral; which, however, yields bulhes growing with great 
luxuriance ; and is fometimes planted, not unfuccefsfully, 
by the natives. 
Of cultivated fruits, the principal are plantains; of which 
they have fifteen different forts or varieties ; bread-fruit; 
two forts of fruit found at Otaheite, and known there un- 
U u 2 der 
