9 o 
A VOYAGE TO 
1 777 * 
O&ober. 
V--- - 
has little low land, except fome deep valleys ; and the flat 
border that furrounds the greateft part of it, toward the fea. 
Eimeo, on the contrary, has hills running in different direc¬ 
tions, which are very fteep and rugged, leaving, in the in- 
terfpaces, very large valleys, and gently-riling grounds 
about their tides. Thefe hills, though of a rocky difpofl- 
tion, are, in general, covered, almoft to their tops, with 
trees; but the lower parts, on the tides, frequently only 
with fern. At the bottom of the harbour, where we lay, 
the ground rifes gently to the foot of the hills, which run 
acrofs nearly in the middle of the ifland; but its flat bor¬ 
der, on each fide, at a very fmall diftance from the fea, be¬ 
comes quite fteep. This gives it a romantic caff, which 
renders it a profpe6t fuperior to any thing we faw at Ota- 
heite. The foil, about the low grounds, is a yellowith and 
pretty ftiff mould; but, upon the lower hills, it is blacker 
and more loofe: and the ftone that compofes the hills is, 
when broken, of a blueith colour, but not very compact 
texture, with fome particles of glimmer interfperfed. Thefe 
particulars feem worthy of obfervation. Perhaps the reader 
will think differently of my judgment, when I add, that, 
near the ftation of our ftiips, were two large ftones, or ra¬ 
ther rocks, concerning which the natives have fome fuper- 
ftitious notions. They confider them as Eatooas , or Divi¬ 
nities ; faying, that they are brother and After, and that they 
came, by fome lupernatural means, from Ulietea. 
CHAP, 
