:zoo 
A VOYAGE TO 
1778. the former of whom was as well qualified to defcribe with 
the pen, as the latter was to reprefent with his pencil, every 
thing we might meet with worthy of obfervation. A nu¬ 
merous train of natives followed us; and one of them, 
whom I had diflinguifhed for his activity in keeping the reft 
in order, I made choice of as our guide. This man, from 
time to time, proclaimed our approach; and every one, 
whom we met, fell prolirate upon the ground, and remained 
in that pofition till we had paffed. This, as I afterward un- 
derftood, is the mode of paying their refpecft to their own 
great Chiefs. As we ranged down the coaft from the Eaft, 
in the fhips, we had obferved at every village one or more 
elevated white obje6ls, like pyramids or rather obelifks; 
and one of thefe, which I gueffed to be at leaft fifty feet 
high, was very confpicuous from the fhip’s anchoring fta- 
tion, and feemed to be at no great diftance up this valley. 
To have a nearer infpedtion of it, was the principal obje6t of 
my walk. Our guide perfectly underftood that we wifhed 
to be conduced to it. But it happened to be fo placed, that 
we could not get at it, being feparated from us by the pool 
of water. However, there being another of the fame kind 
within our reach, about half a mile off, upon our fide of 
the valley, we fet out to vifit that. The moment we got to 
it, we faw that it flood in a burying-ground, or morai ; the 
refemblance of which, in many refpedts, to thofe we were 
fo well acquainted with at other iflands in this ocean, and 
particularly Otaheite, could not but ftrike us ; and we alfo 
foon found, that the feveral parts that compofe it, were 
called by the fame names. It was an oblong fpace, of 
confiderable extent, furrounded by a wall of ftone, about 
four feet high. The fpace inclofed was loofely paved with 
fmaller ftones; and at one end of it, flood what I call the pyra¬ 
mid, 
