312 LORD A N S O N ’S VOYAGE
attachment which all mankind have ever lhewn to the places of
their birth and bringing up, it (hould feem, from what has been
already faid, that there were few countries more worthy to be regretted
than this of Tinian.
Thefe poor Indians might reafonably have expected, at the great
diftance from Spain where they were placed, to have efcaped the
violence and cruelty o f that haughty nation, fo fatal to a large
proportion of the whole human race : But it feems their remote
fituation could not protedt them from (haring in the common de-
ftruflion of the weftern world ; all the advantage they received
from their diftance, being only to periih an age or two later. It
may perhaps be doubted, i f the number o f the inhabitants of Tinian,
who were banilhed to Guam, and who died there pining for their
native home, was fo confiderable, as. what we have related above j
but, not to. mention the concurrent affection of our prifoners, and'
the commodioufnefs of the Iftand, and its great fertility, there are
(fill remains to be met with on the place, which (hew it to have
been once extremely populous. For there are, in1 all parts- o f the
Illand, many ruins of a very particular kind: Thefe ufually con-
fift of two rows of fquare pyramidal pillars, each pillar being about
ftx feet from the next, and the diftance between the rows being
about twelve feet; the pillars themfelves are about five feet fquar-e
at the bafe, and about thirteen feet high ; and on the top of each
of them there is a femi-globe, with the fiat furface upwards ; the-
whole of the pillars and femi-globe is (click being compofed of
fand and (tone cemented together, and plaftered over, Thi’sodd
fabrick will be better underftood, by infpedting the view of the
watering place inferted above; where an affemblage.of thefe pilfers-
is drawn, and is denoted by the letter (a ). I f the account our prifoners
gave us o f thofe ftruftures was true, the Ifland muft. indeed-
have been mod extraordinarily, well peopled; finee they affured us,
that they were the foundations of particular buildings fet apart for
thofe Indians only, who had engaged-in fome religious vow ; monadic
inftitutions being often to be met with in many Pagan nations.
However, i f thefe ruins were originally the; balls o f the common
R O U N D T H E WO R L D . 3i3
mon dwelling-houfes of the natives, their numbers muft have been
confiderable; for in many parts o f the Ifland they are extremely
thick planted, and fufficiently evince the great plenty of its former
inhabitants. But to return to the prefent (late of the Ifland.
Having briefly recounted the conveniences of this place, the
excellence and quantity o f its fruits and provifions, the neatnefs of
its lawns, the ftatelinefs, frelhnefs and fragrance of its woods, the
happy inequality of its furface, and the variety and elegance of the
views it afforded; I muft now obferve that all thefe advantages
were greatly enhanced by the healthinefs o f its climate, by the al-
moft conftant breezes which prevail there, and by the frequent
(howers which fell there; for thefe, inftead of the heavy continued
rains which in fome countries render great part of the year fo un-
pleafing, were ufually o f a very fhort and almoft momentary duration.
Hence they were extremely grateful and refrefhing, and
were perhaps one caufe o f the falubrity o f the air, and of the extraordinary
influence it was obferved to have upon us, in increafing
and invigorating our appetites and digeftion. This effedt was indeed
remarkable, fince thofe amongft our officers, who were at all other
times- fpare and temperate eaters, who, befides a flight breakfaft,
ufed to make but one moderate repaft a day, were here, in appearance,
transformed into gluttons; for inftead of one reafonable flefh-
meal, they were now fcarcely fatisfied with three, each of them
too fo prodigious in quantity, as would at another time have produced
a fever or a furfeit. And yet our digeftion fo well corre.
fponded to the keennefs of our appetites, that we were neither disordered
nor even loaded by this uncommon repletion; for after having
according to the cuftom o f the Ifland, made a large beef breakfaft,
it was not long before we began to confider the. approach of
dinner as a very defirable, though fomewhat tardy incident.
After giving thefe large encomiums to this Ifland, in which,
however, I conceive, I have not done it juftice; it is neceffary I
fhould fpeak o f thofe circumftances in which it is defedtive, whether
in point o f beauty or utility. And firft, with refpedt to its
S f water.