y g f e feet high, over which the people had built a round projecting
funnel to keep off the wet. We crept on all fours
into this opening, and found the infide of the hut perfectly
naked and empty, there being not fo. much as a wifp of
ftraw to lie down upon. We could not Hand upright in
any part except juft in the middle, and the whole place appeared
dark and difmal. The natives told us they paffed
the night in thefe huts,, and we ealily conceived their fitua-
t-ion to. be uncomfortable, efpecially as we faw fo very few
of them, that they muft be crammed full, unlefs the generality
of the people lie in the open air, and leave thefe
wretched dwellings to their chiefs, or make ufe of them
only in bad weather.
Befides thefe huts, we obferved fome heaps of ftones piled
up into little hillocks, which had one fteep perpendicular
fide, where a hole went under ground. The fpace within
could be but very fmall, and yet it is probable that thefe
cavities likewife ferved to give fhelter to the people during
night. They may, however, communicate with natural
caverns, which are very common in the lava currents of
volcanic countries. Such caverns are very frequent in Iceland,
famous for having been the dwelling-places of the
ancient inhabitants. Mr. Ferber, the firft mineralogies!
hiftorian of Vefuvius, has noticed fuch a fubterraneous hole
in one of the modern lavas of that mountain. We fhould
have.
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD. SJi
have been glad to have afeertained this circumftance, but
the natives always denied us admittance into thefe places. .
A plantation of fugar-canes and one of bananas adjoined
to the houfe we had vifited, and both were in excellent
order, confidering the ftony quality of the ground. The
bananas were all growing in holes one foot deep, which we
fuppofed to be contrived for collecting the rain, and preferring
it for a longer time about the plant. The fugar-
canes were about nine or ten feet high, even in this parched
country, and contained a very fweet juice, which the inhabitants
prefented to us very frequently, and particularly
whenever we a Iked for fomething to drink. We concluded
from thence that they had no water on the ifland; but
coming back to the landing-place we met captain Cook,
whom the natives had conducted to a well very clofe to the
fea, which was cut deep into the rock, but full of impurities.
When our people had cleared it, they found the water
in it rather brackifh, but the natives drank of it with
much feeming fatisfadlion.
Captain Cook had not been very fortunate in trading
with the people. They feemed indeed to be fo deftitute as
to have no provifions to fpare. A few matted balkets full
of fweet potatoes, fome fugar-canes, bunches of bananas,
and two or three fmall fowls ready dreffed, were the whole
purchafe which he had made for a few iron tools, and
iomc Taheitee cloth. He had prefented .the people with
4 D 2 beads,