s p r in g s . ‘iatthe calks a much greater degree o f puteefadtion .and foetid fmell,
:foan had been obferved o f any other water during the whole voyage,
which I believe proves that fome foreign,. perhaps- inflammable
particles are contained in this water.. This pond Was" con-
.nedfed, within the bulhes, with a range o f iftagnant, muddy Waters,
for more than a mile or two, along the plain oppofite the harbour.
Thefe waters, are It deems gathered here during foe rainy
feafon; and as they have ho vififele drain, foey 'colledt ih fo i lowdft
parts and ftagnate, and as the whole furface o f foe foil o f foe ifle ie
formed o f volcanic afhes, containing aU more or clefs faliue or
fiilphureous partides, foe water may diffolve them, and ftrike foe
brown colour by extrafting the vegetable fubftances .gradually fallin
g into or coming into contadt with it.
"In the reft o f the illes belonging to the N ew H e brid e s» we
frequently obferved large ftreams o f water forming cafcades on
fo e fteep defeents o f hills, and thus precipitating themfelves down
and foon m ixing with the briny fluid o f the ocean.
T h e F r Ie n d l y I sles feem to be deftitute o f fprings: for
though .on feme o f them, as Ecioowhe and Namoika., there are fmall
hills and riling grounds, they are however far From’being fo high
Jas t o attract the dlouds of to caufe from their perpetual moillure a
»continual flow of fpring-water. Th e natives have ponds, fome o f
nvhich are large, wherein they collect foe rain-water: but i t is
J om e -
fomewhat brackilh from foe vicinity o f foe fea. Befides thefe s prings .
ponds o f frelh water, there is in Namocka a large lagoon of fait water
about three miles long, full of fmall illes, beautifully ornamented
with clufters o f trees, crowded with wild ducks, and furrounded by
bulhes o f mangroves and hills forming a romantic landfcape.
In H uaheine, one o f the Society Illes, there are on its North
point, likewife two large fait water lagoons, with a very muddy
bottom; as they are fhallow, confiderably within the land, fur-
rounded by thick bulhes and large trees, and therefore very little
agitated by winds, foey ftink moft immoderately, and mull I fup-
pofe, fpread noxious effluvia; and I muft cpnfefs, I faw only a
few habitations on its South fide near foe hills, and thofe were not
quite contiguous to the lagoons.
In N orfolk I sland we found a fmall Ipring, and I believe i f we
had fearched the whole ifle over, we Ihould have found more.
E a s t e r I sland has no other water, but what is found in
fomerefervoirs in forms o f wells or ponds, collected I fuppofe from
rain. It is ftagnant, bad and fomewhat brackilh.
Th e M arquesas hav.e abundance of the fineft fprings, forming
many beautiful ftreams and cafcades: for their cloud capt
hills, are conftantly moiftened from the vapour o f the clouds, and
therefore, yield plentiful fupplies for the fprings in this hot climate.
H N ew