7$ ; of a continent, which fome have fuppofed to be neceffaryin
this part of the globe’ to Preferve an equilibrium o f its parts,
which were left behind when the reft funk by the mining
of a fubterraneous fire, fo as to give a paffage to the fea over
i t ; or were torn from rocks, which, from the creation of the
world, had been the bed of the fea, and thrown up in heaps,
to a height which the waters never reach. One or other
of thefe fuppofitions will perhaps be thought the more probable,
as the water does not gradually grow lhallow as the
fltore is approached, and the iflands are almoft every where
furrounded by reefs, which appear to be rude and broken,
as fome violent concuffion would naturally leave the folid
fubftance o f the earth. It may alfo be remarked upon this
occafion, that the moft probable caufe of earthquakes feenas
to be the fudden ruflung in of water upon fome vaft mafs o f
fubterraneous fire, by the inftantaneous rarefaction of which
into vapour, the mine is fprung, and various fubftances, in
all ftages of vitrification, with ihells, and other marine pro-
duaions, that are now found foffil, and the ftrata that covered
the furnace, are thrown up ; while thofe parts of the
land which were fupported upon the broken fliell give way,
and fink into the gulph. With this theory the phenomena of
all earthquakes feem to agree; pools o f water are frequently
left where land has fubfided, and various fubftances, which
manifeftly appear to have fuffered by the action of fire, are
thrown up. It is indeed true, that fire cannot fubfift without
air; but this cannot be urged againft there being fire
below that part of the earth which forms the bed o f the fea ;
becaufe there may be innumerable fifliires by which a communication
between thofe parts and the external air may be
kept up, even upon the higheft mountains, and at the great-
eft diftance from the fea-fhore.
4 On
On the 4th, Mr. Banks employed himfelf in planting a y®$
exeat quantity o f the feeds of water-melons, oranges, le- <— «—-
° , , , , , . , , , , , Tuefday 4, mons, limes, and other plants and trees which he had collected
at Rio de Janeiro. For thefe he prepared ground on
each fide of the fort, with as many varieties of foil as he
could chufe; and there is little doubt but that they will fuc-
ceed. He alfo gave liberally of thefe feeds to the Indians, and
planted many of them in the woods: fome o f the melon feeds
having been planted foon after our arrival, the natives
Ihewed him feveral of the plants which appeared to be in
the moft flourifliing condition, and were continually alking
him for more.
We now began to prepare for our departure, by bending
the fails and performing other neceflary operations on board
the fhip, our water being already on board, and the provi-
fions examined. In the mean time we had another vifit from
Oamo, Oberea, and their fon and daughter; the Indians ex-
preffing their refpcCt by uncovering the upper parts of their
body as they had done before. The daughter, whofe name
we underftood to be Toimata, was very defirous to fee the
fort, but her father would by no means fuller her to come in.
Tearee, the fon of Waheatua, the fovereign of Tiarrabou,,
the fouth eaft peninfula, was alfo with us at this time; and we
received intelligence of the landing of another gueft, whofe
company was neither expeCted nor defired: this was no other
than the ingenious gentleman who contrived to fteal our
quadrant. We were told, that he intended to try his fortune
again in the night; but the Indians all offered very zealoufly
to afiift us againft him, defiring that, for this purpofe, they
might be permitted to lie in the fort. This had fo good
an effeCt, that the thief relinquilhed his enterprize in de-
fpair.
o n