i77+- let.them have been made and fet up, by this or any other
- March. c - f / . . . . ^____i method, they mutt have been a work of immenfe time, and
lufficiently fhew the ingenuity and perfeverance of the
iflanders in the age in which they were built; for the
prefent inhabitants have moil certainly had no hand in
them, as they do not even repair the foundations of thofe
which are going to decay. They give different names to
them, fuch as Gotomoara, Marapate, Kanaro, Goway-too-
goo, Matta Matta, &c. &c.; to which they fometimes prefix
the word Moi, and fometimes annex Areekee. The latter
fignifies Chief; and the former, Burying, or Sleeping-place,
as well as we could underftand.
Befides the monuments of antiquity, which were pretty
numerous, and no where but on or near the fea-coaft, there
were many little heaps of ftones, piled up in different places,
along the coaft. Two or three of the uppermoft ftones in
each pile were generally white; perhaps always fo, when
the pile is complete. It will hardly be doubted that thefe
piles of ftone had a meaning. Probably they might mark
the place where people had been buried, and ferve inftead
o f the large ftatues.
The working-tools of thefe people are but very mean, and
like thofe of all the other iflanders we have vifited in this
ocean, made of ftone, bone, fhells, &c. They fet but little
value on iron or iron tools; which is the more extraordinary
as they know their ufe; but the reafon may be, their
having but little occafion for them.
s C H A P ,
C H A P . IX.
"The Pajfage from Eafier I f and to the Marquefas Ifands.
IranfaBions and Incidents which happened while the
Ship lay in Madre de Dios, or Reflation Bay, in the
I f and o f S t. Chriftina.
AFTER leaving Eafter Ifland, I fleered N. W. by N. and '774-
N. N. W., with a fine eafterly gale, intending to touch < ■
at the Marquefas, if I met with nothing before I got there. Wcdnef' l6>
We had not been long at fea, before the bilious diforder made
another attack upon me, but not fo violent as the former. I
believe this fecond vifit was owing to my expofing and fatiguing
myfelf too much at Eafter Ifland.
On the 22d, being in the latitude of 19° 20' South, longitude Taefday 22.
1140 49' Weft, fleered N. W. Since leaving Eafter Ifland, the
variation had not been more than 3° 4', nor lefs than 2° 33'
Eaft; but on the 36th, at 6 A. M., in latitude 150 7' South, Ion- Saturday 26.
gitude 119° 45' Weft, it was no more than i° 1' Eaft; after
which it began to increafe.
On the 39th, being in latitude io° 20', longitude 123° 58' W., Tuefday 29.
altered the courfe to W. N. W., and the next day to Weft, being
then in latitude 90 24', which I judged to be the parallel
of Marquefas; where, as I have before obferved, I intended
to touch, in order to fettle their fituation, which I find different
in different charts. Having now a Heady fettled trade-
wind, and pleafant weather, I ordered the forge to be fet up,
to repair and make various neceffary articles in the iron way;
V ol.I. Q j l and