Mahine Afterwards Presented This Piece To My Father, Who
In His Turn Made A Present Of It To The British Museum." - G.F.
[4] "The most diligent enquiries on our part, have not been sufficient
to throw clear light on the surprising objects which struck our eyes
in this island.
We may, however, attempt to account for these gigantic
monuments, of which great numbers exist in every part; for as they are
so disproportionate to the present strength of the nation, it is most
reasonable to look upon them as the remains of better times. The
nearest calculation we could make, never brought the number of
inhabitants in this island beyond seven hundred, who, destitute of
tools, of shelter and clothing, are obliged to spend all their time in
providing food to support their precarious existence. It is obvious
that they are too much occupied with their wants, to think of forming
statues, which would cost them ages to finish, and require their
united strength to erect. Accordingly, we did not see a single
instrument among them in all our excursions, which could have been of
the least use in masonry or sculpture. We neither met with any
quarries, where they had recently dug the materials, nor with
unfinished statues, which we might have considered as the work of the
present race. It is therefore probable, that these people were
formerly more numerous, more opulent and happy, when they could spare
sufficient time, to flatter the vanity of their princes, by
perpetuating their names by lasting monuments. The remains of
plantations found on the summits of the hub, give strength and support
to this conjecture. It is not in our power to determine by what
various accidents a nation so flourishing, could be reduced in number,
and degraded to its present indigence. But we are well convinced that
many causes may produce this effect, and that the devastation which a
volcano might make, is alone sufficient to heap a load of miseries on
a people confined to so small a space. In fact, this island, which may
perhaps, in remote ages, have been produced by a volcano, since all
its minerals are merely volcanic, has at least in all likelihood been
destroyed by its fire. All kinds of trees and plants, all-domestic
animals, nay a great part of the nation itself, may have perished in
the dreadful convulsion of nature: Hunger and misery must have been
but too powerful enemies to those who escaped the fire. We cannot well
account for these little carved images which we saw among the natives,
and the representation of a dancing woman's hand, which are made of a
kind of wood at present not to be met with upon the island. The only
idea which offers itself is, that they were made long ago, and have
been saved by accident or predilection, at the general catastrophe
which seems to have happened. In numberless circumstances the people
agree with the tribes who inhabit New Zealand, the Friendly and the
Society Islands, and who seem to have had one common origin with them.
Their features are very similar, so that the general character may
easily be distinguished. Their colour a yellowish brown, most like the
hue of the New Zealanders; their art of puncturing, the use of the
mulberry-bark for clothing, the predilection for red paint and red
dresses, the shape and workmanship of their clubs, the mode of
dressing their victuals, all form a strong resemblance to the natives
of these islands. We may add, the simplicity of their languages, that
of Easter Island being a dialect, which, in many respects, resembles
that of New Zealand, especially in the harshness of pronunciation and
the use of gutturals, and yet, in other instances, partakes of that of
Otaheite. The monarchical government likewise strengthens the affinity
between the Easter Islanders and the tropical tribes, its prerogatives
being only varied according to the different degrees of fertility of
the islands, and the opulence or luxury of the people. The statues,
which are erected in honour of their kings, have a great affinity to
the wooden figures called Tea, on the chief's marais or burying-
places, at Otaheite; but we could not possibly consider them as idols.
The disposition of these people is far from being warlike; their
numbers are too inconsiderable and their poverty too general, to
create civil disturbances amongst them. It is equally improbable that
they have foreign wars, since hitherto we know of no island near
enough to admit of an interview between the inhabitants; neither could
we obtain any intelligence from those of Easter Island upon the
subject. This being premised, it is extraordinary that they should
have different kinds of offensive weapons, and especially such as
resemble those of the New Zealanders; and we must add this
circumstance to several others which are inexplicable to us. Upon the
whole, supposing Easter Island to have undergone a late misfortune
from volcanic fires, its inhabitants are more to be pitied than any
less civilized society, being acquainted with a number of
conveniences, comforts, and luxuries of life, which they formerly
possessed, and of which the remembrance must embitter the loss." - G.P.
Forster the father is decided in opinion, as to the revolution that
has undoubtedly occurred in this island, being occasioned by a volcano
and earthquake, and gives a very curious account of a notion prevalent
amongst the Society Isles, and forming indeed part of their
mythological creed, which, if to be credited, affords support to it.
The subject altogether is of a most interesting and important nature,
but cannot possibly be investigated or even specified in an adequate
manner in this place. We hope to do it justice hereafter. - E.
SECTION IX.
The Passage from Easter Island to the Marquesas Islands. Transactions
and Incidents which happened while the Ship lay in Madre de Dios, or
Resolution Bay, in the Island of St Christina.
After leaving Easter Island, I steered N.W. by N. and N.N.W., with a fine
easterly gale, intending to touch at the Marquesas, if I met with nothing
before I got there.
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