height. From this wall the mount rose with a
gentle slope, and was covered with a green turf. On the top of it stood the
house, which had the same figure as the mount, about twenty feet in length,
and fourteen or sixteen broad. As soon as we came before the place, every
one seated himself on the green, about fifty or sixty yards from the front
of the house. Presently came three elderly men, who seated themselves
between us and it, and began a speech, which I understood to be a prayer,
it being wholly directed to the house. This lasted about ten minutes; and
then the priests, for such I took them to be, came and sat down along with
us, when we made them presents of such things as were about us. Having then
made signs to them that we wanted to view the premises, my friend Attago
immediately got up, and going with us, without showing the least
backwardness, gave us full liberty to examine every part of it.

In the front were two stone steps leading to the top of the wall; from this
the ascent to the house was easy, round which was a fine gravel walk. The
house was built, in all respects, like to their common dwelling-houses;
that is, with posts and rafters, and covered with palm thatch. The eaves
came down within about three feet of the ground, which space was filled up
with strong matting made of palm leaves, as a wall. The floor of the house
was laid with fine gravel; except, in the middle, where there was an oblong
square of blue pebbles, raised about six inches higher than the floor. At
one corner of the house stood an image rudely carved in wood, and on one
side lay another; each about two feet in length. I, who had no intention to
offend either them or their gods, did not so much as touch them, but asked
Attago, as well as I could, if they were _Eatuas_, or gods. Whether he
understood me or no, I cannot say; but he immediately turned them over and
over, in as rough a manner as he would have done any other log of wood,
which convinced me that they were not there as representatives of the
Divinity. I was curious to know if the dead were interred there, and asked
Attago several questions relative thereto; but I was not sure that he
understood me, at least I did not understand the answers he made well
enough to satisfy my enquiries. For the reader must know, that at our first
coming among these people, we hardly could understand a word they said.
Even my Otaheitean youth, and the man on board the Adventure, were equally
at