the South
Sea Islands in 1865_ (London, 1873), p. 132 (with a woodcut);
(Sir) Basil Thomson, _Diversions of a Prime Minister_ (Edinburgh
and London, 1894), pp. 380-382 (with a woodcut on p. 393); _id._
"Notes upon the Antiquities of Tonga," _Journal of the
Anthropological Institute_, xxxii. (1902) pp. 81-84 (with a
photograph). Views of the monument, taken apparently from
photographs, have also been published by Dr. F. H. H. Guillemard
(_Australasia_, vol. ii. London, 1894, p. 501), Dr. George Brown
(_Melanesians and Polynesians_, London, 1910, plate facing p.
410), and by Mr. S. Percy Smith (_Hawaiki_, Third Edition,
Christchurch, N.Z., 1910, pp. 157 _sq._). Dr. W. H. R. Rivers
spoke as if there were several trilithons in Tongataboo
(_History of Melanesian Society_, ii. 430 _sq._; _id._ "Sun-cult
and Megaliths in Oceania," _American Anthropologist_, N.S.
xvii., 1915, p. 444); but in this he seems to have been
mistaken. So far as I can gather, there is only one of these
remarkable monuments in Tongataboo or indeed in the whole of the
Pacific.

The monument in question is a structure of the type known as a
trilithon; that is, it is composed of three large stones, of which two
stand upright, while the third rests horizontally on their tops. All
three stones are monoliths of hardened coral, rough and much weathered
on the surface, and precisely similar to the coral of the neighbouring
reefs. Indeed, about halfway between the monument and the beach the
coral rock is exposed in a hollow, from which it seems probable that the
great blocks were hewn and brought to their present situation. The
statement of Mr. Brenchley, that the stone of which the monument
consists is not to be found elsewhere on the island, is erroneous. The
uprights are quadrangular monoliths neatly squared. No measurements of
the stones appear to be on record, but the two uprights are variously
estimated to measure from fourteen to sixteen feet in height; their
breadth or depth from front to back is variously given as from eight to
ten or even twelve feet; but they seem to taper somewhat upwards, for
the estimate which assigns twelve feet for the depth of the uprights at
their base, mentions seven feet or probably more as their breadth at the
top. The thickness of the uprights seems to be four feet. The space
between them is variously stated at ten and twelve feet. The
cross-stone, wh