f having been burnt; nor is
there a single specimen of any stone, among all those that were
collected in the island, upon which there are not manifest and
indubitable marks of fire; except perhaps some small pieces of the
hatchet-stone, and even of that, other fragments were collected which
were burned almost to a pumice. Traces of fire are also manifest in the
very clay upon the hills; and it may, therefore, not unreasonably be
supposed, that this, and the neighbouring islands, are either shattered
remains of a continent, which some have supposed to be necessary in this
part of the globe, to preserve an equilibrium of its parts, which were
left behind when the rest sunk by the mining of a subterraneous fire, so
as to give a passage to the sea over it; or were torn from rocks, which,
from the creation of the world, had been the bed of the sea, and thrown
up in heaps, to a height which the waters never reach. One or other of
these suppositions will perhaps be thought the more probable, as the
water does not gradually grow shallow as the shore is approached, and
the islands are almost every where surrounded by reefs, which appear to
be rude and broken, as some violent concussion would naturally leave the
solid substance of the earth.

On the 4th, Mr Banks employed himself in planting a great quantity of
the seeds of water-melons, oranges, lemons, limes, and other plants and
trees which he had collected at Rio de Janeiro. For these he prepared
ground on each side of the fort, with as many varieties of soil as he
could chuse; and there is little doubt but that they will succeed. He
also gave liberally of these seeds to the Indians, and planted many of
them in the woods: Some of the melon seeds having been planted soon
after our arrival, the natives shewed him several of the plants, which
appeared to be in the most flourishing condition, and were continually
asking him for more.

We now began to prepare for our departure by bending the sails, and
performing other necessary operations on board the ship, our water being
already on board, and the provisions examined. In the mean time we had
another visit from Oamo, Oberea, and their son and daughter; the Indians
expressing their respect by uncovering the upper parts of their body as
they had done before. The daughter, whose name we understand to be
Toimata, was very desirous to see the fort, but her father would by no
means suffer her to come in. Tearee, the son of Waheatua, t