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Easter Island: Early Witnesses
William Thomson
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found one of octagon shape that stood the test of measurement very well. Between Platforms 4 and 5 the land falls away gently to the sea, and this slope is paved regularly with small round bowlders, having every appearance of having been constructed as a way for hauling out boats. The coast in this vicinity is perfectly rock-bound, but a narrow channel extends from the paved way out to sea. Boats might land here at any time. With the wind southeast, or in any direction except west, the landing would be perfectly smooth. The place is admirably adapted to the landing of heavy weights, but, as far as known, the images were never transported by sea, nor did the islanders possess boats sufficiently large to float them, or material from which they could be constructed.
CAVE AND TOMB NEAR AHUAKAPU POINT.
On the face of the cliff near the point, Ahuakapu, a large and interesting cave, was visited. Many of the recesses and angles had been walled up and contained human remains. Fossiliferous specimens of marine animals were obtained by digging up the floor of the cave. The igneous rocks in the vicinity show evidences of rude sculptures, among which could be traced canoes, fishes, and men in various attitudes. Upon the extreme point we found another one of those round towers, built for the purpose of observing the movements of turtles on the beach. The shaft measures 24½ feet, and stands in the center of a narrow platform 67 feet long, filled with tombs containing human remains that had long been undisturbed, as evidenced by a luxuriant growth of lichens on the rough rocks.
RUINS OF THE OLDEST HABITATION ON THE ISLAND.
On the high bluff west of Kotatake Mountain we discovered the ruins of a settlement extending more than a mile along the coast-line and inland to the base of the hill. These remains bear unmistakable evidences of being the oldest habitations on the island. The houses are elliptical in shape, with door-ways facing the sea, and were built of uncut stone. Some of the walls are standing, but the majority are scattered about in the utmost confusion. An extremely interesting feature of these ancient ruins is the fact that each dwelling was provided with a small cave or niche at the rear end, built of loose lava stones, which was in a number of instances covered by an arch supported by a fairly shaped key-stone. The recesses were undoubtedly designed to contain the household gods, and the key-stone, although extremely rough in construction, is unmistakable in its application. Our guides had no knowledge of this locality and knew no distinctive name for it.
Messrs. Salmon and Brander had not visited the spot, because the location is bleak and desolate and, as far as they had heard, was a trackless waste, devoid of all interest.
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