FIG. 17.
HANGA VAREVARE.
500
Platform No. 1.-Known to the natives as "Hanga Roa". Only the base remains, measuring 59 feet long by 7 feet wide. This pile was demolished to obtain material for the construction of a house for one of the Catholic missionaries formerly stationed on the island.
Platform.No. 2.-Called "Ana Koiroraroa"; 160 feet long by 12½ feet wide and 10 feet high. The facing-stones on the front line remain intact, but the body of the platform is a mere mass of loose stones, probably torn up by the natives in recent years for the purpose of depositing their dead in these ancient structures. The three statues that formerly adorned this pile are lying immediately in the rear, and show from their positions that they had faced inboard, with their backs to the sea. These images are much weather-worn and defaced: one is entire; another has the head lying close by, probably broken off in the fall; and the third is minus the head and with the neck showing saw-marks. We afterwards found out that a French vessel of war visited the island a few years ago and the head of this image was cut off by them and taken to Europe.
Platform No. 3 (See Fig.17).-Called "Hanga Varevare"; 50 feet long and 8 feet wide. This has the appearance of an unfinished pile and is merely a burial place covered with loose rocks and without the usual smoothly faced stones in front. We found the catacombs or tombs underneath this platform had been robbed of the most ancient skulls, and concluded that the Frenchmen had taken everything of interest away.
500