The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Nor are we better acquainted with their religion. The gigantic statues
so often mentioned, are not, in my opinion, looked upon as idols by the
present inhabitants, whatever they might have been in the days of the
Dutch; at least, I saw nothing that could induce me to think so. On the
contrary, I rather suppose that they are burying-places for certain
tribes or families. I, as well as some others, saw a human skeleton
lying in one of the platforms, just covered with stones. Some of these
platforms of masonry, are thirty or forty feet long, twelve or sixteen
broad, and from three to twelve in height; which last in some measure
depends on the nature of the ground. For they are generally at the brink
of the bank facing the sea, so that this face may be ten or twelve feet
or more high, and the other may not be above three or four. They are
built, or rather faced, with hewn stones of a very large size; and the
workmanship is not inferior to the best plain piece of masonry we have
in England. They use no sort of cement; yet the joints are exceedingly
close, and the stones morticed and tenanted one into another, in a very
artful manner. The side walls are not perpendicular, but inclining a
little inwards, in the same manner that breast-works, &c., are built in
Europe: yet had not all this care, pains, and sagacity been able to
preserve these curious structures from the ravages of all-devouring
time.
The statues, or at least many of them, are erected on these platforms
which serve as foundations. They are, as near as we could judge, about
half length, ending in a sort of stump at the bottom, on which they
stand. The workmanship is rude, but not bad; nor are the features of the
face ill formed, the nose and chin in particular; but the ears are long
beyond proportion; and, as to the bodies, there is hardly any thing like
a human figure about them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account