Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0347
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[Page 347]
Otahite
June 1769
3½ by 2½ feet the foundation was of Rock stones likewise squard one of these corner stone measurd 4ft:7in by 2ft:4in. The whole made a part of one side of a spatious area which was walld in with stone the lenght size of this which seemd to be intended for a square was 118 by 110 paces which was intirely pavd with flat paving stones it is almost beyond beleif that Indians could raise so large a structure without the assistance of Iron tools to shape their stones or mortar to join them which last appears almost essential as the most of them are round it is done tho, & nearly almost as firmly as a European workman would have done it tho in some things it seems to have faild the steps for instance which range along its greatest lengh are not streight they bend downward in the middle forming a kind of a small Segment of a circle possibly the ground may have sunk a little under the greatest weight of such an immense pile which if it happend regularly would have this effect The labour of the work is prodigious the quarry stones are but few but they must have been brought by hand from some distance at least as we saw no signs of quarry near it tho I lookd carefully about me the coral must have been fishd from under water where indeed it is most plentifull but generaly coverd with 3 or 4 feet water at least & oftenest with much more The labour of forming them when got must also have been at least as great as the getting them they have not shewn us any way by which they could square a stone but by means of another which must be most tedious & liable to many accidents by the breaking