A lady's cruise in a French man-of-war (1882) (14803888373)

Identifier: ladyscruiseinfre00gord (find matches)
Title: A lady's cruise in a French man-of-war
Year: 1882 (1880s)
Authors: Gordon Cumming, C. F. (Constance Frederica), 1837-1924
Subjects: Oceania -- Description and travel
Publisher: Edinburgh London : William Blackwood and Sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



Text Appearing Before Image:
s a large slab ofunhewn stone, resting on three boulders. Around it are the rock-terraces which formed the rude temple. At Haamonga the cyclopean trilithon stands alone. All othersknown to us, such as those at Stonehenge, at Tripoli, Algeria, andin Central America, are found in connection with circles of hugestones, to which they have apparently been the gateway; but herethere does not appear to have been any circle, not even a detacheddolmen. In its weird solitude it most resembles the cromlech of Byjnathin Bengal; but what may be its story none can possibly guess.One thing only is certain, that these grey stones were brought hereby some long-forgotten race, who little dreamt, when they raisedthis ponderous monument, that a day would come when it shoiUdsurvive as the sole proof that they ever existed. We have been told that within the memory of persons nowliving, an enormous liava bowl stood on the horizontal stone, andthat most solemn and sacred drinking festivals were held here. It
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O uj Z _J O io -■- > ^ _j MAKCH OF FASHIOX. 19 is very probable that this may have been the case, as the peoplewould, in heathen days, very naturally retain some tradition ofreverence for the trilithon, as the peasants of Brittany, and, I maysay, of Britain, do for similar erections to the present day, as-sembling for annual festivals at the stones, though the originof Carnac, Stonehenge, and Stennis, is as unknown as that ofHaamonga. Eeturning to the village we saw that the church was crowded,and that there were a number of candidates for confirmation.Judging that the service would occupy some time, and beinganxious to see as much of the neighbourhood as possible, we drovealong the coast to a particularly fine banyan, noted in CaptainCooks chart, and beneath its shadow we rested awhile, and enjoyeda very pleasant half-hour overlooking a calm, beautiful sea. We reached Mua just as the congregation was dispersing, andwere troubled with some qualms on the score of our bad example,b