it off in pieces of twenty-five or thirty feet in length.
Moſt of the large trees near the edges of the ſea have been hollowed near their roots by means of fire. The cavities are generally directed towards the north-eaſt, ſo as to ſerve as places of ſhelter againſt the ſouth-weſt winds, which appear to be the moſt predominant and violent in theſe parts. It cannot be doubted that theſe cavities are the work of men; for had they been produced by any accidental cauſe, ſuch as the underwood taking fire, the flames muſt have encompaſſed the whole circumference of the tree. They ſeem to be places of ſhelter for the natives whilſt they eat their meals. We found in ſome of them the remains of the ſhell-fiſh on which they feed, and frequently the cinders of the fires at which they had dreſſed their victuals. The ſavages, however, are not very ſafe in theſe hollow trees; for the trunk being weakened by the excavation, may eaſily be thrown down by a violent guſt of wind; neither are their ſeats very commodious, as the ground is very uneven, and we obſerved no contrivances to render it more level. Anderſon ſpeaks of hearths of clay, made by the natives in theſe hollow trees. Whenever I have found any clay in them, it did not appear to me to have been placed there by the ſavages; but
one
