they had just constructed, was destroyed. The fruit trees were overturned, and the consequences of this disaster were so great, that a famine ensued.

In 1848 a part of these houses had been rebuilt, plastered with lime, and well whitened. They presented an appearance of comfort and cleanliness seldom found in the islands of the Pacific.

The productions of the island are numerous and cheap. They consist of figs, turkeys, fowls, ducks, yams, sweet potatoes, pine-apples, which the inhabitants. obtain, in spite of the poverty of the soil, by assiduous labour and care but little common to these islanders. The exchange is by means of money, printed calico, &c. The purchases are made on shore, in a spot destined for the purpose; and the transactions are made so quickly and so justly, that they deserve special mention.

The three villages composing the people of the island are united under the authority of the same chief or king. He has under him six smaller chiefs, or governors. There is a police, for protection, &c.

The stranger, on his reaching the shore, is received by a constable, who accompanies him, and does not leave until his business is ended. If he wishes to make any purchases, the policeman announces it to the vendors, and in an instant all the goods are brought to one common spot. A tariff, affixed to a post, shows the extreme limits of the prices of the articles, which must not be exceeded, and between which the price varies according to circumstances.

By the intervention of the policeman, according as you pass before each seller he fixes his price; if you consider it too high, you refuse, and say your own, which, if he thinks is not enough, and will not come down to, he gets up and carries away his goods. When, on the contrary, the sale is concluded, the money is paid by the purchaser into the hands of the constable, who gives it himself into the hands of the seller, after having assured himself that it is the exact price of the agreement. In this manner any objection to the payment becomes impossible. Having walked through the market, all the Indians whose prices appeared too high are excluded, and only those remain to deal with who have shown any hesitation on this. Everything is then quickly settled.

The young missionary, Mr. Gill, who directs them, seems to exercise a great influence over them, of which he takes advantage in exerting them to labour.*

RAROTONGA is a beautiful island seen in the Seringapatam, in 1814. Mr. Williams, the missionary, says that he discovered it in 1823. It was also seen by Capt. Dibbs, in the schooner Endeavour. It is a mass of mountains, which are high, and present a remarkably romantic appearance. It has several good boat harbours, but no anchorage; it is about 30 miles in circumference, and surrounded by a reef.†

The following, by M. Dutaillis, is more recent and explicit :This island appears to be of the same formation as Mangaia. Like it, it may be seen at a great distance, and only differs in that the surrounding reef is not

* M. Dutaillis, Annales Hydrographiques, vol. i. pp. 145-6; see also Cook's Third Voyage, vol. i. p. 174, et seq.; and Williams's Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands, p. 18.

+ Missionary Enterprises, p. 18; Capt. D. Bethune, in Nautical Magazine, October, 1840, p. 685; Sir E. Belcher, vol. ii. p. 16.

quite continuous, but has in some points small openings, which afford harbours for small vessels, without shelter, and anchorage without holding ground.

The principal village, named Avarua, is in the North. The entrance to it, which affords communication with the sea, may be about 50 yards broad within the reef. Another, named Atauia, is in the S.E.; and the last, Arognani, in the N.W. Atauia, the most important after Avarua, is a bad harbour; and the recent loss of some coasting vessels offers little encouragement for others to follow them. That of Arognani is in still greater discredit.

The productions of this island, which is much more fertile than Mangaia, are exactly the same; and although frequent communication and the ties of relationship unite the inhabitants of these two islands, they but little resemble each other in respect of industry and intelligence.

The brother of Mr. Gill, of Mangaia, exercises the same functions at Rarotonga, but states with regret that he has not obtained the same good results.

The population does not exceed 4,000 inhabitants. It was ravaged by the tempest of March, 1846. The hurricane commenced about seven o'clock in the evening, then blowing from S.E.; it then passed successively to every point of the compass, overthrowing the houses, trees, the church, and in general everything that offered any obstacle to its force. It ceased at four o'clock in the morning. Like as at Mangaia, a terrible scarcity ensued.

Position of the centre of the island, according to M. Dutaillis: lat. 21° 13′ S., lon. 160° 6′ 33′′ W.; var., 10° E. The N.W. point is in lat. 21° 11′ 35′′ S., lon. 159° 47' W.*

RURUTU is probably the Oruruti of Capt. Henry, which is placed a degree farther South by him than the position given by Capt. Drinkwater Bethune. Lat. 20° 20′ S., lon. 160° 0' E. It is about 4 miles long E. and W., and 1,300 feet in height.+

ATIU, or WATEEO, was first seen by Cook, March 31, 1777, and resembles Mangaia in appearance and extent. He describes the people and his friendly reception by the natives at great length. It is a mere bank of coral, 10 or 12 feet high, steep and rugged, except where there are small sandy beaches, at some clefts, where the ascent is gradual. Cook could not get any quantity of refreshments here. Lat. 19° 58', lon. 158° 6'.

TAKUTEA is the Wenooaette (i.e., Wenua-iti, Little Island) of Cook, who discovered it. It is in lat. 19° 51' S., lon. 158° 23′ W., about 3 or 4 leagues from Atiu, the inhabitants of which called it Otakootaia, and sometimes Wenooaette, or Little Island. It is not more than 3 miles in circuit; the beach,

There are three names which have caused some confusion here, Roxburgh Island, Armstrong Island, and Oruruti.

ROXBURGH ISLAND is said to have been discovered, March 5, 1824, by Capt. White, in the Medway, who made it 20 miles in length, lat. 21° 36′ S., and lon. 200° 42′ E., but without any pretensions to accuracy. It is now considered that it is identified with Rarotonga (Horsburgh). ARMSTRONG ISLAND, an American discovery, lat. 21° 21′ S., 198° 56′ E., is also most likely Rarotonga. Both these islands have been diligently sought for, without success, by many whalers and others, and are not known to the natives.-(M. Dutaillis.)

ORURUTI, discovered by Capt. Henry, is not Rarotonga; but, according to Capt. Bethune, lies to the North of it.

+ Nautical Magazine, October, 1840, p. 685.

without the reef, is composed of white corals and, above which the land does not rise above 6 or 7 feet, on which grow several clusters of cocoa palms and vast numbers of other trees. It is entirely destitute of water. It was then uninhabited, but some empty huts, &c., were seen.*

MITIERO, according to the account given by Capt. Dibbs, of the Endeavour, lies in lat. 20° 1' S., lon. 157° 34′ W., at the distance of 25 miles from Atiu. It is a low island, having a large clump of trees in its centre; it is from 3 to 4 miles from North to South, and a mile from East to West. Williams states, that from famine and invasion the population does not now exceed 100 persons.+ Atiu, Takutea, and Mitiéro (or Mittiaro), are connected together socially; the rest of the group are independent.

MAUKI, or PARRY ISLAND, is also a low island. It is about 2 miles in diameter, well wooded, and inhabited; but the soil does not appear in any part to exceed 40 feet above the sea level. It is situated in lat. 20° 7′ S., and lon. 157° 11' W.

In Arrowsmith's chart the island is termed Parry's Island, as laid down by Lord Byron in 1825, who calls it Mauti, as will be seen by the work of the late Mr. Williams, who claims also the discovery of Rarotonga, but which is designated on the chart as "Orurute," discovered by Capt. Henry. However it is well known by the native account that they had long before been visited frequently by whalers, and Capt. Henry did not touch at it until after Mr. Williams resided there.t

At the time of the Blonde's visit the natives were exceedingly friendly, and were civilized by the missionaries. Cocoa-nut, pandanus, and bread-fruit, grew on it.§ Mr. Williams says that, prior to 1820, the population was considerable, but in that year an invasion and terrible massacre reduced the population to three hundred.

HERVEY ISLANDS were discovered by Cook in his second voyage, in 1773, and also seen by him in the third voyage, in 1777. They were named by him after Capt. Hervey, afterwards Earl of Bristol, one of the Lords of the Admiralty. This name has sometimes been extended to the whole group. Cook says that they consist of three islands, surrounded by a reef, which may be 6 leagues in circumference. The inhabitants call two of them, perhaps the largest, Manuai and Auotu (Bethune) or Ouitate. Mr. Williams says that there is no entrance into the reef, and that the desolating wars among themselves had reduced their number to a dozen people in 1830. Lat. 19° 18' S., lon. 158° 54′ W. AITUTAKI (or Whytootake) is the northernmost of this group. discovered, April 11, 1798, by Capt. Bligh, in the Bounty, a few days before the mutiny. When he made it to the S.S.W., 5 leagues distant, it appeared of moderate height, with a round hill on the North part; the N.W. part was highest and steep; the S.E. sloped off to a low point. It has a most fruitful appearance, its shores being bordered by flat land, on which grew innumerable cocoa-nut and

Cook, Third Voyage, vol. i. p. 206.

+ Journal des Voyages, vol. xxviii; Missionary Enterprises, p. 17. Belcher, Voyage of the Sulphur, vol. ii. p. 14.

It was

§ Voyage of the Blonde, p. 208.

other trees, and the higher grounds beautifully interspersed with lawns. Capt. Bligh says it is 10 miles, Williams says 18 miles, in circuit. The latter also says it is hilly rather than mountainous, and surrounded by a reef, which extends a very considerable distance from the shore. There is a good entrance for a boat on the West side of the island. Its population is 2,000. Bligh's observations place it between lats. 18° 50′ and 18° 54′ S., lon. 159° 41'.

A group of small islands, or keys, eight in number, and covered with trees, lie to the S.E. 4 or 5 miles from Aitutaki, and a single one to the W.S.W. The southernmost of the group is in lat. 18° 58′ S. Variation, 8° 14′ E.*.

Besides the above, which it is believed constitute the whole of the group, Cook mentions another which he calls Mahowarah, which is probably Mitiaro, or Mauki.

NEW ISLAND.-According to M. Dutaillis, this island, which from private interests would remain unknown, lies, it is said, in lat. 24° 20' S. and lon. 159° 30′ W. It is low, and offers a very advantageous trade in hogs. It will be important to ascertain the position and confirm the account of this island. In addition to the position above given, Commander Hamond, H.M.S. Salamander, states that an island exists in lat. 24° 0' S., lon. 159° 10′ W. This must be the same.†

Another ISLAND is placed in lat. 22° 30′ S., lon. 162° 51′ E., by Commander Hamond.

BEVERIDGE REEF, a very dangerous shoal, first announced in the Nautical Magazine, August, 1833, p. 442. It is also the same reef called King George Reef, and Middleton Reef, in Norie's and Arrowsmith's charts. It is probable that the Nicholson Shoal, stated to be in lat. 20° 5′, and lon. 168° 40′, is the same, as Sir Edward Belcher sailed with the Starling 100 miles to the West of Beveridge Reef.

According to the original notice, no part of it appears above water, but the sea breaks over it in many places. On the inside of the reef there appeared to be deep water. Its extent is about 10 miles North and South, and about 8 miles East and West. On the West side, near the S.W. point, there appeared to be an opening. The position first assigned agrees exactly with that obtained by Sir Edward Belcher. By this latter it is called Lagoon Reef, and his account is as follows:

"By our survey it appears that this reef occupies an outline similar to that of a coral island, having an entrance to the N.W. All the mass of shoal water appeared to be contracted at its S. W. extremity, but no rocks above water could

• Voyage of the Bounty, pp. 146-148.

+ Annales Hydrographiques, 1849, vol. i. pp. 147-8; and Nautical Magazine, October, 1847, p. 379. TUANAHE (?) is also an island announced as doubtful by Comm. Hamond, in lat. 26° 30′ S., lon. 160° 25′ W.

be traced. The S.W. extremity was determined to be in lat. 20° 2′ N., lon. 167° 49′ W., which differs from that assigned to the shoal seen by Capt. Nicholson. We termed it Lagoon Reef."*

TONGA OR FRIENDLY ISLANDS.

The merit of the discovery of these islands is due to Tasman, who first saw them, January 20th, 1643. He anchored on the N.W. side of Tonga-tabu, to which he gave the name of Amsterdam, as he imposed those of Middelburg and Rotterdam to Eoa and Namuka.+ The recollection of his friendly relations with the natives still remained when Cook visited it during his third voyage, in 1777, when he stayed three months here (April to July). Cook was the second navigator who saw them, in October, 1773, during his second voyage. In this voyage he anchored successively at Eoa and Tonga-tabu; on the following year he revisited this archipelago, and discovered most of the small islands to the North of Tonga-tabu, which now bear the distinct name of the Habaii or Hapaï Islands.

In his third voyage, above alluded to, he stayed more particularly at Tonga-tabu, where he remained for thirty-six days, and maintained the most amicable relations with the inhabitants, which caused him to attach to them the appellation by which they were known; but we learn from the narrative of Mariner, and also from other sources, that these apparently friendly people, with Finow at their head, had planned an assault on the two ships, and a massacre of the whole crew; this was to take place at an entertainment, to which Cook and his officers were present; but the plot failed, from a misunderstanding of one of the chiefs. Cook unsuspectingly praised the entertainment as the best he had had at the "Friendly" Islands. This people also, we are told by D'Urville, had the same intentions. toward D'Entrecasteaux and his ships.||

In

In February and March, 1781, the Spanish navigator, Maurelle, discovered Vavao and several of the neighbouring islands; but Cook, in his third voyage makes frequent mention of these islands, but did not see them. In the last days of 1787, La Pérouse saw these islands; but there is some doubt whether he remained any time here. In the year following, Lieut. Bligh passed three days. at Namuka; two days after which the mutiny of the Bounty took place.** 1791 Capt. Edwards, in the Pandora, made two visits to these islands. In 1795 Admiral D'Entrecasteaux visited Tonga-tabu, and made some observations to establish its position, which coincide with those previously made by Cook. In 1795 an American vessel left six deserters here, not for the benefit of the natives. In April, 1797, the missionary ship Duff left ten missionaries, who at first established themselves at Hifo; but, from internal dissensions, they separated. It will be

• Sir E. Belcher, Voyage of the Sulphur, vol. ii. p. 54.

+ Desbrosses, Histoire des Navigations, vol. i. 460.

Cook's Third Voyage, vol. i. p. 95.

§ Cook's Third Voyage, vol. i. p. 282, et seq.; and Mariner's Account of the Tonga Islands, second edition, vol. ii. pp. 60-1.

Voyage de L'Astrolabe, vol. iv. p. 180.

Voyage de la Pérouse, vol. i. p. 282, &c.; vol. iii. p. 244, &c.; Dillon, vol. i. p. 279, &c.; D'Urville, vol. iv. p. 181.

** Bligh, p. 209.