CHAPTER VI.

Hervey or Cook's Islands.

Hervey Islands discovered by Cook-His Mistake as to InhabitantsTheir first Visit to the English Ship-Behaviour and AppearanceNumber of Islands-A Chief goes on Board at Mangaia-Population and Extent of it-Position of Atiu, and Number of Inhabitants-Singular Mistake as to the Animals in the Ship--Omai meets Natives of Society Islands-Account of their Voyage-Discovery of AitutakiIts Position and Appearance-Mauke discovered by two Missionaries -Mr. Williams reaches Rarotonga-Gospel introduced into Aitutaki -Appearance of People-Visit of Missionaries to Mangaia-Their brutal Reception-Inhabitants converted to the Gospel-Success of the Teachers at Atiu Mitiaro, and Mauke-Remarks by Captain Lord Byron-Rarotonga receives the Gospel from Papeiha, a Native teacher--Rapid Success of Christianity-Mr. Williams again visits Rarotonga-Introduction of sundry new Laws among the PeoplePolygamy and the Principle of Succession to Property-Hervey Isl ands exposed to Hurricanes-Epidemic Diseases-Numerous Deaths in 1831-Children greatly improved by Missionaries-Difficulties with the adult Pupils--Aversion to attend Church-Expedient adopted by the Preachers-Favourable Contrast as to Rarotonga-Continued Progress of Knowledge and Civilization-Case of a Chief-Number of Persons in Congregations and Schools-Religion must precede all other Improvements.

THE islands which form the subject of this chapter were discovered in 1773 by the renowned Cook, who named what he considered the principal one of the group in honour of Captain Hervey, at that time a Lord of the Admiralty, and afterward Earl of Bristol. Upon approaching its shore, he found it to consist of two or three small islets connected together by breakers, like most of the same class in the South sea, lying in a triangular form, and about six leagues in circumference. It was clothed with wood, among which were many cocoanut trees; but he saw no people, nor appearance of dwellings, and had reason to believe there were none. According to his observations, the latitude is 19° 18′ south, and the longitude 158° 54' west. In 1823, when visited by a missionary, it was ascertained that, in regard to occupation, the great navigator had concluded too hastily. It was, no

doubt, found that the miserable natives, by their frequent wars, had reduced their number to about sixty; and seven years later, this small remnant was, by the same cause, still farther diminished, to five men, three women, and two children, who were disturbed by a violent contest which of them should be king. Captain Cook, indeed, long before the period of missionary enterprise, had corrected his mistake in regard to the supposition just mentioned. On the 6th April, 1777, when he again drew near it, he observed several canoes put off from the shore, and direct their course toward the ships. This was a sight that surprised me," says he," as no signs of inhabitants were seen when the island was first discovered; which might be owing to a pretty brisk wind that then blew, and prevented their canoes venturing out as the ships passed to leeward, whereas now we were to windward." He describes his visiters as clamorous and disorderly in the extreme, having, at the same time, all the suspicion and thievish propensities of the Polynesian race. They attempted to take some oars out of the Discovery's boat, and struck a man who endeavoured to prevent them. They also cut away with a shell a net with meat which hung over the ship's side, and absolutely refused to restore it. Behaving in the most daring manner, they made a sort of hook of a long stick, with which they openly endeavoured to rob the crew of whatever came within their reach. They had a fierce, surly aspect, resembling in features the natives of New Zealand, with strong black hair, which they wore either hanging loose about the shoulders, or tied in a bunch on the crown of the head.*

The Hervey islands are seven in number, which, besides the one now specified, are, Mangaia, Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke, Aitutaki, and Rarotonga. The first of these was discovered by Captain Cook, on the 29th March, 1777. Being near the shore, he could perceive with his glass that several of the natives, who appeared upon a sandy beach, were armed with long spears and clubs, which they brandished in the air with signs of threatening. Most of them were naked, but a few had pieces of cloth of different colours, white, striped, or chequered, which they wore as a garment, thrown about the

*A Voyage toward the South Pole and round the World, performed in His Majesty's ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775, written by James Cook, commander of the Resolution (2 vols., London, 1779), vol. i., p 190. Missionary Enterprises, p. 18,

shoulders. They had a kind of sandal, made of a grassy substance ingeniously woven, which seemed intended to defend their feet against the coral rock. Their beards were long; and the inside of their arms, from the shoulder to the elbow, was tattooed, after the manner of the other islanders in those latitudes. The lobe of the ear was pierced, or rather slit, and to such a length that one of them stuck into it a knife and some beads which he had received from the sailors. Mourooa, a chief, accompanied the captain on board, where the cattle and other new objects presented to his view did not strike him with so much surprise as was expected. His mind, indeed, seemed to be so deeply occupied with thoughts about his own safety, that he was incapable of attending to any other thing. Going out of the cabin, he happened to stumble over a goat; and his curiosity now overcoming his fear, he looked at it, and asked what bird it was. Mangaia lies in lat. 21° 57' S., and long. 158° 3′ W. Such parts of it as fell under the notice of the discoverers were guarded by a coral reef, on the outside of which the sea is of an unfathomable depth. It is fully five leagues in circuit, and in the middle rises into little hills, whence there is a gentle descent to the shore. This declivity is covered with trees of a deep green colour, very thick, but not tall, among which are numbers of that species of dracæna found in the woods of New Zealand as well as in some other places. "Upon the whole," concludes the navigator, "the island has a pretty aspect, and might be made a beautiful place by cultivation."*

On the authority of late observers, we may remark that Mangaia, which is estimated to be about twenty or twenty-five miles in circumference, rises to a greater height than was supposed by Cook, who did not land. The population is stated by the missionaries to exceed two thousand, though the grounds on which their calculations are founded do not challenge an unlimited confidence. This island presents a peculiarity of conformation which may be traced throughout nearly the whole group; the surrounding reef everywhere joins the shore, and hence there is neither an entrance for boats nor a safe anchorage for ships.

Atiu, or Wateoo, as it was called by the distinguished officer already so often named, is situated in lat. 20° S., and long. 158° 15′ W. In circuit its dimensions are understood to be

A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean for making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere (3 vols., London, 1785), vol. i., p. 177.

not less than twenty miles; its surface is hilly; its general aspect is that of romantic beauty; and the number of inhabitants is said to fall somewhat short of two thousand. It was discovered by him in the month of March, 1777, and he soon afterward opened an amicable intercourse with the simple natives. A canoe appeared alongside the Resolution, having twelve men on board, who, as they drew near, recited some words in concert, by way of chorus, one of their number first standing up and giving the signal before each repetition. When first conducted into the cabin, some objects seemed to strike them with great surprise; but nothing fixed their attention for a moment. They were afraid to go near the cows and horses, nor could they form the least conception of their nature. The sheep and goats, however, did not surpass the limits of their comprehension; but they at once took them for birds. "It will appear rather incredible," observes the captain, "that human ignorance could ever make so strange a mistake; there not being the most distant similitude between a sheep or goat and any winged animal. But these people seemed to know nothing of the existence of any other land animals besides hogs, dogs, and birds. Our sheep and goats, they could see, were very different creatures from the first two, and therefore they inferred that they must belong to the latter class, in which they knew there is a considerable variety of species."

The most remarkable incident connected with this visit to Atiu, was a meeting which took place between the celebrated Omai, now on his return home, and three of his own country. men, natives of the Society islands. At the distance of not less than six hundred miles, an unknown ocean intervening, and with such imperfect boats as their inhabitants are known to use, this event might be regarded as one of those feigned occurrences which writers of imagination produce in order to excite the astonishment or amuse the fancy of their readers. Their story, as related by themselves, is not a little affecting. About twenty persons of both sexes had embarked in a canoe at Otaheite, to cross over to the neighbouring island of Raiatea; but violent wind arising, they could neither reach the one nor get back to the other. As the intended voyage was short, their stock of provisions was soon exhausted; and the sufferings they endured, while driven before the tempest they knew not whither, were exceedingly great. They passed some days without having anything either to eat or drink. Worn

out by famine, their numbers gradually diminished, till only four men survived; and at length their small vessel being overset, hope itself nearly deserted them. But unwilling to resign life so long as any means remained whereby it might possibly be saved, they continued to cling to the sides of their skiff until they came in sight of Atiu, the inhabitants of which removed them from the wreck, and carried them ashore. Of the four thus rescued, one had subsequently died; but so well satisfied were the survivors with their situation, that they refused the offer made by the English commander to restore them to their own country. The similarity of manners and language had quite naturalized them to their new abode; and the connexions which they had formed in the island, and which, after a residence of twelve years, it would have been painful to break off, sufficiently account for their declining to revisit the place of their birth.*

For their first acquaintance with Aitutaki, the geographers of Europe are indebted to the indefatigable researches of the same distinguished navigator. Like the other members of the archipelago, it is surrounded with a reef; presents a rich and variegated landscape; and rises to a considerable elevation above the waters of the great ocean by which its shores are constantly washed. Its position is lat. 18° 54′ S., and long. 159° 41′ W. The population is conjectured to be about two thousand.

Mauke, which was discovered by two Christian teachers, in the year 1823, lies a little farther south, and two degrees more to the eastward. Being about fifteen miles in circumference, it is capable of maintaining a considerable population; but, a short time before it became known to our countrymen, the inhabitants had been attacked by an enemy, and their numbers reduced to three hundred. A similar visitation had nearly exterminated the natives of Mitiaro, a smaller island of the same description, and situated about twenty miles northwest of the former.

Rarotonga, the most important of the whole, having a population of not less than six thousand, was, as will be immediately related, added to the Hervey cluster by the late Mr.

* A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, vol. i., p. 200. This fact, as Cook justly remarks, "will serve to explain better than a thousand conjecures of speculative reasoners, how the detached parts of the earth, and, in particular, how the islands of the South sea, may have been first peopled; especially those which lie remote from any inhabited cont nent, or from each other."