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VI. The Ws of Rarotonga, the chief Island of the Cook Group. By Tuomas F. 
CHEESEMAN, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum, New Zealand. 
(Plates 31-35 and Map.) 
Read 21st November, 1901. 
LOOKING at a map of the Eastern Pacific, and scrutinizing the expanse of ocean, 
some 1300 miles across, which intervenes between the Tongan and Society Islands, there 
will be noticed a scattered group of eight or nine small islands known as the Cook 
Islands, by far the largest and most important of which is Rarotonga. Most of them 
were discovered by the illustrious navigator whose name they bear; but although Cook 
twice crossed the group from side to side he failed to sight Rarotonga. So far as I can 
ascertain, its discoverer was the notorious Capt. Goodenough, who landed thereon in 
1821. Goodenough was one of those voyagers, not uncommon in the Pacific in the 
first half of the nineteenth century, who can be best described as half trader and half 
pirate. His unscrupulous conduct when trading on the northern coasts of New Zealand 
was for many years a matter of complaint among the Maoris, who knew him by the 
name of Kurunape, and his behaviour in Rarotonga was even more atrocious. By specious 
promises he decoyed a number of young girls on board his vessel, including some near 
relatives of the leading chiefs, and then suddenly took his departure. These girls he 
- kept on board for some time, but eventually landed them at Aitutaki, the most northerly 
isle of the group, distant about 150 miles from Rarotonga. Goodenough did not make 
his discovery known, probably not being anxious to answer any inquiries respecting his 
doings while at the island; but shortly after his departure, Aitutaki was visited by the 
Rey. John Williams, so well known by his missionary voyages in the Pacific. Among 
the women landed by Goodenough was one called Tapairu, a chieftainess or “ ariki ” in 
her own right, and a cousin of Makea, the principal chief of Rarotonga. She became 
one of Williams’s converts, and from her he learned the existence of Rarotonga. After 
two unsuccessful cruises, he at length found it, and landed thereon some time in 1823. 
Through the influence of Tapairu he obtained permission to leave two Tahitian teachers, 
who were shortly followed by two European missionaries. So successful were their 
labours, that when Williams revisited the island in 1827 he found that the whole 
population had embraced Christianity. He assisted in the preparation of a code of laws 
for the government of the island, and for many years missionary influence and teaching 
were paramount, although nominally the reins of power remained in the hands of the 
chiefs. European manners and customs were gradually adopted, English traders and 
SECOND SERIES.—BOTANY, VOL. VI. 2P 
