700 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



to whose ancestors it relates aud who seemed to be doomed to speedy 

 extinction. 



During our stay at the ishind we were treated with every courtesy 

 by Mr. Salmon, who placed every facility within his power at our 

 disposal for the prosecution of our work, and I am indebted to him for 

 much of the information embodied in this report. 



Wednesday, December 2J>, was devoted to explorations in the vicin- 

 ity of Vaihu, to the collection of data, and taking of notes, and at 

 7 o'clock in the evening drove to Mr. Brander's liouse, near the vil- 

 lage of Mataveri, having thus completed the tour of the coast Hue of 

 the island. That evening, in company with Mr. Salmon, a visit was 

 made to Chief Ure Vaeiko, 83 years old, for the purpose of having 

 him interpret the hieroglyphic writings on the wooden tablets and 

 photographs. This he did into the Kapa Nui language, the interpre- 

 tation being taken down by Mr. Salmon, stretched at full length in the 

 litter constituting the floor of the house, and subsequently translated 

 into English by him. The latter, with the paymaster, was engaged 

 with this work through the entire night, and at 10 o'clock next morn- 

 ing, the 30th, met the writer at Mr. Brander's house. A large portion 

 of this day was devoted to visiting the villages, inspecting the houses, 

 and making physical examinations. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon we 

 returned to the house of Mr. Salmon, at Vaihu, where a note from the 

 ship was received urging our immediate return, as the image had been 

 received on board and the Mohican was to sail on the followiiig day. 



Another night was passed at the house of Mr. Salmon, and at 7 

 o'clock on the morning of December 31, our preparations being com- 

 pleted, we started on our return. The "buggy" was again brought 

 into requisition and carried us as far as Rana Roraka, the road ter- 

 minating at the corral at its base. Here we alighted, and the natives 

 distributing and shouldering our implements, all hands except Mr. 

 Salmon, who rode on horseback, struck out to cross the island on foot 

 to La Perouse Bay. The distance was about 3 miles by the trail, which 

 was rough and rocky but quite level, and was accomplislied in an hour. 

 On the way we passed our camp of December 23 and 24, "Whitney," 

 where a party of native men and women had spent the preceding, and 

 it is to be hoped a drier, night than we did under the overhanging rock. 



We arrived at the landing in Hanga-one Bay, whence tlie image had 

 been boated oil' to the ship after having been brought a distance of 2^ 

 miles overland on a sled, at about o'clock in the morning, aud in a 

 little while thereafter returned on board after an absence from the shij) 

 of twelve days. At 3 o'clock the same afternoon, all financial matters 

 having been concluded, and a number of sheep, the parting gifts of 

 Messrs. Salmon and Brander, having been received on board, we bade 

 farewell to our gentle Rapa Nui friends and steamed away for 

 Valparaiso. 



We found the natives who accompanied us bright, willing, tractable, 



