712 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



estimated nt 20,000, altliougli other calculations give much smaller 

 figures. I am of the opinion that in the days of the image and plat- 

 form builders the population might have been even larger. 



About the year 18C3 the Peruvians carried oft" from the island in 

 15 vessels, as it is alleged, 5,000 of the inhabitants as agricultural 

 laborers in Peru and to work the guano dei)Osits of the (Jhincha 

 Islands. By reason of the odium attached to this proceeding, the 

 Peruvian Government, some time afterwards, was induced to return 

 those who had not succumbed to their treatment and altered conditions 

 of life. SnuUlpox broke out among these on the return voyage. It is 

 stated that all except two died, and the disease, spreading among the 

 people ashore, ravaged the island, many deaths resulting. Of those 

 carried off by the Peruvians one old man, Pakomeo, who was taken 

 to the Chinchas, and whom we saw, still survives, the last of the 

 unfortunates. 



Down to the year 1864 cannibalism is said to have been practiced 

 by the natives. In that year a Jesuit mission was established on the 

 island, at which time the population numbered about 1,500. Through 

 the influence and teachings of the missionaries an almost radical 

 change was Avrought in the manners, habits, and character of the 

 people, and, to a certain extent at least, they adopted the customs of 

 civilized life. 



When H. M. S. Topaze visited the island in 1868 there were but 

 about 900 natives left, of whom less than 300 were females, with the 

 numbers still rapidly declining, the proportion of deaths to births 

 being given as 3 to 1. About the year 1875 some 500 were removed to 

 Tahiti under contract to work on the sugar plantations of that island. 



In the year 1878 the missionaries, who had done admirable work 

 among them, departed from the island, taking with them about 300 of 

 the people, who settled Gambler Archipelago. 



When H. M. S. Sapplio touched at the island in 1882 it was reported 

 that but 150 of the inhabitants were left. 



On the occasion of the Moliicavi's visit I received from Mr. Salmon, 

 who had a complete census, with the names of every man, woman, and 

 child on the island, the following summary: 



Natives 15.5 



Foreigners 11 



Total number of inhabitants 166 



Native men 68 



Native women 43 



Boys under l."> years of age 17 



Girls under 1.5 years of age 27 



Total number of natives 155 



Taliitians 6 



English 2 



Americans 2 



Frenchmen 1 



Total number of foreigners 11 



