TE PITO TE HENITA, OR EASTKR ISLAM). 453 



Throughout southeastern Polynesia this island is known as Rapa 

 Nui, but the name is of accidental origin and only traces back about 

 twenty years. When the islanders, kidnaped by the Peruvians, were 

 being returned to their homes, there was for a time a question as to the 

 identity of those from Easter Island. The native name of "TePito te 

 Henna" was not recognized by the French officials, and finding certain 

 fellow-sufferers hailing from Oparo, an island lying '2,000 miles to the 

 westward, were more successful under the local appellation of Rapa iti 

 Little Rapa), the euphonious title Mas dropped and Rapa nui (Great) 

 Rapa) substituted. Teapy, Waihn, and various other names have been 

 given to the island, but clearly without warrant. Vaihu was the name 

 of a district and was occupied by the most powerful clan in the days 

 of Cook and La Perouse, but it was never applied to the entire island. 



CLTMATE. 



The climate is not unlike that of Madeira, with one wet and one dry 

 season. From April to October the rainfall is copious, and in summer 

 it is limited to passing showers. The mean temperature at the time'of 

 our visit (midsummer), in the shade, at 13 o'clock p. m., was between 78° 

 and 80° Fan., and at 2 o'clock a. m. there was a fall of about G degrees. 

 The southeast trades blow fresh at the beginning and end of the sea- 

 son, and make the climate salubrious and healthful. Our long fatiguing 

 marches, while making the exploration of the island, were not accom- 

 panied with inconvenience from exposure to the direct rays of the sun, 

 the constant breezes making the sensible temperature always appear 

 lower than that recorded by the thermometer. Violent exercise induced 

 profuse perspiration, but evaporation was always free and rapid. Elec- 

 tric storms are unknown. 



VILLAGES AND HABITATIONS. 



The Catholic missionaries built at Vaihu, on the south coast, near 

 Cape Koe Koe, a commodious and substantial church, a parsonage con- 

 taining three rooms, and several outbuildings. The house is now the 

 residence of Mr. Salmon, the outbuildings are occupied by his employ 6s, 

 and the church lias degenerated into a storehouse for wool. The prin- 

 cipal native settlement is at Mataveri, on the southwest coast, and about 

 a mile distant, at Hanga Roa, a small neat church has been erected. 

 Here the islanders assemble on .Sundays and other occasions to hear 

 the service read by one of their number, who was ordained especially 

 to take charge of this congregation upon the departure of the French 

 missionaries. At the southwest cud of the island, and near the base of 

 liana Kas, is the residence of Mr. Brander. 



The house is of modern structure, with huge and convenient rooms, 

 but is in a state of bad repair, and is more, attractive' when viewed 

 from a distance, surrounded by the shrubbery and vines that have been 

 planted about it, than it is upon close inspection. 



