Harr.—0On the Island of Rapa. 75 
and afterwards the Franks and Normans, with the Kymry, (who occupied 
the north side of France more particularly), imposed their pronunciation 
and orthography on the whole of France. The distinction of character and 
appearance between the Gaels and Kymry of France is well described in 
Merivale’s “ History of the Romans under the Empire," Vol. L, chapter 5; 
and amongst other points he quotes from Tacitus the fact confirmed by 
Cesar, that the Kymry “affected to have a German origin,” and imitated 
the Germans. This would agree with the theory I have propounded, that 
the Kymry as well as the Teutonic Franks and Scandinavian Normans 
introduced the present “continental” pronunciation of vowels into France, 
and controlled the orthography. 
The Kymry who followed the Celts into Britain seem to have been a 
different horde from the Belgic Kymry who “affected Germanism” in 
France; and their numbers would seem almost to have been smaller, 
for the Gaels held their own in Scotland, Ireland, and great parts of Wales. 
With some diffidence, but on the whole with a reasonable expectation of 
approval, I offer my theory, that the English vowel sounds come through 
the Celtic portion of our mixed race, to the criticism of philologists ; and 
Iam rather encouraged in the view I have taken by the success which has 
attended the labours of such men as Dr. Guest and Mr. Matthew Arnold, 
in ascribing much more of our language and civilization than used to be 
conceded to the Celtic inhabitants of Great Britain. 
Arr. VIII,—On the Island of Rapa. By Captain Jons Viwe Harr. 
Plates II.-IV. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 12th October, 1868.] 
I May commence my notes by saying that the island has been hitherto 
erroneously ealled Opara, but on my recent visit to it I inquired particu- 
larly as to its proper native name, which I found was pronounced nearly. 
as if spelt with an L and two p’s, or Lappa. Opara, they said, was “ English 
name." In future it will be called Rapa. 
This island, like other places one might mention, has acquired a tempo- 
rary and adventitious value principally from its position and the possession 
of a harbour. lt was first discovered by the English navigator Vancouver, 
since which time it has apparently been very little visited except by small 
trading vessels from the neighbouring islands. Vancouver described it 
. truly as rugged, formed of craggy mountains, with very little level ground ; 
the narrow valleys between the precipitous hill sides affording the only 
space for a limited cultivation. 
