82 Transactions. 



wticli being Sunday, it was not without interest to find tlie day strictly kept, 

 and that, iu tliat quiet place, it was sensibly quieter than the previous day. 

 "Women and men donned their best attire, and the former what little fineries 

 they had to display. There is a building set apart as a church at each 

 village, that at the larger one being in very good condition ; but at our 

 village, as per chart, o£ thirty-one inhabitants, it was in a sadly dilapidated 

 state. Being on shore close to this, about seven iu the morning, I heard 

 some singing inside, and at once entered (stooping under the projecting 

 thatch) by one of the numerous breaches — only too practicable — in the walls. 

 At a sort of rude reading-desk was a native conducting the singing — he 

 only having a booh — a dull monotonous chant, in which the congregation 

 (seated crouchingly on the rush-covered ground) joined. The congregation 

 consisted of thirteen females of all ages, and two men, and although in the 

 census of Eapa women are sadly in the minority, yet they have the advan- 

 tage of being at a premium, and, as it seemed to me, had the privilege of 

 doing the religion for their husbands. The service was very simple, consist- 

 ing of reading, singing, prayer, and an address. The Bible used was that 

 translated by the missionaries at Tahiti and printed in England. I was 

 told that the people of the larger village had, not long ago, managed to 

 purchase an harmonium for their church, and waited for the lucky chance 

 of some one coming in due time to play it. 



In the afternoon I was on shore again near the same spot, and hearing a 

 bell ringing continuously, I found it was the summons for church. Almost 

 at the same time a horn was blown at the opposite village — the capital — as 

 their summons also to afternoon service. 



There are curious remains of apparently fortified places at Eapa, said to 

 be the defences of the earlier warlike times. On the summits of many of 

 the steep hills are to be seen these square fortresses, some of very elaborate 

 construction ; but what is very singular, they are mostly solid within. The 

 stones are well squared, of very large size, and well cemented. Around or 

 on the top of one in the interior are still the bones and skulls of a number 

 of warriors to be found, who, they say, were starved out by their opponents. 

 I regretted much that I had not time to make an exploration of those and 

 other places myself. I felt I could have readily stayed a week on the island, 

 with plenty of interest and amusement. Indeed, one enthusiastic young 

 lady, to whom, before our arrival, I was jokingly suggesting the possibility 

 of being wrecked going iu, with the alternative of living in tents and doing 

 a little of primitive life while waiting for the next steamer said, " she should 

 enjoy it beyond measure." However, we were not indulged iu this, but our 

 visit was a great break to the voyage, and I think we all enjoyed the novelty 

 of the scene and the quiet retreat very much. 



