266 Memoirs Bcrnicc P. Bishop Museum 



to a few valleys where, in the absence of reinforcements, they would eventually 

 have been wiped out or would have merged with the native population. 



A glance at a map of the P^acific (fig. i) will show that in spite of their 

 comparative immunity from attack the Alarquesas are by no means isolated. 

 The Tuamotu chain links them with the Society Islands on the south, and wide- 

 Iv scattered islands to the northwest connect them more remotely with Hawaii. 

 Small groups of castaways who had been driven out of their course nuist have 

 arrived in the ^larquesas from time to time and probably met with a friendly re- 

 ception. There are numerous records of such involuntary voyages in other parts 

 of Polynesia which show that great distances were sometimes covered in these 

 drifts and influences from western Polynesia and even from Micronesia ma}- have 

 reached the ^Marquesas in this wa}-. The Alarquesans themselves made long voy- 

 ages, some of which are said to have extended as far as Rarotonga with stops at 

 others islands en route. They were not conservative and their natiu^al mech- 

 anical ability made them quick to recognize the value of new appliances. It is 

 probable, therefore, that the historic culture of the Marquesas was a blend of the 

 culture of the two groups of early settlers plus a few features which had been in- 

 troduced from widely diverse sources. 



It seems certain that the population of the ]\Iar(]uesas had reached its 

 saturation point before the time of the first European contact. Even the 

 smallest and least hospitable valleys contain stone house-platforms, while the re- 

 mains in the more favored localities indicate a dense poptilation. Although the 

 increase was checked somewhat by constant inter-tribal wars, the pressure had 

 become sufficiently acute to lead to a resumption of organized expeditions in 

 search of new lands. According to Porter (49, p. 93) the emigrants took with 

 them domestic animals and ])lants in prejiaration for the founding of a new 

 colony, and sailed under the direction of priests. The magnitude of the exodus 

 may be judged from the fact that Porter's informant, Wilson, told him that, 

 to his knowledge, eight htmdred men, women and children had left the group in 

 this way, none of whom had ever been heard of afterward. At least one of these 

 emigrant groups is known to have established itself in an island of the northern 

 Tttamotus, but the greater part probably sailed on westward into the empty 

 ocean until they perished. 



The various early estimates of the population of the Marquesas have been 

 collected by Clavel (12) as follows: Cook, in 1773, estimated 50,000 for the 

 Southern Division alone, giving 100,000 for the whole group. Krusenstern, in 

 1804, gave 16,000 for Xuku Hiva alone on the word of a resident European, 

 but considers 12,000 as more probable. This would mean about 50,000 for the 

 whole group — an estimate Clavel considers the best. Porter, in 18 13, gave the popu- 



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