4 8 



interpretation. In illustration of this, the lecturer referred in detail 

 to an exhibit from a grammar school near Manchester, in which, by 

 means of land surveying, the pupils were taught the construction 

 and reading of maps in a thoroughly practical manner. 



The Island 



On December 5th, 1908, the Chairman read a 

 paper (illustrated by lantern slides), entitled 

 ot KapaiNui. « Notes on the T sland of Rapa Nui . The Great 



Mystery of the Pacific." This is the famous Easter Island situated 

 in mid-Pacific in lat. 27 0 S. and long. 109 0 W., and containing the 

 remains of an unknown race who must have attained remarkable 

 skill in the arts, judging from the numerous statues, hieroglyphic 

 tablets, stone houses, &c, which they left behind them. (See 

 Plate III., Fig. 2). Mr. Liddiard, in the course of a most interest- 

 ing lecture, stated that the present inhabitants have not occupied 

 the island for more than three centuries, and are a fine-looking, 

 brave and cheerful race. Their mysterious predecessors in all 

 probability came originally from some part of South-West America. 



. . A geographical conference of the members of the 



ConfTrenTe section was held on January 23rd, 1909, Miss 

 C. Agnes Rooper presiding in the absence of the 

 Chairman. Discussion was opened by Mr. A. Scott reading a short 

 paper on " How the work of the newly-created Section could be 

 made most helpful and interesting to its members ? " This gave 

 rise to an animated debate in which Miss Fry, Dr. Mahood, and 

 Messrs. Yates, Day, Barker and other members took part. It is 

 hoped that many of the practical suggestions made on the occasion 

 will bear fruit in the future work of the section. 



The On Feb. 20th, 1909, G. Brownen, Esq., F.C.S., 



. delivered a lecture on " The Geographical Area of 



Geographical Christchurch as seen from the Keep, and its 

 Ch 6a of History." J. E. Liddiard, Esq., F.R.G.S., presided. 



Christchurcti. j n tng course 0 f n j s a d d ress the lecturer expressed 

 the opinion that from its peculiar position north of the Church and 

 Monastery, the Castle could afford no real protection to either of 

 them. Although doubtful of the truth of the Hengist legend, he 

 showed from the character of the coins and weapons found near the 

 prehistoric earthworks at Hengistbury Head that the place in 

 former times must have been held successively by Celtic, Roman 

 and Saxon forces, and was regarded by them as a defensive position 

 of great strength. In a paper replete with archaeological detail and 

 conjecture of great interest, Mr. Brownen called attention to a small 

 section of a Romanized British road called the " Salt Way," near 

 Lyndhurst, pointing S.W., and contended that indications of its 

 continuation towards Christchurch still existed. Allusion was also 

 made to the historical significance of such names as " Stan-pit," and 

 " Stoney " Lane, where no doubt in former times mounds or stones 

 were set up to guide travellers through the forest marshes that then 



