Rapa: the Forgotten. 
3 2 3 
again sank back into its former state of solitude, 
which, save for the visit of a trading vessel 
from Tahiti had been almost undisturbed since 
the days of Vancouver. Yet, despite its lonely 
situation and its commercial insignificance, Rapa 
has the proud distinction of being a French 
colony, anc 1 possesses a Governmental staff of one 
Frenchman who fulfils with ease all the duties 
that devolve on him. Fifteen or sixteen years 
ago the place was much in favour with English 
trading vessels bound to Tahiti, for pigs and 
fowls were cheap and plentiful, and it paid to 
buy them at Rapa and sell at Tahiti. Then the 
French authorities at Tahiti looked grave— 
here was greedy Albion again grabbing profits 
that ought to go into the pockets of French 
citizens ; so the English trade came to an end 
at Rapa, as it has done throughout the Society 
and Marquesas Islands since the tricolour was 
hoisted there. Three or four times a year a 
French or native-owned schooner now visits 
Rapa, bringing mails (for the one-man Govern¬ 
ment) from Tahiti, and returning with a 
clamorous cargo of fowls and pigs purchased 
from the rapidly diminishing native population 
which now barely numbers 200 souls. 
