48 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
with his visits and^ upon the whole, with the disposition 
of the people, although some appeared remarkably super¬ 
stitious, and, as might be expected, unwilling at once to 
embrace Christianity. This arose from an apprehension 
of the anger of their gods, induced by the effects of a 
most destructive disease, with which they had been 
recently visited. The gods, they imagined, had thus 
punished them for their attention to the accounts from 
Tahiti. The teachers however landed their goods, and the 
frame-work of the chapel. The chiefs received them with 
every mark of respect and hospitality, pointed out an 
eligible spot for their residence, gave them some adja¬ 
cent plantations of taro, and promised them protection 
and aid. 
The sabbath which Mr. Davies spent there was pro¬ 
bably the first ever religiously observed on the shores of 
Rapa. Several of the natives attended public worship, 
and appeared impressed with the services. These being 
performed in the Tahitian language, were not unintel¬ 
ligible to them. The native teachers were members of 
the church at Papara, although they were but few in 
number, and were surrounded by a heathen population in 
a remote and solitary island, and as it was then expected 
the vessel would sail on that or the following day, they 
joined with Mr. Davies their pastor in commemorating the 
death of Christ, under the impression that it was the 
last time they should ever unite in this hallowed 
ordinance. 
The island of Rapa is about twenty miles in circum¬ 
ference, it is tolerably well wooded and watered, espe¬ 
cially on the eastern side, where Aurai, a remarkably 
fine harbour, extending several miles inland, is situated. 
The entrance is intricate, but the interior capacious, the 
