364 
RAPA. 
In person, the inhabitants resemble those of 
Tahiti more than the New Zealanders, though 
their language bears the greater affinity to that of 
the latter. Vancouver, judging from those he 
saw around his ship, estimated their number at, 
1500. Mr. Davis, who visited them in 1826, sup¬ 
posed the population to amount to about 2000 ; 
but Messrs. Simpson and Pritchard, in April, 1829, 
found that an epidemic had reduced their numbers, 
and did not think there were above 500. The island 
is divided into several districts, and is governed by 
one supreme ruler, or king, and a number of subor¬ 
dinate chiefs. The name of the present chief is 
Tereau. Fortifications crown the summits of many 
of their hills; these are so constructed as to render 
them impregnable by any means which the assail¬ 
ants could bring against the besieged. Wars have 
not been frequent among them, and, when they 
have existed, have been less sanguinary than those 
among the islands to the northward. 
Their system of religion was exceedingly rude, 
and resembled, in some respects, that which 
prevailed in Tahiti, though the names of their 
gods were difterent. The principal idol was called 
Paparua ; it was formed of cocoa-nut husk, curi¬ 
ously braided, and shaped into a kind of cylinder, 
full in the centre, and smaller at the ends, and was 
not more than two or three inches long. To the 
favour of this god they sought for victory in war, 
recovery from sickness, and abundance of turtle.* 
Poere was another of their gods ; it was of stone, 
twelve or fifteen inches in length. It was fixed in 
the ground, and invoked on the launching of a 
canoe, and the opening of a newly-built house; 
and on its will the supply of water in the springs 
* Missionary Chronicle, vol. iv. p. 167 
