390 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
happiness, was sustained by the rude system of 
superstition in which they lived, and which pre¬ 
vailed in the adjacent islands. 
To the exertions of the Missionaries, and native 
Christians, in spreading Christianity, we are in¬ 
debted for our knowledge of the existence of this 
island, and the circumstances of its inhabitants; 
at least, I have met with no account of it, before 
that given by the Missionaries who established 
native teachers among the people. Although 
the inhabitants of the Society Islands reported 
the existence of an island, somewhere to the 
southward, which they designated by this name, 
the first intelligence that we received of its situa¬ 
tion, extent, and population, was derived from the 
inhabitants of Rurutu, who were driven to the 
Society Islands in 1821. 
When Auura, the chief of Rurutu, accompanied 
by teachers from Raiatea, returned to his native 
land, in the year 1821, he found there a number 
of the inhabitants of Rimatara. These followed 
the example of the inhabitants of Rurutu, in 
destroying their idols, and receiving Christian in¬ 
struction ; sailing shortly afterwards to their own 
island, they induced many of their countrymen to 
do the same. In the month of June, 1822, the 
Christians in Borabora sent two of their number, 
Eaarava and Oo, to instruct the inhabitants of this 
island in reading, writing, and the first elements 
of religion. They were accompanied by the Eu¬ 
ropean Missionaries, and all received a cordial 
welcome from the people. Although the natural 
productions of Rimatara were inferior to those of 
Borabora, and the comforts of life fewer than 
those enjoyed in their native land, this did not 
discourage them. They applied themselves with 
