RAIVAVAI. 375 
scribed as numerous, and much tataued ; the name 
of one of their gods the same as that of one for- 
merly worshipped by the Tahitians. An old man 
who resided at the same place with the stranger, 
gave Mr. Davies the name of eleven places, either 
districts of Manganeva, or adjacent islands, which 
-are unknown to the Tahitians. The information 
thus obtained will be: valuable in the search for 
those islands, which has already been commenced ; 
and if no sources of wealth be found, nor impor- 
tant channels of commerce opened, their discovery ° 
will increase our geographical knowledge, and ex- 
tend the range of benevolent operation. 
Rapa forms the southern extremity of that part of 
~ Polynesia which Malte Brun has designated the 
AUSTRAL ISLANDS. 
Ratvaval, orn Hicu IsLtanp, »* 
Ts one of the most important of these islands, and is 
situated about six degrees to the north-west of Rapa. 
It was discovered by Lieut. Broughton, in the Chat- 
ham, on the 2d of December, 1791, who gives its . 
situation as 23. 42. lat. and 147. 41. W. long. Its 
high and broken mountains may be seen in clear 
weather at the distance of fifty miles. Around the 
sterile centre mountains, there is a considerable 
portion of low land. The island is scarcely twenty 
miles in circumference. The harbour is open and 
insecure ; but, being on the western side, it is shel- 
tered from the prevailing winds. <A few years ago 
the inhabitants amounted to about 2000, but the 
ravages of a fearful epidemic, in the year 1829, 
reduced them, it is said, to about 800. They 
