Page:Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute - Volume 1 (2nd ed.).djvu/112

82 which being Sunday, it was not without interest to find the day strictly kept, and that, in that quiet place, it was sensibly quieter than the previous day. Women and men donned their best attire, and the former what little fineries they had to display. There is a building set apart as a church at each village, that at the larger one being in very good condition; but at our village, as per chart, of thirty-one inhabitants, it was in a sadly dilapidated state. Being on shore close to this, about seven in the morning, I heard some singing inside, and at once entered (stooping under the projecting thatch) by one of the numerous breaches—only too practicable—in the walls. At a sort of rude reading-desk was a native conducting the singing—he only having a book—a dull monotonous chant, in which the congregation (seated crouchingly on the rush-covered ground) joined. The congregation consisted of thirteen females of all ages, and two men, and although in the census of Rapa women are sadly in the minority, yet they have the advantage of being at a premium, and, as it seemed to me, had the privilege of doing the religion for their husbands. The service was very simple, consisting of reading, singing, prayer, and an address. The Bible used was that translated by the missionaries at Tahiti and printed in England. I was told that the people of the larger village had, not long ago, managed to purchase an harmonium for their church, and waited for the lucky chance of some one coming in due time to play it.

In the afternoon I was on shore again near the same spot, and hearing a bell ringing continuously, I found it was the summons for church. Almost at the same time a horn was blown at the opposite village—the capital—as their summons also to afternoon service.

There are curious remains of apparently fortified places at Rapa, said to be the defences of the earlier warlike times. On the summits of many of the steep hills are to be seen these square fortresses, some of very elaborate construction; but what is very singular, they are mostly solid within. The stones are well squared, of very large size, and well cemented. Around or on the top of one in the interior are still the bones and skulls of a number of warriors to be found, who, they say, were starved out by their opponents. I regretted much that I had not time to make an exploration of those and other places myself. I felt I could have readily stayed a week on the island, with plenty of interest and amusement. Indeed, one enthusiastic young lady, to whom, before our arrival, I was jokingly suggesting the possibility of being wrecked going in, with the alternative of living in tents and doing a little of primitive life while waiting for the next steamer said, “she should enjoy it beyond measure.” However, we were not indulged in this, but our visit was a great break to the voyage, and I think we all enjoyed the novelty of the scene and the quiet retreat very much.