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Easter Island: Early Witnesses
George Cooke
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TE PITO TE HENUA, KNOWN AS RAPA NUI; COMMONLY CALLED EASTER ISLAND,
SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN. LATITUDE 27° 10' S., LONGITUDE 109° 26' W.
BY GEORGE H. COOKE,
Surgeon, United States Navy.
INTRODUCTION.
The U.S.S. Mohican sailed from the port of Callao, Peru, March, 1886,
under orders for a protracted cruise, on special duty,
among the islands of the South Pacific, with
instructions on her return passage to the South
American coast, to call at Easter Island, make certain
investigations desired by the Smithsonian Institution,
and especially to bring away one of the colossal stone
images to be found upon the island.
After a passage of
thirty-two days the Marquesas group was reached, but
the authorities, wishing to impose quarantine upon the
ship, a stay of a few hours only was made, and we
pushed on to the island of Rairoa, in the Tuamotu, or
Low Archipelago. From thence the ship visited, at
various times, and in some instances repeatedly, the
Society Islands, the Samoan Group, the Tonga Group, the
Fiji Islands, and New Zealand, and took her final
departure from Tahiti for Easter Island and the South
American coast November 16, dropping anchor in Hanga Roa
Bay, west coast Rapa Nui, December 18.
The stone image,
stone crown, and stone head, for the Smithsonian
Institution, having been successfully transported over
the island to the beach and thence transferred on
board, the ship sailed on the last day of the year for
Valparaiso, Chile, arriving at the latter port January
14, 1887, having performed the duty assigned her, in
which all on board took the liveliest interest.
The writer has confined himself, as strictly as
circumstances would admit, to the line of investigation
assigned him, in order that there might not be a
needless repetition in the reports of the several
officers concerned in the work.
In the preparation and collation of the glossary the
writer has been ably assisted by Lieut. William E.
Safford, U. S. N.
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