Aitutaki.

Aitutaki is the most northern island of the Lower Group, and is 140 miles north of Rarotonga. The wharf at Arutanga is located by Admiralty chart as Lat. 18° 52' 32? and Long. 159° 46' 30?. The island is surrounded by a barrier reef, which on the south-east is five to six miles away from the land. Within the lagoon on the east are several islets, whilst on the south-east is the isolated islet of Maina, associated with the history of Ruatapu. The area of Aitutaki is 3,900 acres, and it contains a population of 1,373.

There is a ridge of hills on the west, which rises to a height of 360 feet. The soil is fertile and produces the best fruit in the group. The passage through the reef on the west side, known as Te Rua-i-kakau, admits the use of whale boats in loading cargo, and thus gives Aitutaki a commercial advantage over all the other islands except Rarotonga.

There are seven villages: Amuri, Ureia, Arutanga, Reureu, and Nikaupara on the west, and Vaipae and Tautu on the east. Arutanga is the seat of administration, and has a wharf which is opposite the boat passage referred to above. All the villages are on the coast, except Vaipae and Tautu, and all present a neat, clean, and picturesque appearance. Formerly the villages stood back on the high ground, but the population shifted down after the advent of Christianity.

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The people are Polynesians, and possess all the cheerfulness, kindness, and unstinted hospitality of their race. They have not been spoilt by the commercial side of civilisation.