Cook Islands

Cook Islands, otherwise known as the Hervey Archipelago, lie about midway between the Society and Navigator groups, near $20^\{\backslash circ\}$ S. lat., and $158^\{\backslash circ\}$ W. long., and are some volcanic, some coralline. The principal members of the cluster are Mangaia, Atiou, and Raratonga. The natives, mainly of the brown Polynesian stock, are about 10,000 in all, of whom 6000 are in Raratonga, which is mountainous but fertile. Formerly cannibals, they are now all Christians, and dress after the European fashion. The islands were annexed by Britain in 1888.