CHAPTER II.

FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND TO OUR ARRIVAL AT OTAHEITE, OR THE SOCIETY ISLANDS.

* * * * *

SECTION I.

_Prosecution of the Voyage.--Behaviour of the Two New Zealanders on board.--Unfavourable Winds.--An Island called Mangeea discovered.--The Coast of it examined.--Transactions with the Natives,--An Account of their Persons, Dress, and Canoe.--Description of the Island.--A Specimen of the Language.--Disposition of the Inhabitants_.

On the 25th of February, at ten o'clock in the morning, a light breeze springing up at N.W. by W., we weighed, stood out of the Sound, and made sail through the strait, with the Discovery in company. We had hardly got the length of Cape Teerawitte, when the wind took us aback at S.E. It continued in this quarter till two o'clock the next morning, when we had a few hours calm. After which we had a breeze at north; but here it fixed not long, before it veered to the east, and after that to the south. At length on the 27th, at eight o'clock in the morning, we took our departure from Cape Palliser, which, at this time, bore W., seven or eight leagues distant. We had a fine gale, and I steered E. by N.

We had no sooner lost sight of the land, than our two New Zealand adventurers, the sea sickness they now experienced giving a turn to their reflections, repented heartily of the step they had taken. All the soothing encouragement we could think of availed but little. They wept, both in public and in private, and made their lamentations in a kind of song, which, as far as we could comprehend the meaning of the words, was expressive of their praises of their country and people, from which they were to be separated for ever. Thus they continued for many days, till their sea sickness wore off, and the tumult of their minds began to subside. Then these fits of lamentation became less and less frequent, and at length entirely ceased. Their native country and their friends were, by degrees, forgot, and they appeared to be as firmly attached to us, as if they had been born amongst us.

The wind had not remained many hours at S., before it veered to S.E. and E.; and, with this, we stood to the N., till the 28th at noon. Being then in the latitude of 41° 17', and in the longitude of 177° 17' E., we tacked and stood to the S.E., with a gentle breeze at E.N.E. It afterward freshened, and came about to N.E.; in which quarter it continued two days, and sometimes blew a fresh gale with squalls, accompanied with showers of rain.

On the 2d of March at noon, being in the latitude of 42° 35' 30", longitude 180° 8' E., the wind shifted to N.W.; afterward to S.W.; and between this point and north it continued to blow, sometimes a strong gale with hard squalls, and at other times very moderate. With this wind we steered N.E. by E. and E., under all the sail we could carry, till the 11th at noon, at which time we were in the latitude of 39° 29', longitude 196° 4' E.

The wind now veered to N.E. and S.E., and I stood to the N., and to the N.E., as the wind would admit, till one o'clock in the morning on the 16th, when having a more favourable gale from the north, I tacked and stood to the east; the latitude being 33° 40', and the longitude 198° 50' E. We had light airs and calms by turns, till noon the next day, when the wind began to freshen at E.S.E., and I again stood to the N.E. But as the wind often veered to E. and E.N.E., we frequently made no better than a northerly course; nay sometimes to the westward of north. But the hopes of the wind coming more southerly, or of meeting with it from the westward, a little without the Tropic, as I had experienced in my former visits to this ocean, encouraged me to continue this course. Indeed it was necessary that I should run all risks, as my proceeding to the north this year, in prosecution of the principal object of the voyage, depended entirely on my making a quick passage to Otaheite, or the Society Islands.

The wind continued invariably fixed at E.S.E., or seldom shifting above two points on either side. It also blew very faint, so that it was the 27th before we crossed the Tropic, and then we were only in the longitude of 201° 25' E., which was nine degrees to the westward of our intended port. In all this run we saw nothing, except now and then a Tropic bird, that could induce us to think that we had sailed near any land. In the latitude of 34° 20', longitude 199° we passed the trunk of a large tree, which was covered with barnacles; a sign that it had been long at sea.

On the 29th, at ten in the morning, as we were standing to the N.E., the Discovery made the signal of seeing land. We saw it from the mast-head almost the same moment, bearing N.E. by E. by compass. We soon discovered it to be an island of no great extent, and stood for it till sunset, when it bore N.N.E., distant about two or three leagues.

The night was spent in standing off and on, and at daybreak the next morning, I bore up for the lee or west side of the island, as neither anchorage nor landing appeared to be practicable on the south side, on account of a great surf,[149] which broke every where with violence against the shore, or against the reef that surrounded it.

[Footnote 149: A very ingenious and satisfactory account of the cause of the surf, is to be met with in Marsden'a History of Sumatra, p. 29-32.--D.]

We presently found that the island was inhabited, and saw several people, on a point of the land we had passed, wading to the reef, where, as they found the ship leaving them quickly, they remained. But others, who soon appeared in different parts, followed her course; and sometimes several of them collected into small bodies, who made a shouting noise all together, nearly after the manner of the inhabitants of New Zealand.

Between seven and eight o'clock, we were at the W.N.W. part of the island, and, being near the shore, we could perceive with our glasses, that several of the natives, who appeared upon a sandy beach, were all armed with long spears and clubs, which they brandished in the air with signs of threatening, or, as some on board interpreted their attitudes, with invitations to land. Most of them appeared naked, except having a sort of girdle, which, being brought up between the thighs, covered that part of the body. But some of them had pieces of cloth of different colours, white, striped, or chequered, which they wore as a garment, thrown about their shoulders. And almost all of them had a white wrapper about their heads, not much unlike a turban; or, in some instances, like a high conical cap. We could also perceive that they were of a tawny colour, and, in general, of a middling stature, but robust, and inclining to corpulence.

At this time, a small canoe was launched in a great hurry from the further end of the beach, and a man getting into it, put off, as with a view to reach the ship. On perceiving this, I brought-to, that we might receive the visit; but the man's resolution failing, he soon returned toward the beach, where, after some time, another man joined him in the canoe; and then they both paddled toward us. They stopt short, however, as if afraid to approach, until Omai, who addressed them in the Otaheite language, in some measure quieted their apprehensions. They then came near enough, to take some beads and nails, which were tied to a piece of wood, and thrown into the canoe. They seemed afraid to touch these things, and put the piece of wood aside without untying them. This, however, might arise from superstition; for Omai told us, that when they saw us offering them presents, they asked something for their _Eatooa_, or god. He also, perhaps improperly, put the question to them, Whether, they ever ate human flesh? which they answered in the negative, with a mixture of indignation and abhorrence. One of them, whose name was Mourooa, being asked how he came by a scar on his forehead, told us that it was the consequence of a wound he had got in fighting with the people of an island, which lies to the north-eastward, who, sometimes came to invade them. They afterward took hold of a rope. Still, however, they would not venture on board; but told Omai, who understood them pretty well, that their countrymen on shore had given them, this caution, at the same time directing them to enquire, from whence our ship came, and to learn the name of the captain. On our part, we enquired the name of the island, which they called _Mangya_ or _Mangeea_; and sometimes added to it _Nooe, nai, naiwa_. The name of their chief, they said, was Orooaeeka.

Mourooa was lusty and well-made, but not very tall. His features were agreeable, and his disposition seemingly no less so; for he made several droll gesticulations, which indicated both good-nature and a share of humour. He also made others which seemed of a serious kind, and repeated some words with a devout air, before he ventured to lay hold of the rope at the ship's stern; which was probably to recommend himself to the protection of some Divinity. His colour was nearly of the same cast with that common to the most southern Europeans. The other man was not so handsome. Both of them had strong, straight hair, of a jet colour, tied together on the crown of the head with a bit of cloth. They wore such girdles as we had perceived about those on shore, and we found they were a substance made from the _Morus papyrifera_, in the same manner as at the other islands of this ocean. It was glazed like the sort used by the natives of the Friendly Islands; but the cloth, on their heads was white, like that which is found at Otaheite. They had on a kind of sandals, made of a grassy substance interwoven, which we also observed were worn by those who stood upon the beach; and, as we supposed, intended to defend their feet against the rough coral rock. Their beards were long; and the inside of their arms, from the shoulder to the elbow, and some other parts, were punctured or _tatooed_, after the manner of the inhabitants of almost all the other islands in the South Sea. The lobe of their ears was pierced, or rather slit, and to such a length, that one of them stuck there a knife and some beads, which he had received from us; and the same person had two polished pearl-shells, and a bunch of human hair, loosely twisted, hanging about his neck, which was the only ornament we observed. The canoe they came in (which was the only one we saw), was not above ten feet long, and very narrow; but both strong and neatly made. The fore part had a flat board fastened over it, and projecting out, to prevent the sea getting in on plunging, like the small _Evaas_ at Otaheite; but it had an upright stern, about five feet high, like some in New Zealand; and the upper end of this stern-post was forked. The lower part of the canoe was of white wood, but the upper was black, and their paddles, made of wood of the same colour, not above three feet long, broad at one end, and blunted. They paddled either end of the canoe forward indifferently; and only turned about their faces to paddle the contrary way.

We now stood off and on; and as soon as the ships were in a proper station, about ten o'clock I ordered two boats, one of them from the Discovery, to sound the coast, and to endeavour to find a landing-place. With this view, I went in one of them myself, taking with me such articles to give the natives, as I thought might serve to gain their good-will. I had no sooner put off from the ship, than the canoe, with the two men, which had left us not long before, paddled toward my boat; and, having come along-side, Mourooa stept into her, without being asked, and without a moment's hesitation.

Omai, who was with me, was ordered to enquire of him where we could land; and he directed us to two different places. But I saw, with regret, that the attempt could not be made at either place, unless at the risk of having our boats filled with water, or even staved to pieces. Nor were we more fortunate in our search for anchorage; for we could find no bottom, till within a cable's length of the breakers. There we met with from forty to twenty fathoms depth, over sharp coral rocks; so that anchoring would have been attended with much more danger than landing.

While we were thus employed in reconnoitring the shore, great numbers of the natives thronged down upon the reef, all armed as above mentioned. Mourooa, who was now in my boat, probably thinking that this warlike appearance hindered us from landing, ordered them to retire back. As many of them complied, I judged he must be a person of some consequence among them. Indeed, if we understood him right, he was the king's brother. So great was the curiosity of several of them, that they took to the water, and, swimming off to the boats, came on board them without reserve. Nay, we found it difficult to keep them out; and still more difficult to prevent their carrying off every thing they could lay their hands upon. At length, when they perceived that we were returning to the ships, they all left us, except our original visitor Mourooa. He, though not without evident signs of fear, kept his place in my boat, and accompanied me on board the ship.

The cattle, and other new objects, that presented themselves to him there, did not strike him with so much surprise as one might have expected. Perhaps his mind was too much taken up about his own safety, to allow him to attend to other things. It is certain, that he seemed very uneasy; and the ship, on our getting on board, happening to be standing off shore, this circumstance made him the more so. I could get but little new information from him; and therefore, after he had made a short stay, I ordered a boat to carry him in toward the land. As soon as he got out of the cabin, he happened to stumble over one of the goats. His curiosity now overcoming his fear, he stopped, looked at it, and asked Omai, what bird this was? and not receiving an immediate answer from him, he repeated the question to some of the people upon deck. The boat having conveyed him pretty near to the surf, he leaped into the sea, and swam ashore. He had no sooner landed, than the multitude of his countrymen gathered round him, as if with an eager curiosity to learn from him what he had seen; and in this situation they remained, when we lost sight of them. As soon as the boat returned, we hoisted her in, and made sail from the land to the northward.

Thus were we obliged to leave, unvisited, this fine island, which seemed capable of supplying all our wants. It lies in the latitude of 21° 57' S., and in the longitude of 201° 53' E. Such parts of the coast as fell under our observation, are guarded by a reef of coral rock, on the outside of which the sea is of an unfathomable depth. It is full five leagues in circuit, and of a moderate and pretty equal height; though, in clear weather, it may be certainly seen at the distance of ten leagues; for we had not lost sight of it at night, when we had run above seven leagues, and the weather was cloudy. In the middle, it rises into little hills, from whence there is a gentle descent to the shore, which, at the S.W. part, is steep, though not above ten or twelve feet high; and has several excavations made by the beating of the waves against a brownish sand-stone of which it is composed. The descent here is covered with trees of a deep green colour, very thick, but not high, which seem all of one sort, unless nearest the shore, where there are great numbers of that species of _dracaena_ found in the woods of New Zealand, which are also scattered in some other places. On the N.W. part, the shore, as we mentioned above, ends in a sandy beach; beyond which the land is broken down into small chasms or gullies, and has a broad border of trees resembling tall willows; which, from its regularity, might be supposed a work of art, did not its extent forbid us to think so. Farther up on the ascent, the trees were of the deep green mentioned before. Some of us supposed these to be the _rima_, intermixed with low cocoa palms; and a few of some other sorts. They seemed not so thick as on the S.W. part, and higher; which appearance might be owing to our nearer approach to the shore. On the little hills were some trees of a taller sort, thinly scattered; but the other parts of them were either bare, and of a reddish colour, or covered with something like fern. Upon the whole, the island has a pretty aspect, and might be made a beautiful spot by cultivation.

As the inhabitants seemed to be both numerous and well fed, such articles of provision as the island produces must be in great plenty. It might, however, be a matter of curiosity to know, particularly, their method of subsistence; for our friend Mourooa told us, that they had no animals, as hogs and dogs, both which, however, they had heard of; but acknowledged they had plantains, bread-fruit, and taro. The only birds we saw, were some white egg-birds, terns, and noddies; and one white heron, on the shore.

The language of the inhabitants of Mangeea is a dialect of that spoken at Otaheite; though their pronunciation, as that of the New Zealanders, be more guttural. Some of their words, of which two or three are perhaps peculiar to this island, are here subjoined, as taken, by Mr Anderson, from Omai, who had learnt them in his conversations with Mourooa. The Otaheite words, where there is any resemblance, are placed opposite.

English. _Mangeea._ _Otaheite._ _A cocoa nut_, Eakkaree, Aree. _Bread-fruit_, Kooroo, Ooroo. _A canoe_, Ewakka, Evaa. _Friend_, Naoo, mou. _A man_, Taata, or Tangata, Taata. _Cloth_, or _cloth plant_, Taia, taia aoutee, Eoute. _Good_, Mata, Myty. _A club_, Pooroohee. _Yes_, Aee, Ai. _No_, Aoure, Aoure. _A spear_, Heyhey. A_fight, or battle_, Etamagee, Tamaee. _A woman_, Waheine, Waheine. _A daughter_, Maheine, Maheine. _The sun_, Heetaia matooa. _I_, Ou, Wou. _The shore_, Euta, Euta. _What is that?_ Ehataieee? Owytaieeoa? _There_, Oo.

English. _Mangeea_. _Otaheite_. _A chief_, Ereekee, Eree.

_Great_, or _powerful_, Manna (_an adjunct to the last_.)

_To kiss_, Ooma.

The natives of Mangeea seem to resemble those of Otaheite and the Marquesas in the beauty of their persons, more than any other nation I have seen in these seas; having a smooth skin, and not being muscular. Their general disposition also corresponds, as far as we had opportunities of judging, with that which distinguishes the first-mentioned people. For they are not only cheerful, but, as Mourooa shewed us, are acquainted with all the lascivious gesticulations which the Otaheitans practise in their dances. It may also be supposed, that their method of living is similar. For, though the nature of the country prevented our seeing many of their habitations, we observed one house near the beach, which much resembled, in its mode of construction, those of Otaheite. It was pleasantly situated in a grove of trees, and appeared to be about thirty feet long, and seven or eight high, with an open end, which represented an ellipse divided transversely. Before it, was spread something white on a few bushes; which we conjectured to be a fishing net, and, to appearance, of a very delicate texture.

They salute strangers much after the manner of the New Zealanders, by joining noses; adding, however, the additional ceremony of taking the hand of the person to whom they are paying civilities, and rubbing it with a degree of force upon their nose and mouth.[150]

[Footnote 150: The inhabitants of the Palaos, New Philippine, or rather Caroline Islands, at the distance of almost fifteen hundred leagues from Mangeea, have the same mode of salutation. "Leur civilitié, et la marque de leur respect, consiste à prendre la main ou la pied de celui à qui ils veulent faire honneur, et s'en frotter doucement toute le visage."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 208. _Edit_. 1781.--- D.]

SECTION II.

_The Discovery of an Island called Wateeoo.--Its Coasts examined.--Visits from the Natives on board the Ships.--Mess. Gore, Barney, and Anderson, with Omai, sent on Shore.--Mr Anderson's Narrative of their Reception.--Omai's Expedient to prevent their being detained.--His meeting with some of his Countrymen, and their distressful Voyage.--Farther Account of Wateeoo, and of its Inhabitants_.

After leaving Mangeea, on the afternoon of the 30th of March, we continued our course northward, all that night, and till noon on the 31st; when we again saw land, in the direction of N.E. by N., distant eight or ten leagues.

Next morning, at eight o'clock, we had got abreast of its north end, within four leagues of it, but to leeward; and could now pronounce it to be an island, nearly of the same appearance and extent with that we had so lately left. At the same time, another island, but much smaller, was seen right ahead. We could have soon reached this; but the largest one had the preference, as most likely to furnish a supply of food for the cattle, of which we began to be in great want.

With this view I determined to work up to it; but as there was but little wind, and that little was unfavourable, we were still two leagues to leeward at eight o'clock the following morning. Soon after, I sent two armed boats from the Resolution, and one from the Discovery, under the command of Lieutenant Gore, to look for anchoring-ground, and a landing-place. In the mean time, we plyed up under the island with the ships.

Just as the boats were putting off, we observed several single canoes coming from the shore. They went first to the Discovery, she being the nearest ship. It was not long after, when three of these canoes came along-side of the Resolution, each conducted by one man. They are long and narrow, and supported by outriggers. The stern is elevated about three or four feet, something like a ship's stern-post. The head is flat above, but prow-like below, and turns down at the extremity, like the end of a violin. Some knives, beads, and other trifles were conveyed to our visitors; and they gave us a few cocoa-nuts, upon our asking for them. But they did not part with them by way of exchange for what they had received from us. For they seemed to have no idea of bartering; nor did they appear to estimate any of our presents at a high rate.

With a little persuasion, one of them made his canoe fast to the ship, and came on board; and the other two, encouraged by his example, soon followed him. Their whole behaviour marked that they were quite at their ease, and felt no sort of apprehension of our detaining, or using them ill.

After their departure, another canoe arrived, conducted by a man who brought a bunch of plantains as a present to me; asking for me by name, having learnt it from Omai, who was sent before us in the boat with Mr Gore. In return for this civility, I gave him an axe, and a piece of red cloth; and he paddled back to the shore well satisfied. I afterward understood from Omai, that this present had been sent from the king, or principal chief of the island.

Not long after, a double canoe, in which were twelve men, came toward us. As they drew near the ship, they recited some words in concert, by way of chorus,[151] one of their number first standing up, and giving the word before each repetition. When they had finished their solemn chant, they came along-side, and asked for the chief. As soon as I shewed myself, a pig and a few cocoa-nuts were conveyed up into the ship; and the principal person in the canoe made me an additional present of a piece of matting, as soon as he and his companions got on board.

[Footnote 151: Something like this ceremony was performed by the inhabitants of the Marquesas, when Captain Cook visited them in 1774. It is curious to observe, at what immense distances this mode of receiving strangers prevails. Padillo, who sailed from Manilla in 1710, on a voyage to discover the Palaos Islands, was thus received there. The writer of the relation of his voyage says, "Aussitot qu'ils approcherent de notre bord, ils se mirent à chanter. Ils regloient la cadence, en frappant des mains sur leurs cuisses."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 323.--D.]

Our visitors were conducted into the cabin, and to other parts of the ship. Some objects seemed to strike them with a degree of surprise; but nothing fixed their attention for a moment. They were afraid to come near the cows and horses; nor did they form the least conception of their nature. But the sheep and goats did not surpass the limits of their ideas; for they gave us to understand, that they knew them to be birds. It will appear rather incredible, that human ignorance could ever make so strange a mistake; there not being the most distant similitude between a sheep or goat, and any winged animal. But these people seemed to know nothing of the existence of any other land-animals, besides hogs, dogs, and birds. Our sheep and goats, they could see, were very different creatures from the two first, and therefore they inferred, that they must belong to the latter class, in which they knew there is a considerable variety of species.[152] I made a present to my new friend of what I thought might be most acceptable to him; but, on his going away, he seemed rather disappointed than pleased. I afterward understood that he was very desirous of obtaining a dog, of which animal this island could not boast, though its inhabitants knew that the race existed in other islands of their ocean. Captain Clerke had received the like present, with the same view, from another man, who met with from him the like disappointment.

[Footnote 152: "I would add," says Mr Stewart, in his Elements of the Phil, of Hum. Mind, p. 154, 2d ed., "I would add to Cook's very judicious remarks, that the mistake of these islanders probably did not arise from their considering a sheep or a goat as bearing a more striking resemblance to a bird, than to the two classes of quadrupeds with which they were acquainted; but to the want of a generic word, such as _quadruped_, comprehending these two species; which men in their situation would no more be led to form, than a person, who had only seen one individual of each species, would think of an appellation to express both, instead of applying a proper name to each. In consequence of the variety of birds, it appears that they had a generic name comprehending all of them, to which it was not unnatural for them to refer any new animal they met with."--This solution is very specious, but when narrowly examined, will be found to rest on two suppositions not altogether borne out by evidence, and also to be liable to yield a conclusion not readily reconcileable with all the circumstances of the case. In the first place, it is not proved that these islanders had no generic word to comprehend the two species of quadrupeds with which they were acquainted; and the reason given for their want of it, which, after all, is merely a probable one, cannot be allowed much force. Its weakness will appear from the consideration, that men in their situation, having certainly an idea of number, must, according to Mr S.'s own principles stated in the next page, have possessed the power of attending separately to the things which their senses had presented to them in a state of union, and have found it necessary to apply to all of them one common name, or, in other words, "to have reduced them all to the same genus." It is requisite, therefore, for the validity of Mr S.'s reason, to shew that these islanders either were not able to distinguish betwixt their hogs and dogs, or had never numbered them together, which it is quite impossible to credit. Even the case of the person who had seen only one individual of each species, which Mr S. conceives similar to that we are considering, may be argued against in the same manner, and besides this, will be found not analogous. The reason is plain. He may or may not have been able, from a solitary observation, to infer that the distinction he noticed betwixt them was a radical difference, or, in the language of the schoolmen, was essential: Whereas the islanders, from the constancy of the differences they observed, must have been necessitated to form a classification of the objects, the result of which would be, the use of one term for the common properties or the resemblance, and two words for the comprehended individuals. In the second place, it cannot otherwise be made appear, that these islanders had a generic name comprehending the variety of birds with which they were acquainted, than on such principles of reasoning as we have now been considering, the proper inference from which, as we have seen, is destructive of the foundation of Mr S.'s solution. Here, it may be remarked, it is somewhat unfortunate that we cannot depend implicitly on Captain Cook's account as to the words in which the islanders conveyed the notions we have been commenting on; because, as the reader will find at the end of this section, these people, who, whatever rank they may be allowed to hold as logicians, were at all events very dexterous thieves, stole the memorandum book in which Mr Anderson had recorded a specimen of their language. But admitting Mr S.'s suppositions, it then may be shewn, that not only the sheep and the goats, but also the horses and cows, considered, in the words of Mr S., as _new animals_, would have been referred by these islanders to the same genus, and therefore considered as birds. The circumstance of their greater size, or, indeed, any other discernible difference, cannot here be pleaded as exceptive, without in reality abandoning the principles on which the solution is constructed. On the whole, perhaps, it may seem more correct to imagine, that these islanders were struck with some fanciful and distant resemblance to certain birds they were acquainted with, from which they hastily inferred identity of nature, notwithstanding some very visible discrepancies; whereas the remarkable dissimilarity betwixt the new quadrupeds and those they were previously acquainted with, impressed their minds with the notion of complete contrariety. In other words, they concluded, from the unlikeness, that these animals were neither dogs nor hogs, and, from the resemblance, that they were birds. It is erroneous to say, with Cook, that there is not the most distant similitude between a sheep or goat, and any winged animal. For the classifications adopted in every system of natural history, proceed upon the discovery of still more remote resemblances among the objects of the science, than such as may be noticed in the present case; and it will almost always be found, that there is greater difficulty in ascertaining differences amongst those objects which are allied, than similarity amongst those which are unconnected. The facility with which ideas are associated in the mind, as Mr S. informs us, p. 295, is very different in different individuals, and "lays the foundation of remarkable varieties of men both in respect of genius and of character;" and he elsewhere (p. 291) admits, "that things which have no known relation to each other are often associated, in consequence of their producing similar effects on the mind." With respect to the former remark, the facility, it might be practicable to shew, that, in general, it is proportioned to the ignorance and imperfect education, of the individuals, hence children and the female sex (as Mr S. himself asserts) exhibit most of it; and, in consistency with the latter observation, we have but to imagine, that some effect having been produced on the minds of these islanders by the sight of the animals in question, similar to what they had previously experienced from some bird or birds which they had occasionally seen, led them to the remarkable association we have been considering. It would not be very difficult to intimate how this might have happened, but the length of our note, the reader may think, is much greater than its importance, and he may prefer to amuse himself at another time, by following out the investigation. Let it be our apology for entering on it at all, that it is only by diligent reflection on such mysterious trains of thought, we can hope to acquire any just conceptions of the faculties and operations of our own minds.--E.]

The people in these canoes were in general of a middling size, and not unlike those of Mangeea; though several were of a blacker cast than any we saw there. Their hair was tied on the crown of the head, or flowing loose about the shoulders; and though in some it was of a frizzling disposition, yet, for the most part, that, as well as the straight sort, was long. Their features were various, and some of the young men rather handsome. Like those of Mangeea, they had girdles of glazed cloth, or fine matting, the ends of which, being brought-betwixt their thighs, covered the adjoining parts. Ornaments, composed of a sort of broad grass, stained with red, and strung with berries of the nightshade, were worn about their necks. Their ears were bored, but not slit; and they were punctured upon the legs, from, the knee to the heel, which made them appear as if they wore a kind of boots. They also resembled the inhabitants of Mangeea in the length of their beards, and, like them, wore a sort of sandals upon their feet. Their behaviour was frank and cheerful, with a great deal of good-nature.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Mr Gore returned with the boat, and informed me, that he had examined all the west side of the island, without finding a place where a boat could land, or the ships could anchor, the shore being every where bounded by a steep coral rock, against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. But as the natives seemed very friendly, and to express a degree of disappointment when they saw that our people failed in their attempts to land, Mr Gore was of opinion, that by means of Omai, who could best explain our request, they might be prevailed upon to bring off to the boats, beyond the surf, such articles as we most wanted; in particular, the stems of plantain trees, which make good food for the cattle. Having little or no wind, the delay of a day or two was not of any moment; and therefore I determined to try the experiment, and got every thing ready against the next morning.

Soon after day-break, we observed some canoes coming off to the ships, and one of them directed its course to the Resolution. In it was a hog, with some plantains and cocoa nuts, for which the people who brought them demanded a dog from us, and refused every other thing that we offered in exchange. One of our gentlemen on board happened to have a dog and a bitch, which were great nuisances in the ship, and might have been disposed of on this occasion for a purpose of real utility, by propagating a race of so useful an animal in this island. But their owner had no such views, in making them the companions of his voyage. However, to gratify these people, Omai parted with a favourite dog he had brought from England; and with this acquisition they departed highly satisfied.

About ten o'clock, I dispatched Mr Gore with three boats, two from the Resolution, and one from the Discovery, to try the experiment he had proposed. And, as I could confide in his diligence and ability, I left it entirely to himself, to act as, from circumstances, he should judge to be most proper. Two of the natives, who had been on board, accompanied him, and Omai went with him in his boat as an interpreter. The ships being a full league from the island when the boats put off, and having but little wind, it was noon before we could work up to it. We then saw our three boats riding at their grapplings, just without the surf, and a prodigious number of the natives on the shore, abreast of them. By this we concluded, that Mr Gore, and others of our people, had landed, and our impatience to know the event may be easily conceived. In order to observe their motions, and to be ready to give them such assistance as they might want, and our respective situations would admit of, I kept as near the shore as was prudent. I was sensible, however, that the reef was as effectual a barrier between us and our friends who had landed, and put them as much beyond the reach of our protection, as if half the circumference of the globe had intervened. But the islanders, it was probable, did not know this so well as we did. Some of them, now and then, came off to the ships in their canoes, with a few cocoa nuts; which they exchanged for whatever was offered to them, without seeming to give the preference to any particular article.

These occasional visits served to lessen my solicitude about our people who had landed. Though we could get no information from our visitors, yet their venturing on board seemed to imply, at least, that their countrymen on shore had not made an improper use of the confidence put in them. At length, a little before sun-set, we had the satisfaction of seeing the boats put off. When they got on board, I found that Mr Gore himself, Omai, Mr Anderson, and, Mr Burney, were the only persons who had landed. The transactions of the day were now fully reported to me by Mr Gore; but Mr Anderson's account of them being very particular, and including some remarks on the island and its inhabitants, I shall give it a place here, nearly in his own words.

"We rowed toward a small sandy beach, upon which, and upon the adjacent rocks, a great number of the natives had assembled; and came to an anchor within a hundred yards of the reef, which extends about as far, or a little farther, from the shore. Several of the natives swam off, bringing cocoa-nuts; and Omai, with their countrymen, whom we had with us in the boats, made them sensible of our wish to land. But their attention was taken up, for a little time, by the dog, which had been carried from the ship, and was just brought on shore, round whom they flocked with great eagerness. Soon after, two canoes came off; and, to create a greater confidence in the islanders, we determined to go unarmed, and run the hazard of being treated well or ill."

"Mr Burney, the first lieutenant of the Discovery, and I went in one canoe, a little time before the other; and our conductors, watching attentively the motions of the surf, landed us safely upon the reef. An islander took hold of each of us, obviously with an intention to support us in walking, over the rugged rocks, to the beach, where several of the others met us, holding the green boughs of a species of _Mimosa_ in their hands, and saluted us by applying their noses to ours."

"We were conducted from the beach by our guides, amidst a great crowd of people, who flocked with very eager curiosity to look at us; and would have prevented our proceeding, had not some men, who seemed to have authority, dealt blows, with little distinction, amongst them, to keep them off. We were then led up an avenue of cocoa-palms; and soon came to a number of men, arranged in two rows, armed with clubs, which they held on their shoulders, much in the manner we rest a musquet. After walking a little way amongst these, we found a person who seemed a chief, sitting on the ground cross-legged, cooling himself with a sort of triangular fan, made from a leaf of the cocoa palm, with a polished handle, of black wood, fixed to one corner. In his ears were large bunches of beautiful red feathers, which pointed forward. But he had no other mark, or ornament, to distinguish him from the rest of the people; though they all obeyed him with the greatest alacrity. He either naturally had, or at this time put on, a serious, but not severe countenance; and we were desired to salute him as he sat, by some people who seemed of consequence."

"We proceeded still amongst the men armed with clubs, and came to a second chief, who sat fanning himself, and ornamented as the first. He was remarkable for his size, and uncommon corpulence, though, to appearance, not above thirty years of age. In the same manner, we were conducted to a third chief, who seemed older than the two former, and, though not so fat as the second, was of a large size. He also was sitting, and adorned with red feathers; and after saluting him as we had done the others, he desired us both to sit down, which we were very willing to do, being pretty well fatigued with walking up, and with the excessive heat we felt amongst the vast crowd that surrounded us."

"In a few minutes, the people were ordered to separate; and we saw, at the distance of thirty yards, about twenty young women, ornamented as the chiefs, with red feathers, engaged in a dance, which they performed to a slow and serious air, sung by them all. We got up, and went forward to see them; and though we must have been strange objects to them, they continued their dance, without paying the least attention to us. They seemed to be directed by a man who served as a prompter, and mentioned each motion they were to make. But they never changed the spot, as we do in dancing, and though their feet were not at rest, this exercise consisted more in moving the fingers very nimbly, at the same time holding the hands in a prone position near the face, and now and then also clapping them together.[153] Their motions and songs were performed in such exact concert, that it should seem they had been taught with great care; and probably they were selected for this ceremony, as few of those whom we saw in the crowd equalled them in beauty. In general, they were rather stout than slender, with black hair flowing in ringlets down the neck, and of an olive complexion. Their features were rather fuller than what we allow to perfect beauties, and much alike; but their eyes were of a deep black, and each countenance expressed a degree of complacency and modesty, peculiar to the sex in every part of the world, but perhaps more conspicuous here, where Nature presented us with her productions in the fullest perfection, unbiassed in sentiment by custom, or unrestrained in manner by art. Their shape and limbs were elegantly formed. For, as their dress consisted only of a piece of glazed cloth fastened about the waist, and scarcely reaching so low as the knees, in many we had an opportunity of observing every part. This dance was not finished, when we heard a noise, as if some horses had been galloping toward us; and, on looking aside, we saw the people armed with clubs, who had been desired, as we supposed, to entertain us with the sight of their manner of fighting. This they now did, one party pursuing another who fled."

[Footnote 153: The dances of the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands have a great resemblance to those here described. See Lettres Edif. et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 315. See also, in the same volume, p. 207, what is said of the singing and dancing of the inhabitants of the Palaos Islands, which belong to the same group.--D.]

"As we supposed the ceremony of being introduced to the chiefs was at an end, we began to look about for Mr Gore and Omai; and, though the crowd would hardly suffer us to move, we at length found them coming up, as much incommoded by the number of people as we had been, and introduced in the same manner to the three chiefs, whose names were Otteroo, Taroa, and Fatouweera. Each of these expected a present; and Mr Gore gave them such things as he had brought with him from the ship, for that purpose. After this, making use of Omai as his interpreter, he informed the chiefs with what intention we had come on shore; but was given to understand, that he must wait till the next day, and then he should have what was wanted."

"They now seemed to take some pains to separate us from each other; and every one of us had his circle to surround and gaze at him. For my own part, I was, at one time, above an hour apart from my friends; and when I told the chief, with whom I sat, that I wanted to speak to Omai, he peremptorily refused my request. At the same time, I found the people began to steal several trifling things which I had in my pocket; and when I took the liberty of complaining to the chief of this treatment, he justified it. From these circumstances, I now entertained apprehensions, that they might have formed the design of detaining us amongst them. They did not, indeed, seem to be of a disposition so savage, as to make us anxious for the safety of our persons; but it was, nevertheless, vexing to think we had hazarded being detained by their curiosity. In this situation, I asked for something to eat; and they readily brought to me some cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a sort of sour pudding; which was presented by a woman. And on my complaining much of the heat, occasioned by the crowd, the chief himself condescended to fan me, and gave me a small piece of cloth, which he had round his waist."

"Mr Burney happening to come to the place where I was, I mentioned my suspicions to him; and, to put it to the test, whether they were well-founded, we attempted to get to the beach. But we were stopped, when about halfway, by some men, who told us, that we must go back to the place which we had left. On coming up, we found Omai entertaining the same apprehensions. But he had, as he fancied, an additional reason for being afraid; for he had observed, that they had dug a hole in the ground for an oven, which they were now heating; and he could assign no other reason for this, than that they meant to roast and eat us, as is practised by the inhabitants of New Zealand. Nay, he went so far as to ask them the question; at which they were greatly surprised, asking, in return, whether that was a custom with us? Mr Burney and I were rather angry that they should be thus suspected by him; there having, as yet, been no appearances, in their conduct toward us, of their being capable of such brutality."

"In this manner we were detained the greatest part of the day, being sometimes together, and sometimes separated, but always in a crowd; who, not satisfied with gazing at us, frequently desired us to uncover part of our skin; the sight of which commonly produced a general murmur of admiration. At the same time they did not omit these opportunities of rifling our pockets; and, at last, one of them snatched a small bayonet from Mr Gore, which hung in its sheath by his side. This was represented to the chief, who pretended to send some person in search of it. But, in all probability, he countenanced the theft; for, soon after, Omai had a dagger stolen from his side, in the same manner, though he did not miss it immediately."

"Whether they observed any signs of uneasiness in us, or that they voluntarily repeated their emblems of friendship when we expressed a desire to go, I cannot tell; but, at this time, they brought some green boughs, and, sticking their ends in the ground, desired we might hold them as we sat. Upon out urging again the business we came upon, they gave us to understand, that we must stay and eat with them; and a pig which we saw, soon after, lying near the oven, which they had prepared and heated, removed Omai's apprehension of being put into it himself; and made us think it might be intended for our repast. The chief also promised to send some people to procure food for the cattle; but it was not till pretty late in the afternoon, that we saw them return with a few plantain-trees, which they carried to our boats."

"In the mean time, Mr Barney and I attempted again to go to the beach; but when we arrived, we found ourselves watched by people, who, to appearance, had been placed there for this purpose. For when I tried to wade in upon the reef, one of them took hold of my clothes and dragged me back. I picked up some small pieces of coral, which they required me to throw down again; and, on my refusal, they made no scruple to take them forcibly from me. I had gathered some small plants, but these also I could not be permitted to retain. And they took a fan from Mr Barney, which he had received as a present on coming ashore. Omai said we had done wrong in taking up any thing, for it was not the custom here to permit freedoms of that kind to strangers, till they had, in some measure, naturalized them to the country, by entertaining them with festivity for two or three days."

"Finding that the only method of procuring better treatment was to yield implicit obedience to their will, we went up again to the place we had left; and they now promised that we should have a canoe to carry us off to our boats, after we had eaten of a repast which they had prepared for us."

"Accordingly the second chief, to whom we had been introduced in the morning, having seated himself upon a low broad stool of blackish hard wood, tolerably polished, and, directing the multitude to make a pretty large ring, made us sit down by him. A considerable number of cocoa-nuts were now brought, and shortly after a long green basket, with a sufficient quantity of baked plantains to have served a dozen persons. A piece of the young hog, that had been dressed, was then set before each of us, of which we were desired to eat. Our appetites, however, had failed from the fatigue of the day; and though we did eat a little to please them, it was without satisfaction to ourselves."

"It being now near sun-set, we told them it was time to go on board. This they allowed, and sent down to the beach the remainder of the victuals that had been dressed, to be carried with us to the ships. But, before we set out, Omai was treated with a drink he had been used to in his own country, which, we observed, was made here, as at other islands in the South Sea, by chewing the root of a sort of pepper. We found a canoe ready to put us off to our boats, which the natives did with the same caution as when we landed. But even here their thievish disposition did not leave them. For a person of some consequence among them, who came with us, took an opportunity, just as they were pushing the canoe into the surf, to snatch a bag out of her, which I had with the greatest difficulty preserved all day, there being in it a small pocket-pistol, which I was unwilling to part with. Perceiving him, I called out, expressing as much displeasure as I could. On which he thought proper to return, and swim with the bag to the canoe; but he denied he had stolen it, though detected in the very act. They put us on board our boats, with the cocoa-nuts, plantains, and other provisions, which they had brought, and we rowed to the ships, very well pleased that we had at last got out of the hands of our troublesome masters."

"We regretted much that our restrained situation gave us so little opportunity of making observations on the country; for, during the whole day, we were seldom a hundred yards from the place where we were introduced to the chiefs on landing, and consequently, were confined to the surrounding objects. The first thing that presented itself, worthy of our notice, was the number of people, which must have been at least two thousand. For those who welcomed us on the shore bore no proportion to the multitude we found amongst the trees, on proceeding a little way up."

"We could also observe, that, except a few, those we had hitherto seen on board were of the lower class; for a great number of those we now met with had a superior dignity in their air, and were of a much whiter cast. In general, they had the hair tied on the crown of the head, long, black, and of a most luxuriant growth. Many of the young men were perfect models in shape, of a complexion as delicate as that of the women, and, to appearance, of a disposition as amiable. Others, who were more advanced in years, were corpulent; and all had a remarkable smoothness of the skin. Their general dress was a piece of cloth, or mat, wrapped about the waist, and covering the parts which modesty conceals. But some had pieces of mats, most curiously varied with black and white, made into a sort of jacket without sleeves; and others wore conical caps of cocoa-nut core, neatly interwoven with small beads, made of a shelly substance. Their ears were pierced; and in them they hung bits of the membranous part of some plant, or stuck there an odoriferous flower, which seemed to be a species of _gardenia_. Some, who were of a superior class, and also the chiefs, had two little balls, with a common base, made from the bone of some animal, which was hung round the neck, with a great many folds of small cord. And after the ceremony of introduction to the chiefs was over, they then appeared without their red feathers, which are certainly considered here as a particular mark of distinction, for none but themselves, and the young women who danced, assumed them."

"Some of the men were punctured all over the sides and back in an uncommon manner; and some of the women had the same ornament on their legs. But this method was confined to those who seemed to be of a superior rank; and the men, in that case, were also generally distinguished by their size and corpulence, unless very young. The women of an advanced age had their hair cropped short; and many were cut in oblique lines all over the fore-part of the body; and some of the wounds, which formed rhomboidal figures, had been so lately inflicted, that the coagulated blood still remained in them."

"The wife of one of the chiefs appeared with her child, laid in a piece of red cloth, which had been presented to her husband, and seemed to carry it with great tenderness, suckling it much after the manner of our women. Another chief introduced his daughter, who was young and beautiful, but appeared with all the timidity natural to the sex, though she gazed on us with a kind of anxious concern, that seemed to struggle with her fear, and to express her astonishment at so unusual a sight. Others advanced with more firmness, and indeed were less reserved than we expected, but behaved with a becoming modesty. We did not observe any personal deformities amongst either sex, except in a few who had scars of broad superficial ulcers remaining on the face and other parts. In proportion to the number of people assembled, there appeared not many old men or women; which may easily be accounted for, by supposing that such as were in an advanced period of life, might neither have the inclination nor the ability to come from the more distant parts of the island. On the other hand, the children were numerous; and both these and the men climbed the trees to look at us when we were hid by the surrounding crowd."

"About a third part of the men were armed with clubs and spears; and probably these were only the persons who had come from a distance, as many of them had small baskets, mats, and other things, fastened to the ends of their weapons. The clubs were generally about six feet long, made of a hard black wood, lance-shaped at the end, but much broader, with the edge nicely scolloped, and the whole neatly polished. Others of them were narrower at the point, much shorter, and plain; and some were even so small as to be used with one hand. The spears were made of the same wood, simply pointed, and, in general, above twelve feet long; though some were so short that they seemed intended to be thrown as darts."

"The place where we were all the day was under the shade of various trees, in which they preserved their canoes from the sun. About eight or ten of them were here, all double ones, that is, two single ones fastened together (as is usual throughout the whole extent of the Pacific Ocean) by rafters lashed across. They were about twenty feet long, about four feet deep, and the sides rounded with a plank raised upon them, which was fastened strongly by means of withes. Two of these canoes were most curiously stained, or painted, all over with black, in numberless small figures, as squares, triangles, &c. and excelled by far any thing of that kind I had ever seen at any other island in this ocean. Our friends here, indeed, seemed to have exerted more skill in doing this than in puncturing their own bodies. The paddles were about four feet long, nearly elliptical, but broader at the upper end than the middle. Near the same place was a hut or shed, about thirty feet long, and nine or ten high, in which, perhaps, these boats are built; but at this time it was empty."

"The greatest number of the trees around us were _cocoa-palms_, some sorts of _hibiscus_, a species of _euphorbia_, and, toward the sea, abundance of the same kind of trees we had seen at Mangeea Nooe Nainaiwa, and which seemed to surround the shores of the island in the same manner. They are tall and slender, not much unlike a cypress, but with bunches of long, round, articulated leaves. The natives call them _etoa_. On the ground we saw some grass, a species of _convolvulus_, and a good deal of _treacle-mustard_. There are also, doubtless, other fruit-trees and useful plants which we did not see; for, besides several sorts of _plantains_, they brought, at different times, roots which they call _taro_, (the _coccos_ of other countries,) a bread-fruit, and a basket of roasted nuts, of a kidney shape, in taste like a chesnut, but coarser."

"What the soil of the island may be farther inland we could not tell, but toward the sea it is nothing more than a bank of coral, ten or twelve feet high, steep and rugged, except where there are small sandy beaches at some clefts, where the ascent is gradual. The coral, though it has probably been exposed to the weather for many centuries, has undergone no farther change than becoming black on the surface, which, from its irregularity, is not much unlike large masses of a burnt substance. But, on breaking some pieces off, we found that, at the depth of two or three inches, it was just as fresh as the pieces that had been lately thrown upon the beach by the waves. The reef, or rock, that lines the shore entirely, runs to different breadths into the sea, where it ends all at once, and becomes like a high, steep wall. It is nearly even with the surface of the water, and of a brown or brick colour; but the texture is rather porous, yet sufficient to withstand the washing of the surf which continually breaks upon it."

Though the landing of our gentlemen proved the means of enriching my journal with the foregoing particulars, the principal object I had in view was, in a great measure, unattained; for the day was spent without getting any one thing from the island worth mentioning. The natives, however, were gratified with a sight they never before had, and probably will never have again. And mere curiosity seems to have been their chief motive for keeping the gentlemen under such restraint, and for using every art to prolong their continuance amongst them.

It has been mentioned that Omai was sent upon this expedition; and perhaps his being Mr Gore's interpreter was not the only service he performed this day. He was asked by the natives a great many questions concerning us, our ships, our country, and the sort of arms we used; and, according to the account he gave me, his answers were not a little upon the marvellous. As, for instance, he told them that our country had ships as large as their island, on board which were instruments of war (describing our guns) of such dimensions that several people might sit within them, and that one of them was sufficient to crush the whole island at one shot. This led them to enquire of him what sort of guns we actually had in our two ships. He said, that though they were but small in comparison with those he had just described, yet, with such as they were, we could, with the greatest ease, and at the distance the ships were from the shore, destroy the island, and kill every soul in it. They persevered in their enquiries, to know by what means this could be done; and Omai explained the matter as well as he could. He happened luckily to have a few cartridges in his pocket. These he produced; the balls, and the gunpowder which was to set them in motion, were submitted to inspection; and, to supply the defects of his description, an appeal was made to the senses of the spectators. It has been mentioned above, that one of the chiefs had ordered the multitude to form themselves into a circle. This furnished Omai with a convenient stage for his exhibition. In the centre of this amphitheatre, the inconsiderable quantity of gunpowder collected from his cartridges was properly disposed upon the ground, and, by means of a bit of burning wood from the oven, where dinner was dressing, set on fire. The sudden blast and loud report, the mingled flame and smoke, that instantly succeeded, now filled the whole assembly with astonishment. They no longer doubted the tremendous power of our weapons, and gave full credit to all that Omai had said.

If it had not been for the terrible ideas they conceived of the guns of our ships, from this specimen of their mode of operation, it was thought that they would have detained the gentlemen all night. For Omai assured them, that if he and his companions did not return on board the same day, they might expect that I would fire upon the island. And as we stood in nearer the land in the evening, than we had done any time before, of which position of the ships they were observed to take great notice, they probably thought we were meditating this formidable attack, and, therefore, suffered their guests to depart; under the expectation, however, of seeing them again on shore next morning. But I was too sensible of the risk they had already run, to think of a repetition of the experiment.

This day, it seems, was destined to give Omai more occasions than one of being brought forward to bear a principal part in its transactions. The island, though never before visited by Europeans, actually happened to have other strangers residing in it; and it was entirely owing to Omai's being one of Mr Gore's attendants, that this curious circumstance came to our knowledge.

Scarcely had he been landed upon the beach, when he found, amongst the crowd there assembled, three of his own countrymen, natives of the Society Islands. At the distance of about 200 leagues from those islands, an immense, unknown ocean intervening, with such wretched sea-boats as their inhabitants are known to make use of, and fit only for a passage where sight of land is scarcely ever lost, such a meeting, at such a place, so accidentally visited by us, may well be looked upon as one of those unexpected situations with which the writers of feigned adventures love to surprise their readers, and which, when they really happen in common life, deserve to be recorded for their singularity.

It may easily be guessed with what mutual surprise and satisfaction Omai and his countrymen engaged in conversation. Their story, as related by them, is an affecting one. About twenty persons in number, of both sexes, had embarked on board a canoe at Otaheite, to cross over to the neighbouring island Ulietea. A violent contrary wind arising, they could neither reach the latter nor get back to the former. Their intended passage being a very short one, their stock of provisions was scanty, and soon exhausted. The hardships they suffered, while driven along by the storm they knew not whither, are not to be conceived. They passed many days without having any thing to eat or drink. Their numbers gradually diminished, worn out by famine and fatigue. Four men only survived when the canoe overset, and then the perdition of this small remnant seemed inevitable. However, they kept hanging by the side of their vessel during some of the last days, till Providence brought them in sight of the people of this island, who immediately sent out canoes, took them off their wreck, and brought them ashore. Of the four who were thus saved, one was since dead. The other three, who lived to have this opportunity of giving an account of their almost miraculous transplantation, spoke highly of the kind treatment they here met with. And so well satisfied were they with their situation, that they refused the offer made to them by our gentlemen, at Omai's request, of giving them a passage on board our ships, to restore them to their native islands. The similarity of manners and language had more than naturalized them to this spot; and the fresh connexions which they had here formed, and which it would have been painful to have broken off after such a length of time, sufficiently account for their declining to revisit the places of their birth. They had arrived upon this island at least twelve years ago. For I learnt from Mr Anderson, that he found they knew nothing of Captain Wallis's visit to Otaheite in 1765, nor of several other memorable occurrences, such as the conquest of Ulietea by those of Bolabola, which had preceded the arrival of the Europeans. To Mr Anderson I am also indebted for their names, Orououte, Otirreroa, and Tavee; the first born at Matavai in Otaheite, the second at Ulietea, and the third at Huaheine.

The landing of our gentlemen on this island, though they failed in the object of it, cannot but be considered as a very fortunate circumstance. It has proved, as we have seen, the means of bringing to our knowledge a matter of fact, not only very curious, but very instructive. The application of the above narrative is obvious. It will serve to explain, better than a thousand conjectures of speculative reasoners, how the detached parts of the earth, and, in particular, how the islands of the South Sea, may have been first peopled, especially those that lie remote from any inhabited continent, or from each other.[154]

[Footnote 154: Such accidents as this here related, probably happen frequently in the Pacific Ocean. In 1696, two canoes, having on board thirty persons of both sexes, were driven by contrary winds and tempestuous weather on the isle of Samal, one of the Philippines, after being tossed about at sea seventy days, and having performed a voyage from an island called by them Arnorsot, 300 leagues to the E. of Samal. Five of the number who had embarked died of the hardships suffered during this extraordinary passage. See a particular account of them, and of the islands they belonged to, in Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. from p. 196 to p. 215. In the same volume, from p. 282 to p. 320, we have the relation of a similar adventure in 1721, when two canoes, one containing twenty-four, and the other six, persons, men, women, and children, were driven from an island they called Farroilep, northward to the Isle of Guam, or Guahan, one of the Ladrones or Mariannes. But these had not sailed so far as their countrymen who reached Samal, as above, and they had been at sea only twenty days. There seems to be no reason to doubt the general authenticity of these two relations. The information contained in the Letters of the Jesuits about these islands, now known under the name of the Carolines, and discovered to the Spaniards by the arrival of the canoes at Samal and Guam, has been adopted by all our later writers. See President de Brosse's Voyages aux Terres Australes, tom. ii. from p. 443 to p. 490. See also the Modern Universal History.--D.]

This island is called Wateeoo by the natives. It lies in the latitude of 20° 1' S. and in the longitude 201° 45' E., and is about six leagues in circumference. It is a beautiful spot, with a surface composed of hills and plains, and covered with verdure of many hues. Our gentlemen found the soil, where they passed the day, to be light and sandy. But farther up the country, a different sort perhaps prevails, as we saw from the ship, by the help of our glasses, a reddish cast upon the rising grounds. There the inhabitants have their houses; for we could perceive two or three, which were long and spacious. Its produce, with the addition of hogs, we found to be the same as at the last island we had visited, which the people of this, to whom we pointed out its position, called Owhavarouah, a name so different from Mangeea Nooe Nainaiwa, which we learnt from its own inhabitants, that it is highly probably Owhavarouah is another island.

From the circumstances already mentioned, it appears that Wateeoo can be of little use to any ship that wants refreshment, unless in a case of the most absolute necessity. The natives, knowing now the value of some of our commodities, might be induced to bring off fruits and hogs to a ship standing off and on, or to boats lying off the reef, as ours did. It is doubtful, however, if any fresh water could be procured; for, though some was brought in cocoa-nut shells to the gentlemen, they were told that it was at a considerable distance; and, probably, it is only to be met with in some stagnant pool, as no running stream was any where seen.

According to Omai's report of what he learnt in conversation with his three countrymen, the manners of these islanders, their method of treating strangers, and their general habits of life, are much like those that prevail at Otaheite, and its neighbouring isles. Their religious ceremonies and opinions are also nearly the same. For, upon seeing one man who was painted all over of a deep black colour, and enquiring the reason, our gentlemen were told that he had lately been paying the last good offices to a deceased friend; and they found, that it was upon similar occasions the women cut themselves, as already mentioned. From, every circumstance, indeed, it is indubitable, that the natives of Wateeoo sprung originally from the same stock, which hath spread itself so wonderfully all over the immense extent of the South Sea. One would suppose, however, that they put in their claim to a more illustrious extraction; for Omai assured us, that they dignified their island with the appellation of _Wenooa no te Eatooa_, that is, A land of gods; esteeming themselves a sort of divinities, and possessed with the spirit of the Eatooa. This wild enthusiastic notion Omai seemed much to approve of, telling us there were instances of its being entertained at Otaheite, but that it was universally prevalent amongst the inhabitants of Mataia, or Osnaburg Island.

The language spoken at Wateeoo was equally well understood by Omai, and by our two New Zealanders. What its peculiarities may be, when compared with the other dialects, I am not able to point out; for, though Mr Anderson had taken care to note down a specimen of it, the natives, who made no distinction of the objects of their theft, stole the memorandum book.

SECTION III.

_Wenooa-ette, or Otokootaia, visited.--Account of that Island, and of its Produce.--Hervey's Island, or Terougge mou Attooa, found to be inhabited.--Transactions with the Natives,--Their Persons, Dress, Language, Canoes.--Fruitless Attempt to land there.--Reasons for bearing away for the Friendly Islands.--Palmerston's Island touched at.--Description of the two Places where the Boats landed.--Refreshments obtained there.--Conjectures on the Formation of such low Islands.--Arrival at the Friendly Islands_.

Light airs and calms having prevailed, by turns, all the night of the 3d of April, the easterly swell had carried the ships some distance from Wateeoo before day-break. But as I had failed in my object of procuring at that place some effectual supply, I saw no reason for staying there any longer. I therefore quitted it, without regret, and steered, for the neighbouring island, which, as has been mentioned, we discovered three days before.

With a gentle breeze at E. we got up with it before ten o'clock in the morning, and I immediately dispatched Mr Gore, with two boats, to endeavour to land, and get some food for our cattle. As there seemed to be no inhabitants here to obstruct our taking away whatever we might think proper, I was confident of his being able to make amends for our late disappointment, if the landing could be effected. There was a reef here surrounding the land as at Wateeoo, and a considerable surf breaking against the rocks. Notwithstanding which, our boats no sooner reached the lee, or west side of the island, but they ventured in, and Mr Gore and his party got safe on shore. I could, from the ship, see that they had succeeded so far, and I immediately sent a small boat to know what farther assistance was wanting. She did not return till three o'clock in the afternoon, having waited to take in a lading of what useful produce the island afforded. As soon as she was cleared, she was sent again for another cargo; the jolly boat was also dispatched, and Mr Gore was ordered to be on board, with all the boats, before night, which was complied with.

The supply obtained here consisted of about a hundred cocoa nuts for each ship; and, besides this refreshment for ourselves, we got for our cattle some grass, and a quantity of the leaves and branches of young cocoa-trees, and of the _wharra_-tree, as it is called at Otaheite, the _pandanus_ of the East Indies. This latter being of a soft, spungy, juicy nature, the cattle eat it very well when cut into small pieces; so that it might be said, without any deviation from truth, that we fed them upon billet wood.

This island lies in the latitude of 19° 51' S. and the longitude of 201° 37' E, about three or four leagues from Wateeoo, the inhabitants of which called it Otakootaia; and sometimes they spoke of it under the appellation of Wenooa-ette, which signifies little island. Mr Anderson, who was on shore with our party, and walked round it, guessed that it could not be much more than three miles in circuit. From him I also learned the following particulars: The beach, within the reef, is composed of a white coral sand, above which the land within does not rise above six or seven feet, and is covered with a light reddish soil, but is entirely destitute of water.

The only common trees found there were cocoa-palms, of which there were several clusters, and vast numbers of the _wharra_. There was likewise the _callophyllum, suriana, guettarda_, a species of _tournefortia_, and _tabernae montanae_, with a few other shrubs, and some of the _etoa_ tree seen at Wateeoo. A sort of bind-weed over-ran the vacant spaces, except in some places, where was found a considerable quantity of _treacle-mustard_, a species of _spurge_, with a few other small plants, and the _morinda citrifolia_, the fruit of which is eaten by the natives of Otaheite in times of scarcity. Omai, who had landed with the party, dressed some of it for their dinner, but it proved very indifferent.

The only bird seen amongst the trees was a beautiful cuckoo, of a chesnut brown, variegated with black, which was shot. But upon the shore were some egg-birds; a small sort of curlew; blue and white herons; and a great number of noddies; which last, at this time, laid their eggs a little farther up on the ground, and often rested on the wharra-tree.

One of our people caught a lizard of a most forbidding aspect, though small, running up a tree; and many of another sort were seen. The bushes toward the sea were frequented by infinite cumbers of a sort of moth, elegantly speckled with red, black, and white. There were also several other sorts of moths, as well as some pretty butterflies, and a few other insects.

Though there were, at this time, no fixed inhabitants upon the island, indubitable marks remained of its being at least occasionally frequented. In particular, a few empty huts were found. There were also several large stones erected, like monuments, under the shade of some trees, and several spaces inclosed with smaller ones, where, probably, the dead had been buried. And, in one place, a great many cockle-shells, of a particular sort, finely grooved, and larger than the first, were to be seen; from which it was reasonable to conjecture, that the island had been visited by persons who feed partly on shell-fish. In one of the huts Mr Gore left a hatchet and some nails, to the full value of what we took away.

As soon as the boats were hoisted in, I made sail again to the northward, with a light air of wind easterly, intending to try our fortune at Hervey's Island, which was discovered in 1773, during my last voyage. Although it was not above fifteen leagues distant, yet we did not get sight of it till day-break in the morning of the 6th, when it bore W.S.W. at the distance of about three leagues. As we drew near it, at eight o'clock, we observed several canoes put off from the shore, and they came directly toward the ships. This was a sight that indeed surprised me, as no signs of inhabitants were seen when the island was first discovered; which might be owing to a pretty brisk wind that then blew, and prevented their canoes venturing out as the ships passed to leeward, whereas now we were to windward.

As we still kept on toward the island, six or seven of the canoes, all double ones, soon came near us. There were from three to six men in each of them. They stopped at the distance of about a stone's throw from the ship, and it was some time before Omai could prevail upon them to come along-side; but no entreaties could induce any of them to venture on board. Indeed, their disorderly and clamorous behaviour by no means indicated a disposition to trust us, or treat us well. We afterward learnt that they had attempted to take some oars out of the Discovery's boat, that lay along-side, and struck a man who endeavoured to prevent them. They also cut away, with a shell, a net with meat, which hung over that ship's stern, and absolutely refused to restore it, though we afterward purchased it from them. Those who were about our ship behaved in the same daring manner; for they made a sort of hook of a long stick, with which they endeavoured openly to rob us of several things, and, at last, actually got a frock, belonging to one of our people that was towing, overboard. At the same time they immediately shewed a knowledge of bartering, and sold some fish they had (amongst which was an extraordinary flounder, spotted like porphyry, and a cream-coloured eel, spotted with black) for small nails, of which they were immoderately fond, and called them _goore_. But, indeed, they caught with the greatest avidity bits of paper, or any thing else that was thrown to them; and if what was thrown fell into the sea, they made no scruple to swim after it.

These people seemed to differ as much in person as in disposition from the natives of Wateeoo, though the distance between the two islands is not very great. Their colour was of a deeper cast; and several had a fierce, rugged aspect, resembling the natives of New Zealand, but some were fairer. They had strong black hair, which, in general, they wore either hanging loose about the shoulders, or tied in a bunch on the crown of the head. Some, however, had it cropped pretty short; and in two or three of them it was of a brown or reddish colour. Their only covering was a narrow piece of mat, wrapt several times round the lower part of the body, and which passed between the thighs; but a fine cap of red feathers was seen lying in one of the canoes. The shell of a pearl-oyster polished, and hung about the neck, was the only ornamental fashion that we observed amongst them, for not one of them had adopted that mode of ornament so generally prevalent amongst the natives of this ocean, of puncturing, or _tatooing_, their bodies.

Though singular in this, we had the most unequivocal proofs of their being of the same common race. Their language approached still nearer to the dialect of Otaheite than that of Wateeoo or Mangeea. Like the inhabitants of these two islands, they enquired from whence our ships came, and whither bound, who was our chief, the number of our men on board, and even the ship's name. And they very readily answered such questions as we proposed to them. Amongst other things, they told us they had seen two great ships like ours before, but that they had not spoken with them as they sailed past. There can be no doubt that these were the Resolution and Adventure. We learnt from them, that the name of their island is Terouggemon Atooa, and that they were subject to Teerevatooeah, king of Wateeoo.[155] According to the account that they gave, their articles of food are cocoa-nuts, fish, and turtle; the island not producing plantains, or bread-fruit, and being destitute of hogs and dogs. Their canoes, of which near thirty were, at one time, in sight, are pretty large, and well built. In the construction of the stern, they bear some resemblance to those of Wateeoo; and the head projects out nearly in the same manner, but the extremity is turned up instead of down.

[Footnote 155: The reader will observe, that this name bears little affinity to anyone of the names of the three chiefs of Wateeoo, as preserved by Mr Anderson.--D.]

Having but very little wind, it was one o'clock before we drew near the N.W. part of the island, the only part where there seemed to be any probability of finding anchorage for our ships, or a landing-place for our boats. In this position I sent Lieutenant King, with two armed boats, to sound and reconnoitre the coast, while we stood off and on with the ships. The instant the boats were hoisted out, our visitors in the canoes, who had remained alongside all the while, bartering their little trifles, suspended their traffic, and, pushing for the shore as fast as they could, came near us no more.

At three o'clock the boats returned, and Mr King informed me, "That there was no anchorage for the ships, and that the boats could only land on the outer edge of the reef, which lay about a quarter of a mile from the dry land. He said that a number of the natives came down upon the reef, armed with long pikes and clubs, as if they intended to oppose his landing. And yet, when he drew near enough, they threw some cocoa-nuts to our people, and invited them to come on shore, though, at the very same time, he observed that the women were very busy bringing down a fresh supply of spears and darts. But, as he had no motive to land, he did not give them an opportunity to use them."

Having received this report, I considered, that, as the ships could not be brought to an anchor, we should find that the attempt to procure grass here would occasion much delay, as well as be attended with some danger. Besides, we were equally in want of water; and though the inhabitants had told us that there was water on their island, yet we neither knew in what quantity, nor from what distance we might be obliged to fetch it. And, after all, supposing no other obstruction, we were sure, that to get over the reef would be an operation equally difficult and tedious.

Being thus disappointed at all the islands we had met with since our leaving New Zealand, and the unfavourable winds, and other unforeseen circumstances, having unavoidably retarded our progress so much, it was now impossible to think of doing any thing this year in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, from which we were still at so great a distance, though the season for our operations there was already begun. In this situation it was absolutely necessary to pursue such measures as were most likely to preserve the cattle we had on board in the first place; and, in the next place, (which was still a more capital object,) to save the stores and provisions of the ships, that we might be better enabled to prosecute our northern discoveries, which could not now commence till a year later than was originally intended.

If I had been so fortunate as to have procured a supply of water and of grass at any of the islands we had lately visited, it was my purpose to have stood back to the S. till I had met with a westerly wind. But the certain consequence of doing this, without such a supply, would have been the loss of all the cattle, before we could possibly reach Otaheite, without gaining any one advantage with regard to the great object of our voyage.

I therefore determined to bear away for the Friendly Islands, where I was sure of meeting with abundance of every thing I wanted; and it being necessary to run in the night as well as in the day, I ordered Captain Clerke to keep about a league a-head of the Resolution. I used this precaution because his ship could best claw off the land; and it was very possible we might fall in with some in our passage.

The longitude of Hervey's Island, when first discovered, deduced from Otaheite, by the time-keeper, was found to be 201° 6' E., and now, by the same time-keeper, deduced from Queen Charlotte's Sound, 200° 56' E. Hence I conclude, that the error of the time-keeper, at this time, did not exceed twelve miles in longitude.

When we bore away, I steered W. by S. with a fine breeze easterly. I proposed to proceed first to Middleburgh, or Eooa, thinking, if the wind continued favourable, that we had food enough on board for the cattle to last till we should reach that island. But, about noon next day, those faint breezes that had attended and retarded us so long, again returned; and I found it necessary to haul more to the N. to get into the latitude of Palmerston's and Savage Islands, discovered in 1774, during my last voyage, that, if necessity required it, we might have recourse to them.

This day, in order to save our water, I ordered the still to be kept at work from six o'clock in the morning to four in the afternoon, during which time we procured from thirteen to sixteen gallons of fresh water. There has been lately made some improvement, as they are pleased to call it, of this machine, which, in my opinion, is much for the, worse.

These light breezes continued till the 10th, when we had, for some hours, the wind blowing fresh from the N. and N.N.W., being then in the latitude of 18° 38', and longitude 198° 24' E. In the afternoon we had some thunder squalls from the S. attended with heavy rain; of which water we collected enough to fill five puncheons. After these squalls had blown over, the wind came round to the N.E. and N.W., being very unsettled both in strength and in position till about noon the next day, when it fixed at N.W. and N.N.W. and blew a fresh breeze, with fair weather.

Thus were we persecuted with a wind in our teeth whichever way we directed our course; and we had the additional mortification to find here those very winds which we had reason to expect 8° or 10° farther S. They came too late, for I durst not trust their continuance; and the event proved that I judged right.

At length, at day-break in the morning of the 13th, we saw Palmerston Island, bearing W. by S. distant about five leagues. However, we did not get up with it till eight o'clock the next morning. I then sent four boats, three from the Resolution and one from the Discovery, with an officer in each, to search the coast for the most convenient landing-place. For now we were under an absolute necessity of procuring from this island some food for the cattle, otherwise we must have lost them.

What is comprehended under the name of Palmerston's Island, is a group of small islets, of which there are in the whole nine or ten, lying in a circular direction, and connected together, by a reef of coral rocks. The boats first examined the south-easternmost of the islets which compose this group, and, failing there, ran down to the second, where we had the satisfaction to see them land. I then bore down with the ships till abreast of the place, and there we kept standing off and on; for no bottom was to be found to anchor upon, which was not of much consequence, as the party who had landed from our boats were the only human beings upon the island.

About one o'clock one of the boats came on board, laden with scurvy-grass and young cocoa-nut trees, which, at this time, was a feast for the cattle. The same boat brought a message from Mr Gore, who commanded the party, informing me that there was plenty of such produce upon the island, as also of the wharra tree, and some cocoa-nuts. This determined me to get a good supply of these articles before I quitted this station, and, before evening, I went ashore in a small boat, accompanied by Captain Clerke.

We found every body hard at work, and the landing place to be in a small creek, formed by the reef, of something more than a boat's length in every direction, and covered from the force of the sea by rocks projecting out on each side of it. The island is scarcely a mile in circuit, and not above three feet higher than the level of the sea. It appeared to be composed entirely of a coral sand, with a small mixture of blackish mould, produced from rotten vegetables. Notwithstanding this poor soil, it is covered with trees and bushes of the same kind as at Wanooa-ette, though with less variety; and amongst these are some cocoa palms. Upon the trees or bushes that front the sea, or even farther in, we found a great number of men-of-war birds, tropic birds, and two sorts of boobies, which at this time were laying their eggs, and so tame, that they suffered us to take them off with our hands. Their nests were only a few sticks loosely put together; and the tropic birds laid their eggs on the ground, under the trees. These differ much from the common sort, being entirely of a most splendid white, slightly tinged with red, and having the two long tail-feathers of a deep crimson or blood colour. Of each sort our people killed a considerable number; and, though not the most delicate food, they were acceptable enough to us who had been long confined to a salt diet, and who, consequently, could not but be glad of the most indifferent variety. We met with vast numbers of red crabs, creeping about every where amongst the trees; and we caught several fish that had been left in holes upon the reef when the sea retired.

At one part of the reef, which looks into, or bounds, the lake that is within, there was a large bed of coral, almost even with the surface, which afforded, perhaps, one of the most enchanting prospects that nature has any where produced. Its base was fixed to the shore, but reached so far in that it could not be seen; so that it seemed to be suspended in the water, which deepened so suddenly, that at the distance of a few yards there might be seven or eight fathoms. The sea was at this time quite unruffled; and the sun shining bright, exposed the various sorts of coral in the most beautiful order; some parts branching into the water with great luxuriance; others lying collected in round balls, and in various other figures;--all which were greatly heightened by spangles of the richest colours, that glowed from a number of large clams, which were every where interspersed: But the appearance of these was still inferior to that of the multitude of fishes that glided gently along, seemingly with the most perfect security. The colours of the different sorts were the most beautiful that can be imagined, the yellow, blue, red, black, &c. far exceeding any thing that art can produce. Their various forms, also, contributed to increase the richness of this submarine grotto, which could not be surveyed without a pleasing transport, mixed however with regret, that a work so stupendously elegant should be concealed in a place where mankind could seldom have an opportunity of rendering the praises justly due to so enchanting a scene.[156]

[Footnote 156: How beautifully does Captain Cook's description illustrate those lines of Dr Young--

--Such blessings Nature pours, O'erstock'd mankind enjoy but half her stores; In distant wilds, by human eyes unseen,

She rears her flowers, and spreads her velvet green: Pure gurgling rills the lonely desert trace, And waste their music on the savage race.

Gray has a similar thought in His inimitable elegy, which every reader will immediately recollect. Can it be imagined, that nature, which does nothing in vain, nor indeed without a reference to the being who is eminently signalized as lord of the lower creation, has been at pains to decorate these spots, but in anticipation, if one may use the expression, of the praise and enjoyment which their loveliness will some time or other occasion? He that remembers the nature and formation of the coral isles in the southern-ocean, will at once conjecture that the Great Architect is raising up the materials of a new world, which, from aught we can yet perceive, will not less indicate his power and goodness than that which we now inhabit. How readily, then, can imagination fashion out the future destiny of our globe, on the supposition that the conflagration by which its presently inhabited portions are expected to be destroyed, shall not be so complete as to annihilate it from the universe! Or, believing what is usually understood, by that event, on the authority of scripture, how clearly can reason deduce from present appearances certain minor, but nevertheless immense, changes, which it may undergo previous to this final dissolution! But the reader, it is probable, will not chuse to venture on so terrific an excursion, and there is a motive for caution with respect to it, with which it may not be amiss to apprise the too zealous enquirer. The fact is, that none of the causes which we know to be now operating on our globe, seem at all adequate to account for all the changes it has already undergone. We may, therefore, very fairly infer, that an indefinite allowance must be granted to exterior interference of some sort or other, the agency of which may altogether subvert whatever is now known to exist.--See Cuvier's Essay, lately published at Edinburgh.--E.]

There were no traces of inhabitants having ever been here, if we except a small piece of a canoe that was found upon the beach, which, probably, may have drifted from some other island. But, what is pretty extraordinary, we saw several small brown rats on this spot, a circumstance, perhaps, difficult to account for, unless we allow that they were imported in the canoe of which we saw the remains.

After the boats were laden I returned on board, leaving Mr Gore, with a party, to pass the night on shore, in order to be ready to go to work early the next morning.

That day, being the 15th, was accordingly spent as the preceding one had been, in collecting and bringing on board food for the cattle, consisting chiefly of palm-cabbage, young cocoa-nut trees, and the tender branches of the wharra tree. Having got a sufficient supply of these by sun-set, I ordered every body on board. But having little or no wind, I determined to wait, and to employ the next day by endeavouring to get some cocoa-nuts for our people from the next island to leeward, where we could observe that those trees were in much greater abundance than upon that where we had already landed, and where only the wants of our cattle had been relieved.

With this view I kept standing off and on all night, and in the morning, between eight and nine o'clock, I went with the boats to the W. side of the island, and landed with little difficulty. I immediately set the people with me to work to gather cocoa-nuts, which we found in great abundance. But to get them to our boats was a tedious operation, for we were obliged to carry them at least half a mile over the reef up to the middle in water. Omai, who was with me, caught, with a scoop net, in a very short time, as much fish as served the whole party on shore for dinner, besides sending some to both ships. Here were also great abundance of birds, particularly men-of-war and tropic birds, so that we fared sumptuously. And it is but doing justice to Omai to say, that in these excursions to the uninhabited islands he was of the greatest use; for he not only caught the fish, but dressed these, and the birds we killed, in an oven with heated stones, after the fashion of his country, with a dexterity and good-humour that did him great credit. The boats made two trips before night, well laden: With the last I returned on board, leaving Mr Williamson, my third lieutenant, with a party of men, to prepare another lading for the boats, which I proposed to send next morning.

I accordingly dispatched them at seven o'clock; and they returned laden by noon. No time was lost in sending them back for another cargo; and they carried orders for every body to be on board by sunset. This being complied with, we hoisted in the boats and made sail to the westward, with a light air of wind from the N.

We found this islet near a half larger than the other, and almost entirely covered with cocoa-palms, the greatest part of which abounded with excellent nuts, having often both old and young on the same tree. They were, indeed, too thick in many places to grow with freedom. The other productions were, in general, the same as at the other islet. Two pieces of board, one of which was rudely carved, with an elliptical paddle, were found on the beach. Probably these had belonged to the same canoe, the remains of which were seen on the other beach, as the two islets are not above half a mile apart. A young turtle had also been lately thrown ashore here; as it was still full of maggots. There were fewer crabs than at the last place; but we found some scorpions, a few other insects, and a greater number of fish upon the reefs. Amongst these were some large eels, beautifully spotted, which, when followed, would raise themselves out of the water, and endeavour with an open mouth to bite their pursuers. The other sorts were chiefly parrot-fish, snappers, and a brown spotted rock-fish, about the size of a haddock, so tame, that instead of swimming away, it would remain fixed and gaze at us. Had we been in absolute want, a sufficient supply might have been had; for thousands of the clams, already mentioned, stuck upon the reef, some of which weighed two or three pounds. There were, besides, some other sorts of shell-fish, particularly the large periwinkle. When the tide flowed several sharks came in over the reef, some of which our people killed, but they rendered it rather dangerous to walk in the water at that time.

The party who were left on shore with Mr Williamson, were a good deal pestered (as Mr Gore's had been) with musquitoes in the night. Some of them, in their excursions, shot two curlews, exactly like those of England, and saw some plovers, or sand-pipers, upon the shore; but in the wood no other bird, besides one or two of the cuckoos that were seen at Wenooa-ette.

Upon the whole, we did not spend our time unprofitably at this last islet, for we got there about twelve hundred cocoa-nuts, which were equally divided amongst the whole crew, and were, doubtless, of great use to them, both on account of the juice and of the kernel. A ship, therefore, passing this way, if the weather be moderate, may expect to succeed as we did. But there is no water upon either of the islets where we landed. Were that article to be had, and a passage could be got into the lake, as we may call it, surrounded by the reef, where a ship could anchor, I should prefer this to any of the inhabited islands, if the only want were refreshment. For the quantity of fish that might be procured would be sufficient, and the people might roam about unmolested by the petulance of any inhabitants.

The nine or ten low islets, comprehended under the name of Palmerston's Island, may be reckoned the heads or summits of the reef of coral rock that connects them together, covered only with a thin coat of sand, yet clothed, as already observed, with trees and plants, most of which are of the same sorts that are found on the low grounds of the high islands of this ocean.

There are different opinions amongst ingenious theorists concerning the formation of such low islands as Palmerston's. Some will have it, that in remote times these little separate heads or islets were joined, and formed one continued and more elevated tract of land, which the sea, in the revolution of ages, has washed away, leaving only the higher grounds; which, in time also, will, according to this theory, share the same fate. Another conjecture is, that they have been thrown up by earthquakes, and are the effect of internal convulsions of the globe. A third opinion, and which appears to me as the most probable one, maintains, that they are formed from shoals or coral banks, and, of consequence, increasing. Without mentioning the several arguments made use of in support of each of these systems, I shall only describe such parts of Palmerston's Island as fell under my own observation when I landed upon it.

The foundation is every where a coral rock; the soil is coral sand, with which the decayed vegetables have but in a few places intermixed, so as to form any thing like mould. From this a very strong presumption may be drawn, that these little spots of land are not of very ancient date, nor the remains of larger islands now buried in the ocean; for, upon either of these suppositions, more mould must have been formed, or some part of the original soil would have remained. Another circumstance confirmed this doctrine of the increase of these islets. We found upon them, far beyond the present reach of the sea even in the most violent storms, elevated coral rocks, which, on examination, appeared to have been perforated in the same manner that the rocks are that now compose the outer edge of the reef. This evidently shews that the sea had formerly reached so far; and some of these perforated rocks were almost in the centre of the land.

But the strongest proof of the increase, and from the cause we have assigned, was the gentle gradation observable in the plants round the skirts of the islands; from within a few inches of high-water mark to the edge of the wood. In many places, the divisions of the plants of different growths were very distinguishable, especially on the lee or west side. This I apprehend to have been the operation of extraordinary high tides, occasioned by violent, accidental gales from the westward, which have heaped up the sand beyond the reach of common tides. The regular and gentle operation of these latter, again, throw up sand enough to form a barrier against the next extraordinary high tide or storm, so as to prevent its reaching as far as the former had done, and destroying the plants that may have begun to vegetate from cocoa-nuts, roots, and seed brought thither by birds, or thrown up by the sea. This, doubtless, happens very frequently, for we found many cocoa-nuts, and some other things, just sprouting up, only a few inches beyond where the sea reaches at present, in places where it was evident they could not have had their origin from those farther in, already arrived at their full growth. At the same time, the increase of vegetables will add fast to the height of this new-created land, as the fallen leaves and broken branches are, in such a climate, soon converted into a true black mould or soil.[157]

[Footnote 157: Mr Anderson, in his journal, mentions the following particulars relative to Palmerston's Island, which strongly confirm Captain Cook's opinion about its formation. "On the last of the two islets, where we landed, the trees, being in great numbers, had already formed, by their rotten parts, little risings or eminences, which in time, from the same cause, may become small hills. Whereas, on the first islet, the trees being less numerous, no such thing had as yet happened. Nevertheless, on that little spot the manner of formation was more plainly pointed out; for, adjoining to it was a small isle, which had doubtless been very lately formed, as it was not as yet covered with any trees, but had a great many shrubs, some of which were growing among pieces of coral that the sea had thrown up. There was still a more sure proof of this method of formation a little farther on, where two patches of sand, about fifty yards long, and a foot or eighteen inches high, lay upon the reef, but not as yet furnished with a single bush or tree."--D.

In a former volume we quoted a passage from Dr Forster's observations respecting the formation of coral islands. Captain Flinders gives a similar account in vol. ii. p. 114, of his voyage, drawn up from his own observations on Half-way Island, on the north coast of Terra Australis. It is too long for this place. The reader will find it transcribed, together with Forster's, in the notes to the translation of Cuvier's work, already referred to.--E.]

Perhaps there is another cause, which, if allowed, will accelerate the increase of these islands as much as any other, and will also account for the sea having receded from those elevated rocks before mentioned. This is the spreading of the coral bank, or reef, into the sea, which, in my opinion, is continually, though imperceptibly, effected. The waves receding, as the reef grows in breadth and height, leave a dry rock behind, ready for the reception of the broken coral and sand, and every other deposit necessary for the formation of land fit for the vegetation of plants.

In this manner, there is little doubt, that in time the whole reef will become one island; and, I think, it will extend gradually inward, either from the increase of the islets already formed, or from the formation of new ones upon the beds of coral within the inclosed lake, if once they increase so as to rise above the level of the sea.

After leaving Palmerston's Island, I steered W., with a view to make the best of my way to Annamooka. We still continued to have variable winds, frequently between the N. and W., with squalls, some thunder, and much rain. During these showers, which were generally very copious, we saved a considerable quantity of water; and finding that we could get a greater supply by the rain in one hour than we could get by distillation in a month, I laid aside the still as a thing attended with more trouble than profit.

The heat, which had been great for about a month, became now much more disagreeable in this close rainy weather; and, from the moisture attending it, threatened soon to be noxious, as the ships could not be kept dry, nor the skuttles open, for the sea. However, it is remarkable enough, that though the only refreshment we had received since leaving the Cape of Good Hope was that at New Zealand, there was not as yet a single person on board sick from the constant use of salt food, or vicissitude of climate.

In the night between the 24th and 25th we passed Savage Island, which I had discovered in 1774; and on the 28th, at ten o'clock in the morning, we got sight of the islands which lie to the eastward of Annamooka, bearing N. by W. about four or five leagues distant. I steered to the S. of these islands, and then hauled up for Annamooka, which, at four in the afternoon, bore N.W. by N., Fallafajeea S.W. by S., and Komango N. by W., distant about five miles. The weather being squally, with rain, I anchored, at the approach of night, in fifteen fathoms deep water, over a bottom of coral-sand and shells, Komango bearing N.W. about two leagues distant.

SECTION IV.

_Intercourse with the Natives of Komango, and other Islands.--Arrival at Annamooka.--Transactions there.--Feenou, a principal Chief, from Tongataboo, comes on a Visit.--The Manner of his Reception in the Island, and on board.--Instances of the pilfering Disposition of the Natives.--Some Account of Annamooka.--The Passage from it to Hapaee_.

Soon after we had anchored, (April 28) two canoes, the one with four, and the other with three men, paddled toward us, and came alongside without the least hesitation. They brought some cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, plantains, and sugar-cane, which they bartered with us for nails. One of the men came on board; and when these canoes had left us, another visited us; but did not stay long, as night was approaching. Komango, the island nearest to us, was, at least, five miles off; which shews the hazard these people would run, in order to possess a few of our most trifling articles. Besides this supply from the shore, we caught, this evening, with hooks and lines, a considerable quantity of fish.

Next morning, at four o'clock, I sent Lieutenant King, with two boats, to Komango, to procure refreshments; and, at five, made the signal to weigh, in order to ply up to Annamooka, the wind being unfavourable at N.W.

It was no sooner day-light, than we were visited by six or seven canoes from different islands, bringing with them, besides fruits and roots, two pigs, several fowls, some large wood-pigeons, small rails, and large violet-coloured coots. All these they exchanged with us for beads, nails, hatchets, &c. They had also other articles of commerce; such as pieces of their cloth, fish-hooks, small baskets, musical reeds, and some clubs, spears, and bows. But I ordered, that no curiosities should be purchased, till the ships should be supplied with provisions, and leave given for that purpose. Knowing also, from experience, that, if all our people might trade with the natives, according to their own caprice, perpetual quarrels would ensue, I ordered that particular persons should manage the traffic both on board and on shore, prohibiting all others to interfere. Before mid-day, Mr King's boat returned with seven hogs, some fowls, a quantity of fruit and roots for ourselves, and some grass for the cattle. His party was very civilly treated at Komango. The inhabitants did not seem to be numerous; and their huts, which stood close to each other, within a plantain wall, were but indifferent. Not far from them was a pretty large pond of fresh water, tolerably good; but there was not any appearance of a stream. With Mr King, came on board the chief of the island, named Touboulangee; and another, whose name was Taipa. They brought with them a hog, as a present to me, and promised more the next day.

As soon as the boats were aboard, I stood for Annamooka; and the wind being scant, I intended to go between Annamooka-ette,[158] and the breakers to the S.E. of it. But, on drawing near, we met with very irregular soundings, varying, every cast, ten or twelve fathoms. This obliged me to give up the design, and to go to the southward of all; which carried us to leeward, and made it necessary to spend the night under sail. It was very dark; and we had the wind, from every direction, accompanied with heavy showers of rain. So that, at day-light the next morning, we found ourselves much farther off than we had been the evening before; and the little wind that now blew, was right in our teeth.

[Footnote 158: That is, Little Annamooka.]

We continued to ply, all day, to very little purpose; and, in the evening, anchored in thirty-nine fathoms water; the bottom coral rocks, and broken shells; the west point of Annamooka bearing E.N.E., four miles distant. Touboulangee and Taipa kept their promise, and brought off to me some hogs. Several others were also procured by bartering, from different canoes that followed us; and as much fruit as we could well manage. It was remarkable, that, during the whole day, our visitors from the islands would hardly part with any of their commodities to any body but me. Captain Clerke did not get above one or two hogs.

At four o'clock next morning, I ordered a boat to be hoisted out, and sent the master to sound the S.W. side of Annamooka; where there appeared to be a harbour, formed by the island on the N.E., and by small islets, and shoals, to the S.W. and S.E. In the mean time, the ships were got under sail, and wrought up to the island. When the master returned, he reported, that he had sounded between Great and Little Annamooka, where he found ten and twelve fathoms depth of water, the bottom coral sand; that the place was very well sheltered from all winds; but that there was no fresh water to be found, except at some distance inland; and that, even there, little of it was to be got, and that little not good. For this reason only, and it was a very sufficient one, I determined to anchor on the north side of the island, where, during my last voyage, I had found a place fit both for watering and landing.

It was not above a league distant; and yet we did not reach it till five o'clock in the afternoon, being considerably retarded by the great number of canoes that continually crowded round the ships, bringing to us abundant supplies of the produce of their island. Amongst these canoes there were some double ones, with a large sail, that carried between forty and fifty men each. These sailed round us, apparently, with the same ease as if we had been at anchor. There were several women in the canoes, who were, perhaps, incited by curiosity to visit us; though, at the same time, they bartered as eagerly as the men, and used the paddle with equal labour and dexterity; I came to an anchor in eighteen fathoms water, the bottom coarse coral sand; the island extending from E. to S.W.; and the W. point of the westernmost cove S.E., about three quarters of a mile distant. Thus I resumed the very same station which I had occupied when I visited Annamooka three years before; and, probably, almost in the same place where Tasman, the first discoverer of this, and some of the neighbouring islands, anchored in 1643.

The following day, while preparations were making for watering, I went ashore, in the forenoon, accompanied by Captain Clerke, and some of the officers, to fix on a place where the observatories might be set up, and a guard be stationed; the natives having readily given us leave. They also accommodated us with a boat-house, to serve as a tent, and shewed us every other mark of civility. Toobou, the chief of the island, conducted me and Omai to his house. We found it situated on a pleasant spot, in the centre of his plantation. A fine grass-plot surrounded it, which, he gave us to understand, was for the purpose of cleaning their feet, before they went within doors. I had not, before, observed such an instance of attention to cleanliness at any of the places I had visited in this ocean; but, afterward, found that it was very common at the Friendly Islands. The floor of Toobou's house was covered with mats; and no carpet, in the most elegant English drawing-room, could be kept neater. While we were on shore, we procured a few hogs, and some fruit, by bartering; and, before we got on board again, the ships were crowded with the natives. Few of them coming empty-handed, every necessary refreshment was now in the greatest plenty.

I landed again in the afternoon, with a party of marines; and, at the same time, the horses, and such of the cattle as were in a weakly state, were sent on shore. Every thing being settled to my satisfaction, I returned to the ship at sunset, leaving the command upon the island to Mr King. Taipa, who was now become our fast friend, and who seemed to be the only active person about us, in order to be near our party in the night, as well as the day, had a house brought, on men's shoulders, a full quarter of a mile, and placed close to the shed which our party occupied.

Next day, our various operations on shore began. Some were employed in making hay for the cattle; others in filling our water-casks at the neighbouring stagnant pool; and a third party in cutting wood. The greatest plenty of this last article being abreast of the ships, and in a situation the most convenient for getting it on board, it was natural to make choice of this. But the trees here, which our people erroneously supposed to be manchineel, but were a species of pepper, called _faitanoo_ by the natives, yielded a juice of a milky colour, of so corrosive a nature, that it raised blisters on the skin, and injured the eyes of our workmen. They were, therefore, obliged to desist at this place, and remove to the cove, in which our guard was stationed, and where we embarked our water. Other wood, more suitable to our purposes, was there furnished to us by the natives. These were not the only employments we were engaged in, for Messrs King and Bayly began, this day, to observe equal altitudes of the sun, in order to get the rate of the timekeepers. In the evening, before the natives retired from our post, Taipa harangued them for some time. We could only guess at the subject; and judged, that he was instructing them how to behave toward us, and encouraging them to bring the produce of the island to market. We experienced the good effects of his eloquence, in the plentiful supply of provisions which, next day, we received.

Nothing worth notice happened on the 4th and 5th, except that, on the former of these days, the Discovery lost her small bower-anchor, the cable being cut in two by the rocks. This misfortune made it necessary to examine the cables of the Resolution, which were found to be unhurt.

On the 6th, we were visited by a great chief from Tongataboo, whose name was Feenou, and whom Taipa was pleased to introduce to us as King of all the Friendly Isles. I was now told, that, on my arrival, a canoe had been dispatched to Tongataboo with the news; in consequence of which, this chief immediately passed over to Annamooka. The officer on shore informed me, that when he first arrived, all the natives were ordered out to meet him, and paid their obeisance by bowing their heads as low as his feet, the soles of which they also touched with each hand, first with the palm, and then with the back part. There could be little room to suspect that a person, received with so much respect, could be any thing less than the king.

In the afternoon, I went to pay this great man a visit, having first received a present of two fish from him, brought on board by one of his servants. As soon as I landed, he came up to me. He appeared to be about thirty years of age, tall, but thin, and had more of the European features, than any I had yet seen here. When the first salutation was over, I asked if he was the king. For, notwithstanding what I had been told, finding he was not the man whom I remembered to have seen under that character during my former voyage, I began to entertain doubts. Taipa officially answered for him, and enumerated no less than one hundred and fifty-three islands, of which, he said, Feenou was the sovereign. After a short stay, our new visitor, and five, or six of his attendants, accompanied me on board. I gave suitable presents to them all, and entertained them in such a manner, as I thought would be most agreeable.

In the evening, I attended them on shore in my boat, into which the chief ordered three hogs to be put, as a return for the presents he had received from me. I was now informed of an accident which had just happened, the relation of which will convey some idea of the extent of the authority exercised here over the common people. While Feenou was on board my ship, an inferior chief, for what reason our people on shore did not know, ordered all the natives to retire from the post we occupied. Some of them having ventured to return, he took up a large stick, and beat them most unmercifully. He struck one man on the side of the face, with so much violence, that the blood gushed out of his mouth and nostrils; and, after lying some time motionless, he was, at last, removed from the place, in convulsions. The person who had inflicted the blow, being told that he had killed the man, only laughed at it; and, it was evident, that he was not in the least sorry for what had happened. We heard, afterward, that the poor sufferer recovered.

The Discovery having found again her small bower anchor, shifted her birth on the 7th; but not before her best bower cable had shared the fate of the other. This day I had the company of Feenou at dinner; and also the next day, when he was attended by Taipa, Toubou, and some other chiefs. It was remarkable, that none but Taipa was allowed to sit at table with him, or even to eat in his presence. I own that I considered Feenou as a very convenient guest, on account of this etiquette. For, before his arrival, I had, generally, a larger company than I could well find room for, and my table overflowed with crowds of both sexes. For it is not the custom at the Friendly Islands, as it is at Otaheite, to deny to their females the privilege of eating in company with the men.

The first day of our arrival at Annamooka, one of the natives had stolen, out of the ship, a large junk axe. I now applied to Feenou to exert his authority to get it restored to me; and so implicitly was he obeyed, that it was brought on board while we were at dinner. These people gave us very frequent opportunities of remarking what expert thieves they were. Even some of their chiefs did not think this profession beneath them. On the 9th, one of them was detected carrying out of the ship, concealed under his clothes, the bolt belonging to the spun-yarn winch; for which I sentenced him to receive a dozen lashes, and kept him confined till he paid a hog for his liberty. After this, we were not troubled with thieves of rank. Their servants, or slaves, however, were still employed in this dirty work; and upon them a flogging seemed to make no greater impression, than it would have done upon the main-mast. When any of them happened to be caught in the act, their masters, far from interceding for them, would often advise us to kill them. As this was a punishment we did not choose to inflict, they generally escaped without any punishment at all; for they appeared to us to be equally insensible of the shame and of the pain of corporal chastisement. Captain Clerke, at last, hit upon a mode of treatment, which, we thought, had some effect. He put them under the hands of the barber, and completely shaved their heads; thus pointing them out as objects of ridicule to their countrymen, and enabling our people to deprive them of future opportunities for a repetition of their rogueries, by keeping them at a distance.

Feenou was so fond of associating with us, that he dined on board every day; though, sometimes, he did not partake of our fare. On the 10th, some of his servants brought a mess, which had been dressed for him on shore. It consisted of fish, soup, and yams. Instead of common water to make the soup, cocoa-nut liquor had been made use of, in which the fish had been boiled or stewed; probably in a wooden vessel, with hot stones; but it was carried on board in a plantain leaf. I tasted of the mess, and found it so good, that I, afterward, had some fish dressed in the same way. Though my cook succeeded tolerably well, he could produce nothing equal to the dish he imitated.

Finding that we had quite exhausted the island of almost every article of food that it afforded, I employed the 11th in moving off, from the shore, the horses, observatories, and other things that we had landed, as also the party of marines who had mounted guard at our station, intending to sail, as soon as the Discovery should have recovered her best bow anchor. Feenou, understanding that I meant to proceed directly to Tongataboo, importuned me strongly to alter this plan, to which he expressed as much aversion, as if he had some particular interest to promote by diverting me from it. In preference to it, he warmly recommended an island, or rather a group of islands, called Hepaee, lying to the N.E. There, he assured us, we could be supplied plentifully with every refreshment, in the easiest manner; and, to add weight to his advice, he engaged to attend us thither in person. He carried his point with me; and Hepaee was made choice of for our next station. As it had never been visited by any European ships, the examination of it became an object with me.

The 12th and the 13th were spent in attempting the recovery of Captain Clerke's anchor, which, after much trouble, was happily accomplished; and on the 14th, in the morning, we got under sail, and left Annamooka.

This island is somewhat higher than the other small isles that surround it; but, still, it cannot be admitted to the rank of those of a moderate height, such as Mangeea and Wateeoo. The shore, at that part where our ships lay, is composed of a steep, rugged, coral rock, nine or ten feet high, except where there are two sandy beaches, which have a reef of the same sort of rock extending cross their entrance to the shore, and defending them from the sea. The salt-water lake that is in the centre of the island, is about a mile and a half broad; and round it the land rises like a bank, with a gradual ascent. But we could not trace its having any communication with the sea. And yet, the land that runs across to it, from the largest sandy beach, being flat and low, and the soil sandy, it is most likely that it may have, formerly, communicated that way. The soil on the rising parts of the island, and especially toward the sea, is either of a reddish clayey disposition, or a black, loose mould; but there is, no where, any stream of fresh water.

The island is very well cultivated, except in a few places; and there are some others, which, though they appear to lie waste, are only left to recover the strength exhausted by constant culture; for we frequently saw the natives at work upon these spots, to plant them again. The plantations consist chiefly of yams and plantains. Many of them are very extensive, and often inclosed with neat fences of reed, disposed obliquely across each other, about six feet high. Within these we often saw other fences of less compass, surrounding the houses of the principal people. The breadfruit, and cocoa-nut trees, are interspersed with little order, but chiefly near the habitations of the natives; and the other parts of the island, especially toward the sea, and about the sides of the lake, are covered with trees and bushes of a most luxuriant growth; the last place having a great many mangroves, and the first a vast number of the _faitanoo_ trees already mentioned. There seem to be no rocks or stones, of any kind, about the island, that are not coral, except in one place, to the right of the sandy beach, where there is a rock twenty or thirty feet high, of a calcareous stone, of a yellowish colour, and a very close texture. But even about that place, which is the highest part of the land, are large pieces of the same coral rock that composes the shore.

Besides walking frequently up into the country, which we were permitted to do without interruption, we sometimes amused ourselves in shooting wild-ducks, not unlike the widgeon, which are very numerous upon the salt lake, and the pool where we got our water. In these excursions, we found the inhabitants had often deserted their houses to come down to the trading place, without entertaining any suspicion, that strangers, rambling about, would take away, or destroy, any thing that belonged to them. But though, from this circumstance, it might be supposed that the greater part of the natives were sometimes collected at the beach, it was impossible to form any accurate computation of their number; as the continual resort of visitors from other islands, mixing with them, might easily mislead one. However, as there was never, to appearance, above a thousand persons collected at one time, it would, perhaps, be sufficient to allow double that number for the whole island.

To the N. and N.E. of Annamooka, and in the direct track to Hepaee, whither we were now bound, the sea is sprinkled with a great number of small isles. Amidst the shoals and rocks adjoining to this group, I could not be assured that there was a free or safe passage for such large ships as ours, though the natives sailed through the intervals in their canoes. For this substantial reason, when we weighed anchor from Annamooka, I thought it necessary to go to the westward of the above islands, and steered N.N.W., toward Kao[159] and Toofoa, the two most westerly islands in sight, and remarkable for their great height. Feenou, and his attendants, remained on board the Resolution till near noon, when he went into the large sailing canoe, which had brought him from Tongataboo, and stood in amongst the cluster of islands above mentioned, of which we were now almost abreast; and a tide or current from the westward had set us, since our sailing in the morning, much over toward them.

[Footnote 159: As a proof of the great difficulty of knowing accurately the exact names of the South Sea Islands, as procured from the natives, I observe that what Captain Cook calls _Aghao_, Mr Anderson calls _Kao_; and Tasman's drawing, as I find it in Mr Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages, gives the name of _Kayhay_ to the same island. Tasman's and Captain Cook's _Amattafoa_, is, with Mr Anderson, _Tofoa_. Captain Cook's _Komango_, is Tasman's _Amango_. There is scarcely an instance, in which such variations are not observable. Mr Anderson's great attention to matters of this sort being, as we learn from Captain King, well known to every body on board, and admitted always by Captain Cook himself, his mode of spelling has been adopted.--D.]

They lie scattered, at unequal distances, and are, in general, nearly as high as Annamooka; but only from two or three miles, to half a mile in length, and some of them scarcely so much. They have either steep rocky shores like Annamooka, or reddish cliffs; but some have sandy beaches extending almost their whole length. Most of them are entirely clothed with trees, amongst which are many cocoa palms, and each forms a prospect like a beautiful garden placed in the sea. To heighten this, the serene weather we now had contributed very much; and the whole might supply the imagination with an idea of some fairy land realized. It should seem, that some of them, at least, may have been formed, as we supposed Palmerston's Island to have been; for there is one, which, as yet, is entirely sand, and another, on which there is only one bush, or tree.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, being the length of Kotoo, the westernmost of the above cluster of small islands, we steered to the north, leaving Toofoa and Kao on our larboard, keeping along the west side of a reef of rocks, which lie to the westward of Kotoo, till we came to their northern extremity, round which we hauled in for the island. It was our intention to have anchored for the night; but it came upon us before we could find a place in less than fifty-five fathoms water; and rather than come-to in this depth, I chose to spend the night under sail.

We had, in the afternoon, been within two leagues of Toofoa, the smoke of which we saw several times in the day. The Friendly Islanders have some superstitious notions about the volcano upon it, which they call _Kollofeea_, and say it is an _Otooa_, or divinity. According to their account, it sometimes throws up very large stones; and they compare the _crater_ to the size of a small islet, which has never ceased smoking in their memory; nor have they any tradition that it ever did. We sometimes saw the smoke rising from the centre of the island, while we were at Annamooka, though at the distance of at least ten leagues. Toofoa, we were told, is but thinly inhabited, but the water upon it is good.

At day-break the next morning, being then not far from Kao, which is a vast rock of a conic figure, we steered to the east, for the passage between the islands Footooha and Hafaiva, with a gentle breeze at S.E. About ten o'clock, Feenou came on board, and remained with us all day. He brought with him two hogs, and a quantity of fruit; and, in the course of the day, several canoes, from the different islands round us, came to barter quantities of the latter article, which was very acceptable, as our stock was nearly expended. At noon, our latitude was 19° 49' 45" S., and we had made seven miles of longitude from Annamooka; Toofoa bore N., 88° W.; Kao N., 71° W.; Footooha N., 89° W.; and Hafaiva S. 12° W.

After passing Footooha, we met with a reef of rocks; and, as there was but little wind, it cost us some trouble to keep clear of them. This reef lies between Footooha and Neeneeva, which is a small low isle, in the direction of E.N.E. from Footooha, at the distance of seven or eight miles. Footooha is a small island, of middling height, and bounded all round by a steep rock. It lies S. 67° E., distant six leagues from Kao, and three leagues from Kotoo, in the direction of N. 33° E. Being past the reef of rocks just mentioned, we hauled up for Neeneeva, in hopes of finding anchorage; but were again disappointed, and obliged to spend the night, making short boards. For, although we had land in every direction, the sea was unfathomable.

In the course of this night, we could plainly see flames issuing from the volcano upon Toofoa, though to no great height.

At day-break in the morning of the 16th, with a gentle breeze at S.E., we steered N.E. for Hepaee, which was now in sight; and we could judge it to be low land, from the trees only appearing above the water. About nine o'clock we could see it plainly forming three islands, nearly of an equal size; and soon after, a fourth to the southward of these, as large as the others. Each seemed to be about six or seven miles long, and of a similar height and appearance. The northernmost of them is called Haanno, the next Foa, the third Lefooga, and the southernmost Hoolaiva; but all four are included, by the natives, under the general name Hepaee.

The wind scanting upon us, we could not fetch the land, so that we were forced to ply to windward. In doing this, we once passed over some coral rocks, on which we had only six fathoms water; but the moment we were over them, found no ground with eighty-fathoms of line. At this time, the isles of Hepaee bore, from N., 50° E., to S., 9 W. We got up with the northernmost of these isles by sunset; and there found ourselves in the very same distress, for want of anchorage, that we had experienced the two preceding evenings; so that we had another night to spend under sail, with land and breakers in every direction. Toward the evening, Feenou, who had been on board all day, went forward to Hepaee, and took Omai in the canoe with him. He did not forget our disagreeable situation; and kept up a good fire, all night, by way of a land-mark.

As soon as the day-light returned, being then close in with Foa, we saw it was joined to Haanno, by a reef running even with the surface of the sea, from the one island to the other. I now dispatched a boat to look for anchorage. A proper place was soon found; and we came-to, abreast of a reef, being that which joins Lefooga to Foa (in the same manner that Foa is joined to Haanno), having twenty-four fathoms depth of water; the bottom coral sand. In this station, the northern point of Hepaee, or the north end of Haanno, bore N., 16° E. The southern point of Hepaee, or the south end of Hoolaiva, S., 29° W.; and the north end of Lefooga, S., 65° E. Two ledges of rocks lay without us; the one bearing S., 50° W.; and the other W. by N. 1/2 N., distant two or three miles. We lay before a creek in the reef, which made it convenient landing at all times; and we were not above three quarters of a mile from the shore.

SECTION V.

_Arrival of the Ships at Hepaee, and friendly Reception there.--Presents and Solemnities on the Occasion.--Single Combats with Clubs.--Wrestling and Boxing Matches.--Female Combatants.--Marines exercised.--A Dance performed by Men.--Fireworks exhibited.--The Night-entertainments of Singing and Dancing particularly described_.

By the time we had anchored, (May 17) the ships were filled with the natives, and surrounded by a multitude of canoes, filled also with them. They brought from the shore, hogs, fowls, fruit, and roots, which they exchanged for hatchets, knives, nails, beads, and cloth. Feenou and Omai having come on board, after it was light, in order to introduce me to the people of the island, I soon accompanied them on shore, for that purpose, landing at the north part of Lefooga, a little to the right of the ship's station.

The chief conducted me to a house, or rather a hut, situated close to the sea-beach, which I had seen brought thither, but a few minutes before, for our reception. In this, Feenou, Omai, and myself, were seated. The other chiefs, and the multitude, composed a circle, on the outside, fronting us; and they also sat down. I was then asked, How long I intended to stay? On my saying, Five days, Taipa was ordered to come and sit by me, and proclaim this to the people. He then harangued them, in a speech mostly dictated by Feenou. The purport of it, as I learnt from Omai, was, that they were all, both old and young, to look upon me as a friend, who intended to remain with them a few days; that, during my stay, they must not steal any thing, nor molest me any other way; and that it was expected, they should bring hogs, fowls, fruit, &c. to the ships, where they would receive, in exchange for them, such and such things, which he enumerated. Soon after Taipa had finished this address to the assembly, Feenou left us. Taipa then took occasion to signify to me, that it was necessary I should make a present to the chief of the island, whose name was Earoupa. I was not unprepared for this, and gave him such articles as far exceeded his expectation. My liberality to him brought upon me demands, of the same kind, from two chiefs of other isles who were present; and from Taipa himself. When Feenou returned, which was immediately after I had made the last of these presents, he pretended to be angry with Taipa for suffering me to give away so much; but I looked upon this as a mere finesse; being confident that he acted in concert with the others. He now took his seat again, and ordered Earoupa to sit by him, and to harangue the people as Taipa had done, and to the same purpose; dictating, as before, the heads of the speech.

These ceremonies being performed, the chief, at my request, conducted me to three stagnant pools of fresh water, as he was pleased to call it: And, indeed, in one of these the water was tolerable, and the situation not inconvenient for filling our casks. After viewing the watering-place, we returned to our former station, where I found a baked hog, and some yams, smoking hot, ready to be carried on board for my dinner. I invited Feenou, and his friends, to partake of it; and we embarked for the ship; but none but himself sat down with us at the table. After dinner I conducted them on shore; and, before I returned on board, the chief gave me a fine large turtle, and a quantity of yams. Our supply of provisions was copious; for, in the course of the day, we got, by barter, alongside the ship, about twenty small hogs, beside fruit and roots. I was told, that on my first landing in the morning, a man came off to the ships, and ordered every one of the natives to go on shore. Probably this was done with a view to have the whole body of inhabitants present at the ceremony of my reception; for when that was over, multitudes of them returned again to the ships.

Next morning early, Feenou, and Omai, who scarcely ever quitted the chief, and now slept on shore, came on board. The object of the visit was to require my presence upon the island. After some time, I accompanied them; and, upon landing, was conducted to the same place where I had been seated the day before; and where I saw a large concourse of people already assembled. I guessed that something more than ordinary was in agitation; but could not tell what, nor could Omai inform me.

I had not been long seated, before near a hundred of the natives appeared in sight, and advanced, laden with yams, bread-fruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, and sugar-canes. They deposited their burdens, in two heaps, or piles, upon our left, being the side they came from. Soon after, arrived a number of others from the right, bearing the same kind of articles, which were collected into two piles upon that side. To these were tied two pigs, and six fowls; and to those upon the left, six pigs, and two turtles. Earoupa seated himself before the several articles upon the left; and another chief before those upon the right; they being, as I judged, the two chiefs who had collected them, by order of Feenou, who seemed to be as implicitly obeyed here, as he had been at Annamooka; and, in consequence of his commanding superiority over the chiefs of Hepaee, had laid this tax upon them for the present occasion.

As soon as this munificent collection of provisions was laid down in order, and disposed to the best advantage, the bearers of it joined the multitude, who formed a large circle round the whole. Presently after, a number of men entered this circle, or area, before us, armed with clubs, made of the green branches of the cocoa-nut tree. These paraded about for a few minutes, and then retired; the one half to one side, and the other half to the other side; seating themselves before the spectators. Soon after, they successively entered the lists, and entertained us with single combats. One champion, rising up and stepping forward from one side, challenged those of the other side, by expressive gestures, more than by words, to send one of their body to oppose him. If the challenge was accepted, which was generally the case, the two combatants put themselves in proper attitudes, and then began the engagement, which continued till one or other owned himself conquered, or till their weapons were broken. As soon as each combat was over, the victor squatted himself down facing the chief, then rose up, and retired. At the same time, some old men, who seemed to sit as judges, gave their plaudit in a few words; and the multitude, especially those on the side to which the victor belonged, celebrated the glory he had acquired in two or three huzzas.

This entertainment was, now and then, suspended for a few minutes. During these intervals there were both wrestling and boxing matches. The first were performed in the same manner as at Otaheite; and the second differed very little from the method practised in England. But what struck us with most surprise, was, to see a couple of lusty wenches step forth, and begin boxing; without the least ceremony, and with as much art as the men. This contest, however, did not last above half a minute, before one of them gave it up. The conquering heroine received the same applause from the spectators which they bestowed upon the successful combatants of the other sex. We expressed some dislike at this part of the entertainment; which, however, did not prevent two other females from entering the lists. They seemed to be girls of spirit, and would certainly have given each other a good drubbing, if two old women had not interposed to part them. All these combats were exhibited in the midst of, at least, three thousand people, and were conducted with the greatest good humour on all sides; though some of the champions, women as well as men, received blows, which, doubtless, they must have felt for some time after.

As soon as these diversions were ended, the chief told me, that the heaps of provisions on our right hand were a present to Omai; and that those on our left hand, being about two-thirds of the whole quantity, were given to me. He added, that I might take them on board whenever it was convenient; but that there would be no occasion to set any of our people as guards over them, as I might be assured, that not a single cocoa-nut would be taken away by the natives. So it proved; for I left every thing behind, and returned to the ship to dinner, carrying the chief with me; and when the provisions were removed on board, in the afternoon, not a single article was missing. There was as much as loaded four boats; and I could not but be struck with the munificence of Feenou; for this present far exceeded any I had ever received from any of the sovereigns of the various islands I had visited in the Pacific Ocean. I lost no time in convincing my friend, that I was not insensible of his liberality; for, before he quitted my ship, I bestowed upon him such of our commodities, as, I guessed, were most valuable in his estimation. And the return I made was so much to his satisfaction, that, as soon as he got on shore, he left me still indebted to him, by sending me a fresh present, consisting of two large hogs, a considerable quantity of cloth, and some yams.

Feenou had expressed a desire to see the marines go through their military exercise. As I was desirous to gratify his curiosity, I ordered them all ashore, from both ships, in the morning of the 20th. After they had performed various evolutions, and fired several vollies, with which the numerous body of spectators seemed well pleased, the chief entertained us, in his turn, with an exhibition, which, as was acknowledged by us all, was performed with a dexterity and exactness, far surpassing the specimen we had given of our military manoeuvres. It was a kind of a dance, so entirely different from any thing I had ever seen, that, I fear, I can give no description that will convey any tolerable idea of it to my readers. It was performed by men; and one hundred and five persons bore their parts in it. Each of them had in his hand an instrument neatly made, shaped somewhat like a paddle, of two feet and a half in length, with a small handle, and a thin blade; so that they were very light. With these instruments they made many and various flourishes, each of which was accompanied with a different attitude of the body, or a different movement. At first, the performers ranged themselves in three lines; and, by various evolutions, each man changed his station in such a manner, that those who had been in the rear came into the front. Nor did they remain long in the same position; but these changes were made by pretty quick transitions. At one time they extended themselves in one line; they, then, formed into a semicircle; and, lastly, into two square columns. While this last movement was executing, one of them advanced, and performed an antic dance before me; with which the whole ended.

The musical instruments consisted of two drums, or rather two hollow logs of wood, from which some varied notes were produced, by beating on them with two sticks. It did not, however, appear to me, that the dancers were much assisted or directed by these sounds, but by a chorus of vocal music, in which all the performers joined at the same time. Their song was not destitute of pleasing melody; and all their corresponding motions were executed with so much skill, that the numerous body of dancers seemed to act, as if they were one great machine. It was the opinion of every one of us, that such a performance would have met with universal applause on a European theatre; and it so far exceeded any attempt we had made to entertain them, that they seemed to pique themselves upon the superiority they had over us. As to our musical instruments, they held none of them in the least esteem, except the drum; and even that they did not think equal to their own. Our French horns, in particular, seemed to be held in great contempt; for neither here, nor at any other of the islands, would they pay the smallest attention to them.

In order to give them a more favourable opinion of English amusements, and to leave their minds fully impressed with the deepest sense of our superior attainments, I directed some fireworks to be got ready; and, after it was dark, played them off in the presence of Feenou, the other chiefs, and a vast concourse of their people. Some of the preparations we found damaged; but others of them were in excellent order, and succeeded so perfectly, as to answer the end I had in view. Our water and sky-rockets, in particular, pleased and astonished them beyond all conception; and the scale was now turned in our favour.

This, however, seemed only to furnish them with an additional motive to proceed to fresh exertions of their very singular dexterity; and our fireworks were no sooner ended, than a succession of dances, which Feenou had got ready for our entertainment, began. As[160] a prelude to them, a band of music, or chorus of eighteen men, seated themselves before us, in the centre of the circle, composed by the numerous spectators, the area of which was to be the scene of the exhibitions. Four or five of this band had pieces of large bamboo, from three to five or six feet long, each managed by one man, who held it nearly in a vertical position, the upper end open, but the other end closed by one of the joints. With this close end, the performers kept constantly striking the ground, though slowly, thus producing different notes, according to the different lengths of the instruments, but all of them of the hollow or base sort; to counteract which, a person kept striking quickly, and with two sticks, a piece of the same substance, split, and laid along the ground, and, by that means, furnishing a tone as acute as those produced by the others were grave. The rest of the band, as well as those who performed upon the bamboos, sung a slow and soft air, which so tempered the harsher notes of the above instruments, that no bye-stander, however accustomed to hear the most perfect and varied modulation of sweet sounds, could avoid confessing the vast power, and pleasing effect, of this simple harmony.

[Footnote 160: Mr Andersen's account of the night dances being much fuller than Captain Cook's, the reader will not be displeased that it has been adopted.--D.]

The concert having continued about a quarter of an hour, twenty women entered the circle. Most of them had, upon their heads, garlands of the crimson flowers of the China rose, or others; and many of them had ornamented their persons with leaves of trees, cut with a deal of nicety about the edges. They made a circle round the chorus, turning their faces toward it, and began by singing a soft air, to which responses were made by the chorus in the same tone; and these were repeated alternately. All this while, the women accompanied their song with several very graceful motions of their hands toward their faces, and in other directions at the same time, making constantly a step forward, and then back again, with one foot, while the other was fixed. They then turned their faces to the assembly, sung some time, and retreated slowly in a body, to that part of the circle which was opposite the hut where the principal spectators sat. After this, one of them advanced from each side, meeting and passing each other in the front, and continuing their progress round, till they came to the rest. On which, two advanced from each side, two of whom also passed each other, and returned as the former; but the other two remained, and to these came one, from each side, by intervals, till the whole number had again formed a circle-about the chorus.

Their manner of dancing was now changed to a quicker measure, in which they made a kind of half turn by leaping, and clapped their hands, and snapped their fingers, repeating some words in conjunction with the chorus. Toward the end, as the quickness of the music increased, their gestures and attitudes were varied with wonderful vigour and dexterity; and some of their motions, perhaps, would, with us, be reckoned rather indecent. Though this part of the performance, most probably, was not meant to convey any wanton ideas, but merely to display the astonishing variety of their movements.

To this grand female ballet, succeeded one performed by fifteen men. Some of them were old; but their age seemed to have abated little of their agility or ardour for the dance. They were disposed in a sort of circle, divided at the front, with their faces not turned out toward the assembly, nor inward to the chorus; but one half of their circle faced forward as they had advanced, and the other half in a contrary direction. They, sometimes, sung slowly, in concert with the chorus; and, while thus employed, they also made several very fine motions with their hands, but different from those made by the women, at the same time inclining the body to either side alternately by raising one leg, which was stretched outward, and resting on the other; the arm of the same side being also stretched fully upward. At other times they recited sentences in a musical tone, which were answered by the chorus; and, at intervals, increased the measure of the dance, by clapping the hands, and quickening the motions of the feet, which, however, were never varied. At the end, the rapidity of the music, and of the dancing, increased so much, that it was scarcely possible to distinguish the different movements; though one might suppose the actors were now almost tired, as their performance had lasted near half an hour.

After a considerable interval, another act, as we may call it, began. Twelve men now advanced, who placed themselves in double rows fronting each other, but on opposite sides of the circle; and, on one side, a man was stationed, who, as if he had been a prompter, repeated several sentences, to which the twelve new performers, and the chorus, replied. They then sung slowly; and afterward danced and sung more quickly, for about a quarter of an hour, after the manner of the dancers whom they had succeeded.

Soon after they had finished, nine women exhibited themselves, and sat down fronting the hut where the chief was. A man then rose, and struck the first of these women on the back, with both fists joined. He proceeded, in the same manner, to the second and third; but when he came to the fourth, whether from accident or design I cannot tell, instead of the back, he struck her on the breast. Upon this a person rose instantly from the crowd, who brought him to the ground with a blow on the head; and he was carried off without the least noise or disorder. But this did not save the other five women from so odd a discipline, or perhaps necessary ceremony; for a person succeeded him, who treated them in the same manner. Their disgrace did not end here; for when they danced, they had the mortification to find their performance twice disapproved of, and were obliged to repeat it. This dance did not differ much from that of the first women, except in this one circumstance, that the present set sometimes raised the body upon one leg, by a sort of double motion, and then upon the other alternately, in which attitude they kept snapping their fingers; and, at the end, they repeated, with great agility, the brisk movements, in which the former group of female dancers had shewn themselves so expert.

In a little tine, a person entered unexpectedly, and said something in a ludicrous way, about the fireworks that had been exhibited, which extorted a burst of laughter from the multitude. After this, we had a dance composed of the men, who attended, or had followed, Feenou. They formed a double circle (i.e. one within another) of twenty-four each, round the chorus, and began a gentle soothing song, with corresponding motions of the hands and head. This lasted a considerable time, and then changed to a much quicker measure, during which they repeated sentences, either in conjunction with the chorus, or in answer to some spoken by that band. They then retreated to the back part of the circle, as the women had done, and again advanced, on each side, in a triple row, till they formed a semicircle, which was done very slowly, by inclining the body on one leg, and advancing the other a little way, as they put it down. They accompanied this with such a soft air as they had sung at the beginning; but soon changed it to repeat sentences in a harsher tone, at the same time quickening the dance very much, till they finished with a general shout and clap of the hands. The same was repeated several times; but, at last, they formed a double circle, as at the beginning, danced, and repeated very quickly, and finally closed with several very dexterous transpositions of the two circles.

The entertainments of this memorable night concluded with a dance, in which the principal people present exhibited. It resembled the immediately preceding one, in some respects, having the same number of performers, who began nearly in the same way; but their ending, at each interval, was different; for they increased their motions to a prodigious quickness, shaking their heads from shoulder to shoulder, with such force, that a spectator, unaccustomed to the sight, would suppose, that they ran a risk of dislocating their necks. This was attended with a smart clapping of the hands, and a kind of savage holla! or shriek, not unlike what is sometimes practised in the comic dances on our European theatres. They formed the triple semicircle, as the preceding dancers had done; and a person, who advanced at the head on one side of the semicircle, began by repeating something in a truly musical recitative, which was delivered with an air so graceful, as might put to the blush our most applauded performers. He was answered in the same manner, by the person at the head of the opposite party. This being repeated several times, the whole body, on one side, joined in the responses to the whole corresponding body on the opposite side, as the semicircle advanced to the front; and they finished, by singing and dancing as they had begun.

These two last dances were performed with so much spirit, and so great exactness, that they met with universal approbation. The native spectators, who, no doubt, were perfect judges whether the several performances were properly executed, could not withhold their applauses at some particular parts; and even a stranger, who never saw the diversion before, felt similar satisfaction, at the same instant. For though, through the whole, the most strict concert was observed, some of the gestures were so expressive, that it might be said, they spoke the language that accompanied them; if we allow that there is any connection between motion and sound. At the same time, it should be observed, that though the music of the chorus, and that of the dancers, corresponded, constant practice in these favourite amusements of our friends, seems to have a great share in effecting the exact time they keep in their performances. For we observed, that if any of them happened accidentally to be interrupted, they never found the smallest difficulty in recovering the proper place of the dance or song. And their perfect discipline was in no instance more remarkable, than in the sudden transitions they so dexterously made from the ruder exertions, and harsh sounds, to the softest airs, and gentlest movements.[161]

[Footnote 161: In a former note, it was observed, that the songs and dances of the Caroline Islanders, in the North Pacific, bear a great resemblance to those of the inhabitants of Wateeoo. The remark may be now extended to those of the Friendly Islanders, described at large in this chapter. That the reader may judge for himself, I have selected the following particulars from Father Cantova's account. "Pendant la nuit, au clair de la lune, ils s'assemblent, de temps en temps, pour chanter & danser devant la maison de leur _Tumole_. Leurs danses se font au son de la voix, car ils n'ont point d'instrument de musique. La beauté de la danse, consiste dans l'exacte uniformité des mouvemens du corps. Les hommes, separés des femmes, se postent vis-à-vis les uns des autres; après quoi, ils remuent la tête, les bras, les mains, les pieds, en cadence. Leur tête est couverte de plumes, on de fleurs;--et l'on voit, attachées à leurs oreilles, des feuilles de palmier tissues avec assez d'art--Les femmes, de leur coté,--se regardant les unes les autres, commencent un chant pathétique & langoureux, accompagnant le son de leur voix du mouvement cadencé de la tête & des bras."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curiesues_, tom. xv. p. 314, 315.--D.]

The place where the dances were performed was an open space amongst the trees, just by the sea, with lights, at small intervals, placed round the inside of the circle. The concourse of people was pretty large, though not equal to the number assembled in the forenoon, when the marines exercised. At that time, some of our gentlemen guessed there might be present about five thousand persons; others thought there were more; but they who reckoned that there were fewer, probably, came nearer the truth.

SECTION VI.

_Description of Lefooga.--Its cultivated State.--Its Extent.--Transactions there.--A female Oculist.--Singular Expedients for shaving off the Hair.--The Ships change their Station.--A remarkable Mount and Stone.--Inscription of Hoolaiva.--Account of Poulaho, King of the friendly Islands.--Respectful Manner in which he is treated by his People.--Departure from the Hapaee Islands.--Some Account of Kotoo.--Return of the Ships to Annamooka.--Poulaho and Feenou meet.--Arrival at Tongataboo._

Curiosity on both sides being now sufficiently gratified by the exhibition of the various entertainments I have described, I began to have time to look about me. Accordingly, next day (May 21) I took a walk into the island of Lefooga, of which I was desirous to obtain some knowledge. I found it to be, in several respects, superior to Annamooka. The plantations were both more numerous and more extensive. In many places, indeed, toward the sea, especially on the east side, the country is still waste, owing perhaps to the sandy soil, as it is much lower than Annamooka, and its surrounding isles. But toward the middle of the island the soil is better; and the marks of considerable population, and of improved cultivation, were very conspicuous. For we met here with very large plantations, inclosed in such a manner that the fences, running parallel to each other, form fine spacious public roads, that would appear ornamental in countries where rural conveniences have been carried to the greatest perfection. We observed large spots covered with the paper mulberry-trees; and the plantations, in general, were well stocked with such roots and fruits as are the natural produce of the island. To these I made some addition, by sowing the seeds of Indian corn, melons, pumpkins, and the like. At one place was a house, four or five times as large as those of the common sort, with a large area of grass before it; and I take it for granted, the people resort thither on certain public occasions. Near the landing-place we saw a mount, two or three feet high, covered with gravel; and on it stood four or five small huts, in which the natives told us the bodies of some of their principal people had been interred.

The island is not above seven miles long, and in some places not above two or three broad. The east side of it, which is exposed to the trade-wind, has a reef running to a considerable breadth from it, on which the sea breaks with great violence. It is a continuation of this reef that joins Lefooga to Foa, which is not above half a mile distant; and at low water the natives can walk upon this reef, which is then partly dry from the one island to the other. The shore itself is either a coral rock, six or seven feet high, or a sandy beach, but higher than the west side, which in general is not more than three or four feet from the level of the sea, with a sandy beach its whole length.

When I returned from my excursion into the country, and went on board to dinner, I found a large sailing canoe fast to the ship's stern. In this canoe was Latooliboula, whom I had seen at Tongataboo during my last voyage, and who was then supposed by us to be the king of that island. He sat in the canoe with all that gravity, by which, as I have mentioned in my journal,[162] he was so remarkably distinguished at that time; nor could I, by any entreaties, prevail upon him now to come into the ship. Many of the islanders were present, and they all called him _Areekee_, which signifies king. I had never heard any one of them give this title to Feenou, however extensive his authority over them, both here and at Annamooka, had appeared to be, which had all along inclined me to suspect that he was not the king, though his friend Taipa had taken pains to make me believe he was. Latooliboula remained under the stern till the evening, when he retired in his canoe to one of the islands. Feenou was on board my ship at the same time; but neither of these great men took the least notice of the other.

[Footnote 162: The name of this extraordinary personage is there said to be _Kohagee too Fallangou_, which cannot, by the most skilful etymologist, be tortured into the least most distant resemblance of _Latooliboula_. It is remarkable that Captain Cook should not take any notice of his having called the same person by two names so very different. Perhaps we may account for this, by supposing one to be the name of the person, and the other the description of his title or rank. This supposition seems well founded, when we consider that _Latoo_, in the language of these people, is sometimes used to signify a great chief; and Dr Forster, in his Observations, p. 378, 379, and elsewhere, speaks of the sovereign of Tongataboo under the title of their _Latoo_. This very person is called by Dr Forster, p. 370, _Latoo-Nipooroo_, which furnishes a very striking instance of the variations of our people in writing down the same word as pronounced by the natives. However, we can easily trace the affinity between _Nipooroo_ and _Liboula_, as the changes of the consonants are such as are perpetually made upon hearing a word pronounced to which our ears have not been accustomed. Mr Anderson here agrees with Captain Cook in writing Latooliboula.--D.]

Nothing material happened the next day, except that some of the natives stole a tarpaulin, and other things, from off the deck. They were soon missed, and the thieves pursued, but a little too late. I applied, therefore, to Feenou, who, if he was not king, was at least vested with the highest authority here to exert it, in order to have my things restored. He referred me to Earoupa, who put me off from time to time, and at last nothing was done.

In the morning of the 23d, as we were going to unmoor, in order to leave the island, Feenou, and his prime minister Taipa, came alongside in a sailing canoe, and informed me that they were setting out for Vavaoo, an island which they said lies about two days sail to the northward of Hepaee. The object of their voyage, they would have me believe, was to get for me an additional supply of hogs, and some red-feathered caps for Omai to carry to Otaheite, where they are in high esteem. Feenou assured me that he should be back in four or five days, and desired me not to sail till his return, when he promised he would accompany me to Tongataboo. I thought this a good opportunity to get some knowledge of Vavaoo, and proposed to him to go thither with the ships. But he seemed not to approve of the plan; and, by way of diverting me from it, told me that there was neither harbour nor anchorage about it. I therefore consented to wait, in my present station, for his return, and he immediately set out.

The next day, our attention was for some time taken up with a report, industriously spread about by some of the natives, that a ship like ours had arrived at Annamooka since we left it, and was now at anchor there. The propagators of the report were pleased to add, that Toobou, the chief of that island, was hastening thither to receive these new comers; and as we knew that he had actually left us, we were the more ready to believe there might be some foundation for the story of this unexpected arrival. However, to gain some farther information, I went on shore with Omai, in quest of the man who, it was said, had brought the first account of this event from Annamooka. We found him at the house of Earoupa, where Omai put such questions to him as I thought necessary; and the answers he gave were so clear and satisfactory, that I had not a doubt remaining. But, just about this time, a chief of some note, whom we well knew, arrived from Annamooka, and declared that no ship was at that island, nor had been, since our leaving it. The propagator of the report, finding himself detected in a falsehood, instantly withdrew, and we saw no more of him. What end the invention of this tale could answer was not easy to conjecture, unless we suppose it to have been artfully contrived, to get us removed from the one island to the other.

In my walk on the 25th, I happened to step into a house, where a woman was dressing the eyes of a young child, who seemed blind, the eyes being much inflamed, and a thin film spread over them. The instruments she used were two slender wooden probes, with which she had brushed the eyes so as to make them bleed. It seems worth mentioning, that the natives of these islands should attempt an operation of this sort, though I entered the house too late to describe exactly how this female oculist employed the wretched tools she had to work with.

I was fortunate enough to see a different operation going on in the same house, of which I can give a tolerable account. I found there another woman shaving a child's head, with a shark's tooth, stuck into the end of a piece of stick. I observed that she first wetted the hair with a rag dipped in water, applying her instrument to that part which she had previously soaked. The operation seemed to give no pain to the child, although the hair was taken off as close as if one of our razors had been employed. Encouraged by what I now saw, I soon after tried one of these singular instruments upon myself, and found it to be an excellent _succedaneum_. However, the men of these islands have recourse to another contrivance when they shave their beards. The operation is performed with two shells, one of which they place under a small part of the beard, and with the other, applied above, they scrape that part off. In this manner they are able to shave very close. The process is, indeed, rather tedious, but not painful; and there are men amongst them who seemed to profess this trade. It was as common, while we were here, to see our sailors go ashore to have their beards scraped off, after the fashion of Hepaee, as it was to see their chiefs come on board to be shaved by our barbers.

Finding that little or nothing of the produce of the island was now brought to the ships, I resolved to change our station, and to wait Feenou's return from Vavaoo, in some other convenient anchoring-place, where refreshments might still be met with. Accordingly, in the forenoon of the 26th, we got under sail, and stood to the southward along the reef of the island, having fourteen and thirteen, fathoms water, with a sandy bottom. However, we met with several detached shoals. Some of them were discovered by breakers, some by the water upon them appearing discoloured, and others by the lead. At half past two in the afternoon having already passed several of these shoals, and seeing more of them before us, I hauled into a bay that lies between the S. end of Lefooga and the N. end of Hoolaiva, and there anchored in seventeen fathoms water, the bottom a coral sand; the point of Lefooga bearing S.E. by E. a mile and a half distant. The Discovery did not get to an anchor till sunset. She had touched upon one of the shoals, but backed off again without receiving any damage.

As soon as we had anchored, I sent Mr Bligh to sound the bay where we were now stationed; and myself, accompanied by Mr Gore, landed on the southern part of Lefooga, to examine the country, and to look for fresh water. Not that we now wanted a supply of this article, having filled all the casks at our late station; but I had been told that this part of the island could afford us some preferable to any we had got at the former watering-place. This will not be the only time I shall have occasion to remark that these people do not know what good water is. We were conducted to two wells, but the water in both of them proved to be execrable, and the natives, our guides, assured us that they had none better.

Near the S. end of the island, and on the W. side, we met with an artificial mount. From the size of some trees that were growing upon it, and from other appearances, I guessed that it had been raised in remote times. I judged it to be about forty feet high, and the diameter of its summit measured fifty feet. At the bottom of this mount stood a stone, which must have been hewn out of coral rock. It was four feet broad, two and a half thick, and fourteen high; and we were told by the natives present that not above half its length appeared above ground. They called it _Tangata Arekee_,[163] and said that it had been set up, and the mount raised, by some of their forefathers, in memory of one of their kings, but how long since they could not tell.

[Footnote 163: _Tangata,_ in their language, is man; _Arekee_, king.]

Night coming on, Mr Gore and I returned on board; and, at the same time, Mr Bligh got back from sounding the bay, in which he found from fourteen to twenty fathoms water, the bottom for the most part sand, but not without some coral rocks. The place where we now anchored is much better sheltered than that which we had lately come from; but between the two is another anchoring station, much better than either. Lefooga and Hoolaiva are divided from each other by a reef of coral rocks, which is dry at low water; so that one may walk at that time from the one to the other, without wetting a foot. Some of our gentlemen, who landed in the latter island, did not find the least mark of cultivation, or habitation, upon it, except a single hut, the residence of a man employed to catch fish and turtle. It is rather extraordinary that it should be in this deserted state, communicating so immediately with Lefooga, which is so perfectly cultivated; for though the soil is quite sandy, all the trees and plants found in a natural state on the neighbouring islands, are produced here with the greatest vigour. The E. side of it has a reef like Lefooga, and the W. side has a bending at the N. part, where there seems to be good anchorage. Uninhabited as Hoolaiva is, an artificial mount, like that at the adjoining island, has been raised upon it, as high as some of the surrounding trees.

At day-break, next morning, I made the signal to weigh; and as I intended to attempt a passage to Annamooka, in my way to Tongataboo, by the S.W. amongst the intervening islands, I sent the master in a boat to sound before the ships. But before we could get under sail the wind became unsettled, which made it unsafe to attempt a passage this way till we were better acquainted with it. I therefore lay fast, and made the signal for the master to return; and afterward sent him and the master of the Discovery, each in a boat, with instructions to examine the channels, as far as they could, allowing themselves time to get back to the ships before the close of the day.

About noon a large sailing canoe came under our stern, in which was a person named Futtafaihe, or Poulaho, or both, who, as the natives then on board told us, was King of Tongataboo, and of all the neighbouring islands that we had seen or heard of. It was a matter of surprise to me to have a stranger introduced under this character, which I had so much reason to believe really belonged to another. But they persisted in their account of the supreme dignity of this new visitor; and now, for the first time, they owned to me, that Feenou was not the king, but only a subordinate chief, though of great power, as he was often sent from Tongataboo to the other islands on warlike expeditions, or to decide differences. It being my interest, as well as my inclination, to pay court to all the great men, without making enquiry into the validity of their assumed titles, I invited Poulaho on board, as I understood he was very desirous to come. He could not be an unwelcome guest, for he brought with him, as a present to me, two good fat hogs, though not so fat as himself, if weight of body could give weight in rank and power, he was certainly the most eminent man in that respect we had seen; for, though not very tall, he was very unwieldy, and almost shapeless with corpulence. He seemed to be about forty years of age, had straight hair, and his features differed a good deal from those of the bulk of his people. I found him to be a sedate, sensible man. He viewed the ship, and the several new objects, with uncommon attention, and asked many pertinent questions, one of which was, What could induce us to visit these islands? After he had satisfied his curiosity in looking at the cattle, and other novelties which he met with upon deck, I desired him to walk down into the cabin. To this some of his attendants objected, saying, that if he were to accept of that invitation, it must happen, that people would walk over his head, which could not be permitted. I directed my interpreter Omai, to tell them that I would obviate their objection, by giving orders that no one should presume to walk upon that part of the deck which was over the cabin. Whether this expedient would have satisfied them was far from appearing, but the chief himself, less scrupulous in this respect than his attendants, waved all ceremony, and walked down without any stipulation. He now appeared to be as solicitous himself, as his people were, to convince us that he was king, and not Feenou, who had passed with us as such; for he soon perceived that we had some doubts about it, which doubts Omai was not very desirous of removing. The closest connection had been formed between him and Feenou, in testimony of which they had exchanged names; and therefore he was not a little chagrined, that another person now put in his claim to the honours which his friend had hitherto enjoyed.

Poulaho sat down with us to dinner, but he ate little, and drank less. When we rose from the table, he desired me to accompany him ashore. Omai was asked to be of the party, but he was too faithfully attached to Feenou to shew any attention to his competitor, and therefore excused himself. I attended the chief in my own boat, having first made presents to him of such articles as I could observe he valued much, and were even beyond his expectation to receive. I was not disappointed in my view of thus securing his friendship, for the moment the boat reached the beach, and before he quitted her, he ordered two more hogs to be brought, and delivered to my people to be conveyed on board. He was then carried out of the boat by some of his own people, upon a board resembling a hand-barrow, and went and seated himself in a small house near the shore, which seemed to have been erected there for his accommodation. He placed me at his side, and his attendants, who were not numerous, seated themselves in a semicircle before us, on the outside of the house. Behind the chief, or rather on one side, sat an old woman, with a sort of fan in her hand, whose office it was to prevent his being pestered with the flies.

The several articles which his people had got, by trading on board the ships, were now displayed before him. He looked over them all with attention, enquired what they had given in exchange, and seemed pleased with the bargains they had made. At length he ordered every thing to be restored to the respective owners, except a glass bowl, with which he was so much pleased that he reserved it for himself. The persons who brought these things to him, first squatted themselves down before him, then they deposited their several purchases, and immediately rose up and retired. The same respectful ceremony was observed in taking them away, and not one of them presumed to speak to him standing. I stayed till several of his attendants left him, first paying him obeisance, by bowing the head down to the sole of his foot, and touching or tapping the same with the upper and under side of the fingers of both hands. Others, who were not in the circle, came, as it seemed, on purpose, and paid him this mark of respect and then retired, without speaking a word. I was quite charmed with the decorum that was observed. I had no where seen the like, not even amongst more civilized nations.

I found the master returned from his expedition when I got on board. He informed me, that, as far as he had proceeded, there was anchorage, and a passage for the ships, but that toward the S. and S.E. he saw a number of small isles, shoals, and breakers. Judging, from this report, that my attempting a passage that way would be attended with some risk, I now dropped all thoughts of it, thinking it better to return toward Annamooka by the same route, which we had so lately experienced to be a safe one.

Having come to this resolution, I should have sailed next morning if the wind had not been too far southerly, and at the same time very unsettled. Poulaho, the king, as I shall now call him, came on board betimes, and brought, as a present to me, one of their caps, made, or at least covered, with red feathers. These caps were much sought after by us, for we knew they would be highly valued at Otaheite. But though very large prices were offered, not one was ever brought for sale; which shewed that they were no less valuable in the estimation of the people here; nor was there a person in either ship that could make himself the proprietor of one, except myself, Captain Clerke, and Omai. These caps, or rather bonnets, are composed of the tail feathers of the tropic bird, with the red feathers of the parroquets wrought upon them, or jointly with them. They are made so as to tie upon the forehead without any crown, and have the form of a semicircle, whose _radius_ is eighteen or twenty inches. The chief stayed on board till the evening, when he left us; but his brother, whose name was also Futtafaihe, and one or two or more of his attendants, continued in the ship all night.

At day-break, the next morning, I weighed with a fine breeze at E.N.E. and stood to the westward, with a view to return to Annamooka, by the track we had already experienced. We were followed by several sailing canoes, in one of which was the king. As soon as he got on board the Resolution, he enquired for his brother, and the others who had remained with us all night. It now appeared that they had stayed without his leave, for he gave them, in a very few words, such a reprimand as brought tears from their eyes, and yet they were men not less than thirty years of age. He was, however, soon reconciled to their making a longer stay, for, on quitting us, he left his brother, and five of his attendants, on board. We had also the company of a chief just then arrived from Tongataboo, whose name was Tooboueitoa. The moment he arrived he sent his canoe away, and declared, that he and five more, who came with him, would sleep on board, so that I had now my cabin filled with visitors. This, indeed, was some inconvenience; but I bore with it more willingly, as they brought plenty of provisions with them as presents to me, for which they always had suitable returns.

About one o'clock in the afternoon, the easterly wind was succeeded by a fresh breeze at S.S.E. Our course now being S.S.W. or more southerly, we were obliged to ply to windward, and did but just fetch the N. side of Footooha by eight o'clock, where we spent the night, making short boards.

The next morning we plyed up to Lofanga, where, according to the information of our friends, there was anchorage. It was one o'clock in the afternoon before we got soundings under the lee or N.W. side, in forty fathoms water, near half a mile from the shore; but the bank was steep, and the bottom rocky, and a chain of breakers lay to leeward. All these circumstances being against us, I stretched away for Kotoo, with the expectation of finding better anchoring ground under that island. But so much time had been spent in plying up to Lofanga, that it was dark before we reached the other; and finding no place to anchor in, the night was spent as the preceding one.

At day-break on the 31st I stood for the channel, which is between Kotoo and the reef of rocks that lie to the westward of it; but, on drawing near, I found the wind too scant to lead us through. I therefore bore up on the outside of the reef, and stretched to the S.W. till near noon, when, perceiving that we made no progress to windward, and being apprehensive of losing the islands with so many of the natives on board, I tacked and stood back, intending to wait till some more favourable opportunity. We did but just fetch in with Footooba, between which and Kotoo we spent the night, under reefed top-sails and fore-sail. The wind blew fresh, and by squalls, with rain; and we were not without apprehensions of danger. I kept the deck till midnight, when I left it to the master, with such directions as I thought would keep the ships clear of the shoals and rocks that lay round us. But, after making a trip to the N., and standing back again to the S., our ship, by a small shift of the wind, fetched farther to the windward than was expected. By this means she was very near running full upon a low sandy isle, called Pootoo Pootooa, surrounded with breakers. It happened, very fortunately, that the people had just been ordered upon the deck to put the ship about, and the most of them were at their stations, so that the necessary movements were not only executed with judgment, but also with alertness, and this alone saved us from destruction. The Discovery being a-stern was out of danger. Such hazardous situations are the unavoidable companions of the man who goes upon a voyage of discovery.

This circumstance frightened our passengers so much that they expressed a strong desire to get ashore. Accordingly, as soon as day-light returned, I hoisted out a boat, and ordered the officer who commanded her, after landing them at Kotoo, to sound along the reef that spits off from that island for anchorage; for I was full as much tired as they could be with beating about amongst the surrounding isles and shoals, and determined to get to an anchor somewhere or other if possible. While the boat was absent, we attempted to turn the ships through the channel, between the sandy isle and the reef of Kotoo, in expectation of finding a moderate depth of water behind them to anchor in. But, meeting with a tide or current against us, we were obliged to desist, and anchor in fifty fathoms water, with the sandy isle bearing E. by N. one mile distant.

We lay here till the 4th of June. While in this station we were several times visited by the king, by Touboueitoa, and by people from the neighbouring islands, who came off to trade with us, though the wind blew very fresh most of the time. The master was now sent to sound the channels between the islands that lie to the eastward; and I landed on Kotoo to examine it in the forenoon of the 2d.

This island is scarcely accessible by boats, on account of coral reefs that surround it. It is not more than a mile and half, or two miles, long, and not so broad. The N.W. end of it is low, like the islands of Hapaee; but it rises suddenly in the middle, and terminates in reddish clayey cliffs at the S.E. end, about thirty feet high. The soil, in that quarter, is of the same sort as in the cliffs, but in the other parts it is a loose black mould. It produces the same fruits and roots which we found at the other islands; is tolerably cultivated, but thinly inhabited. While I was walking all over it, our people were employed in cutting some grass for the cattle; and we planted some melon seeds, with which the natives seemed much pleased, and inclosed them with branches. On our return to the boat we passed by two or three ponds of dirty water, which was more or less brackish in each of them; and saw one of their burying-places, which was much neater than those that were met with at Hepaee.

On the 4th, at seven in the morning, we weighed, and, with a fresh gale at E.S.E., stood away for Annamooka, where we anchored next morning, nearly in the same station which we had so lately occupied.

I went on shore soon after, and found the inhabitants very busy in their plantations, digging up yams to bring to market; and, in the course of the day, about two hundred of them had assembled on the beach, and traded with as much eagerness, as during our late visit. Their stock appeared to have been recruited much, though we had returned so soon; but instead of bread-fruit, which was the only article we could purchase on our first arrival, nothing was to be seen now but yams, and a few plantains. This shews the quick succession of the seasons, at least of the different vegetables produced here, at the several times of the year. It appeared also that they had been very busy while we were absent in cultivating, for we now saw several large plantain fields, in places which we had so lately seen lying waste. The yams were now in the greatest perfection, and we procured a good quantity in exchanges for pieces of iron.

These people, in the absence of Toubou, whom we left behind us at Kotoo, with Poulaho and the other chiefs, seemed to be under little subordination. For we could not perceive this day that one man assumed more authority than another. Before I returned on board I visited the several places where I had sown melon seeds, and had the mortification to find that most of them were destroyed by a small ant; but some pine-apple plants, which I had also left, were in a thriving state.

About noon next day, Feenou arrived from Vavaoo. He told us, that several canoes, laden with hogs and other provisions, which had sailed with him from that island, had been lost, owing to the late blowing weather, and that every body on board them had perished. This melancholy tale did not seem to affect any of his countrymen who heard it, and, as to ourselves, we were by this time too well acquainted with his character to give much credit to such a story. The truth probably was, that he had not been able to procure at Vavaoo the supplies which he expected; or, if he got any there, that he had left them at Hepaee, which lay in his way back, and where he could not but receive intelligence that Poulaho had been with us; who, therefore, he knew, would, as his superior, have all the merit and reward of procuring them, though he had not any share of the trouble. The invention of this loss at sea was however well imagined, for there had lately been very blowing weather; insomuch, that the king, and other chiefs, who had followed us from Hepaee to Kotoo, had been left there, not caring to venture to sea when we did, but desired I might wait for them at Annamooka, which was the reason of my anchoring there this second time, and of my not proceeding directly to Tongataboo.

The following morning Poulaho, and the other chiefs who had been wind-bound with him, arrived. I happened, at this time, to be ashore in company with Feenou, who now seemed to be sensible of the impropriety of his conduct, in assuming a character that did not belong to him. For he not only acknowledged Poulaho to be King of Tongataboo, and the other isles, but affected to insist much on it, which, no doubt, was with a view to make amends for his former presumption. I left him to visit this greater man, whom I found sitting with a few people before him. But every one hastening to pay court to him, the circle increased pretty fast. I was very desirous of observing Feenou's behaviour on this occasion, and had the most convincing proof of his superiority, for he placed himself amongst the rest that sat before Poulaho, as attendants on his majesty. He seemed at first rather abashed, as some of us were present who had been used to see him act a different part; but he soon recovered himself. Some little conversation passed between these two chiefs, which none of us understood, nor were we satisfied with Omai's interpretation of it. We were, however, by this time sufficiently undeceived as to Feenou's rank. Both he and Poulaho went on board with me to dinner, but only the latter sat at table. Feenou, having made his obeisance in the usual way, saluting his sovereign's foot with his head and hands, retired out of the cabin.[164] The king had before told us that this would happen, and it now appeared that Feenou could not even eat or drink in his royal presence.

[Footnote 164: Marks of profound respect, very similar to those paid by natives of the Friendly Islands to their sovereign, are also paid to the principal chiefs, or _Tamoles_, of the Caroline Islands, as appears from Father Cantova's account here transcribed. "Lorsqu'un _Tamole_ donne audience, il paroit assis sur une table elevée: les peuples s'inclinent devant lui jusqu'à terre; et du plus loin qu'ils arrivent, il marchent le corps tout courbé, et la tête presqu'entre les génoux, jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient auprès de sa personne; alors ils s'asseyent à plate terre; et, les yeux baissés, il reçoivent ses ordres avec le plus profond respect. Quand le _Tamole_ les congédie, ils se retirent, en se courbant de la même manière que quand ils sont venus, et ne se relevent que lorsqu'ils sont hors de sa presence. Ses paroles sont autant d'oracles qu'on revere; on rend à ses ordres une obeissance aveugle; enfin, on baise les mains et les pieds, quand on lui demande quelque grace."--_Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, _tom._ xv. p. 312, 313.--D.]

At eight o'clock next morning we weighed and steered for Tongataboo, having a gentle breeze at N.E. About fourteen or fifteen sailing-vessels, belonging to the natives, set out with us, but every one of them outrun the ships considerably. Feenou was to have taken his passage in the Resolution, but preferred his own canoe, and put two men on board to conduct us to the best anchorage. We steered S. by W. by compass.

At five in the afternoon we saw two small islands bearing W., about four leagues distant. Our pilots called the one Hoonga Hapaee, and the other Hoonga Tonga. They lie in the latitude of 20° 36', and ten or eleven leagues from the W. point of Annamooka, in the direction of S. 46° W. According to the account of the islanders on board, only five men reside upon Hoonga Hapaee, and Hoonga Tonga is uninhabited; but both of them abound with sea-fowl.

We continued the same course till two o'clock next morning, when, seeing some lights ahead, and not knowing whether they were on shore, or on board the canoes, we hauled the wind, and made a short trip each way till daybreak. We then resumed our course to the S. by W.; and presently after saw several small islands before us, and Eooa and Tongataboo beyond them. We had, at this time, twenty-five fathoms water, over a bottom of broken coral and sand. The depth gradually decreased as we drew near the isles above mentioned, which lie ranged along the N.E. side of Tongataboo. By the direction of our pilots we steered for the middle of it, and for the widest space between the small isles which we were to pass, having our boats ahead employed in sounding. We were insensibly drawn upon a large flat, upon which lay innumerable coral rocks, of different depths, below the surface of the water. Notwithstanding all our care and attention to keep the ship clear of them, we could not prevent her from striking on one of these rocks. Nor did the Discovery, though behind us, escape any better. Fortunately, neither of the ships stuck fast, nor received any damage. We could not get back without increasing the danger, as we had come almost before the wind. Nor could we cast anchor, but with the certainty of having our cables instantly cut in two by the rocks. We had no other resource but to proceed. To this, indeed, we were encouraged, not only by being told, but by seeing, that there was deeper water between us and the shore. However, that we might be better informed, the moment we found a spot where we could drop the anchor, clear of rocks, we came-to, and sent the masters with the boats to sound.

Soon after we had anchored, which was about noon, several of the inhabitants of Tongataboo came off in their canoes to the ships. These, as well as our pilots, assured us that we should find deep water farther in, and a bottom free from rocks. They were not mistaken; for about four o'clock the boats made the signal for having found good anchorage. Upon this we weighed, and stood in till dark, and then anchored in nine fathoms, having a fine, clear, sandy bottom.

During the night we had some showers of rain, but toward the morning the wind shifted to the S. and S.E., and brought on fair weather. At day-break we weighed, and, working in to the shore, met with no obstructions, but such as were visible and easily avoided.

While we were plying up to the harbour, to which the natives directed us, the king kept sailing round us in his canoe. There were, at the same time, a great many small canoes about the ships. Two of these, which could not get out of the way of his royal vessel, he run quite over, with as little concern as if they had been bits of wood. Amongst many others who came on board the Resolution, was Otago, who had been so useful to me when I visited Tongataboo during my last voyage, and one Toubou, who, at that time, had attached himself to Captain Furneaux. Each of them brought a hog and some yams, as a testimony of his friendship; and I was not wanting, on my part, in making a suitable return.

At length, about two in the afternoon, we arrived at our intended station. It was a very snug place, formed by the shore of Tongataboo on the S.E. and two small islands on the E. and N.E. Here we anchored in ten fathoms water, over a bottom of oozy sand, distant from the shore one-third of a mile.

SECTION VII.

_Friendly Reception at Tongataboo.--Manner of distributing a baked Hog and Kava to Poulaho's Attendants.--The Observatory, &c. erected.--The Village where the Chiefs reside, and the adjoining Country, described.--Interviews with Mareewagee, and Toobou, and the King's Son.--A grand Haiva, or Entertainment of Songs and Dances, given by Mareewagee.--Exhibition of Fireworks.--Manner of Wrestling and Boxing.--Distribution of the Cattle.--Thefts committed by the Natives.--Poulaho, and the other Chiefs, confined on that Account.--Poulaho's Present and Haiva._

Soon after we had anchored, having first dined, I landed, accompanied by Omai and some of the officers. We found the king waiting for as upon the beach. He immediately conducted us to a small neat house, situated a little within the skirts of the wood, with a fine large area before it. This house, he told me, was at my service during our stay at the island; and a better situation we could not wish for.

We had not been long in the house before a pretty large circle of the natives were assembled before us, and seated upon the area. A root of the _kava_ plant being brought, and laid down before the king, he ordered it to be split into pieces, and distributed to several people of both sexes, who began the operation of chewing it, and a bowl of their favourite liquor was soon prepared. In the mean time, a baked hog, and two baskets of baked yams, were produced, and afterward divided into ten portions. These portions were then given to certain people present; but how many were to share in each I could not tell. One of them, I observed, was bestowed upon the king's brother, and one remained undisposed of, which, I judged, was for the king himself, as it was a choice bit. The liquor was next served out, but Poulaho seemed to give no directions about it. The first cup was brought to him, which he ordered to be given to one who sat near him. The second was also brought to him, and this he kept. The third was given to me, but their manner of brewing having quenched my thirst, it became Omai's property. The rest of the liquor was distributed to different people, by direction of the man who had the management of it. One of the cups being carried to the king's brother, he retired with this, and with his mess of victuals. Some others also quitted the circle with their portions, and the reason was, they could neither eat nor drink in the royal presence; but there were others present, of a much inferior rank, of both sexes, who did both. Soon after most of them withdrew, carrying with them what they had not eat of their share of the feast.

I observed that not a fourth part of the company had tasted either the victuals or the drink; those who partook of the former I supposed to be of the king's household. The servants who distributed the baked meat and the _kava_, always delivered it out of their hand sitting, not only to the king but to every other person. It is worthy of remark, though this was the first time of our landing, and a great many people were present who had never seen us before, yet no one was troublesome, but the greatest good order was preserved throughout the whole assembly.

Before I returned on board, I went in search of a watering-place, and was conducted to some ponds, or rather holes, containing fresh water, as they were pleased to call it. The contents of one of these indeed were tolerable, but it was at some distance inland, and the supply to be got from it was very inconsiderable. Being informed that the little island of Pangimodoo, near which the ships lay, could better furnish this necessary article, I went over to it next morning, and was so fortunate as to find there a small pool that had rather fresher water than any we had met with amongst these islands. The pool being very dirty, I ordered it to be cleaned; and here it was that we watered the ships.

As I intended to make some stay at Tongataboo, we pitched a tent in the forenoon, just by the house which Poulaho had assigned for our use. The horses, cattle, and sheep, were afterward landed, and a party of marines, with their officer, stationed there as a guard. The observatory was then set up, at a small distance from the other tent; and Mr King resided on shore, to attend the observations, and to superintend the several operations necessary to be conducted there. For the sails were carried thither to be repaired; a party was employed in cutting wood for fuel, and plank for the use of the ships; and the gunners of both were ordered to remain on the spot, to conduct the traffic with the natives, who thronged from every part of the island with hogs, yams, cocoa-nuts, and other articles of their produce. In a short time our land post was like a fair, and the ships were so crowded with visitors, that we had hardly room to stir upon the decks.

Feenou had taken up his residence in our neighbourhood; but he was no longer the leading man. However we still found him to be a person of consequence, and we had daily proofs of his opulence and liberality, by the continuance of his valuable presents. But the king was equally attentive in this respect, for scarcely a day passed without receiving from him some considerable donation. We now heard that there were other great men of the island whom we had not as yet seen. Otago and Toobou, in particular, mentioned a person named Mareewagee, who, they said, was of the first consequence in the place, and held in great veneration, nay, if Omai did not misunderstand them, superior even to Poulaho, to whom he was related; but being old, lived in retirement, and therefore would not visit us. Some of the natives even hinted that he was too great a man to confer that honour upon us. This account exciting my curiosity, I this day mentioned to Poulaho that I was very desirous of waiting upon Mareewagee; and he readily agreed to accompany me to the place of his residence the next morning.

Accordingly, we set out pretty early in the pinnace, and Captain Clerke joined me in one of his own boats. We proceeded round, that is, to the eastward of the little isles that form the harbour, and then, turning to the S., according to Poulaho's directions, entered a spacious bay or inlet, up which we rowed about a league, and landed amidst a considerable number of people, who received us with a sort of acclamation, not unlike our huzzaing. They immediately separated, to let Poulaho pass, who took us into a small inclosure, and shifted the piece of cloth he wore for a new piece, neatly folded, that was carried by a young man. An old woman assisted in dressing him, and put a mat over his cloth, as we supposed, to prevent its being dirtied when he sat down. On our now asking him where Mareewagee was, to our great surprise, he said he had gone from the place to the ship just before we arrived. However, he desired us to walk with him to a _malaee_, or house of public resort, which stood about half a mile up the country. But when we came to a large area before it, he sat down in the path, and desired us to walk up to the house. We did so, and seated ourselves in front, while the crowd that followed us filled up the rest of the space. After sitting a little while, we repeated our enquiries, by means of Omai, Whether we were to see Mareewagee? But receiving no satisfactory information, and suspecting that the old chief was purposely concealed from us, we went back to our boats much piqued at our disappointment; and when I got on board I found that no such person had been there. It afterward appeared, that in this affair we had laboured under some gross mistakes, and that our interpreter Omai had either been misinformed, or, which is more likely, had misunderstood what was told him about the great man, on whose account we had made this excursion.

The place we went to was a village, most delightfully situated on the bank of the inlet, where all, or most of the principal persons of the island reside, each having his house in the midst of a small plantation, with lesser houses, and offices for servants. These plantations are neatly fenced round; and, for the most part, have only one entrance. This is by a door, fastened on the inside by a prop of wood, so that a person has to knock before he can get admittance. Public roads, and narrow lanes, lie between each plantation, so that no one trespasseth upon another. Great part of some of these inclosures is laid out in grass-plots, and planted with such things as seem more for ornament than use; but hardly any were without the _kava_ plant, from which they make their favourite liquor. Every article of the vegetable produce of the island abounded in others of these plantations; but these, I observed, are not the residence of people of the first rank. There are some large houses near the public roads, with spacious smooth grass-plots before them, and uninclosed. These, I was told, belonged to the king; and probably they are the places where their public assemblies are held. It was to one of these houses, as I have already mentioned, that we were conducted soon after our landing at this place.

About noon, the next day, this Mareewagee, of whom we had heard so much, actually came to the neighbourhood of our post on shore, and with him a very considerable number of people of all ranks. I was informed, that he had taken this trouble on purpose to give me an opportunity of waiting upon him; having probably heard of the displeasure I had shewn on my disappointment the day before. In the afternoon, a party of us, accompanied by Feenou, landed, to pay him a visit. We found a person sitting under a large tree near the shore, a little to the right of the tent. A piece of cloth, at least forty yards long, was spread before him, round which a great number of people of both sexes were seated. It was natural to suppose that this was the great man, but we were undeceived by Feenou, who informed us that another, who sat on a piece of mat, a little way from this chief, to the right hand, was Mareewagee, and he introduced us to him, who received us very kindly, and desired us to sit down by him. The person who sat under the tree, fronting us, was called Toobou; and, when I have occasion to speak of him afterward, I shall call him old Toobou, to distinguish him from his namesake, Captain Furneaux's friend. Both he and Mareewagee had a venerable appearance. The latter was a slender man, and, from his appearance, seemed to be considerably above threescore years of age; the former was rather corpulent, and almost blind with a disorder of his eyes, though not so old.

Not expecting to meet with two chiefs on this occasion, I had only brought on shore a present for one. This I now found myself under a necessity of dividing between them; but it happened to be pretty considerable, and both of them seemed satisfied. After this, we entertained them for about an hour with the performance of two French horns and a drum. But they seemed most pleased with the firing off a pistol, which Captain Clerke had in his pocket. Before I took my leave, the large piece of cloth was rolled up, and, with a few cocoa-nuts, presented to me.

The next morning old Toobou returned my visit on board the ship. He also visited Captain Clerke; and if the present we made to him the evening before was scanty, the deficiency was now made up. During this time Mareewagee visited our people ashore, and Mr King shewed to him, every thing we had there. He viewed the cattle with great admiration, and the cross-cut saw fixed his attention for some time.

Toward noon Poulaho returned from the place where we had left, him two days before, and brought with him his son, a youth about twelve years of age. I had his company at dinner; but the son, though present, was not allowed to sit down with him. It was very convenient to have him for my guest. For when he was present, which was generally the case while we stayed here, every other native was excluded from the table, and but few of them would remain in the cabin. Whereas, if by chance it happened that neither he nor Feenou were on board, the inferior chiefs would be very importunate to be of our dining party, or to be admitted into the cabin at that time, and then we were so crowded that we could not sit down to a meal with any satisfaction. The king was very soon reconciled to our manner of cookery. But still I believe he dined thus frequently with me more for the sake of what we gave him to drink, than for what we set before him to eat. For he had taken a liking to our wine, could empty his bottle as well as most men, and was as cheerful over it. He now fixed his residence at the house, or _malaee_, by our tent; and there he entertained our people this evening with a dance. To the surprise of every body the unwieldy Poulaho endeavoured to vie with others in that active amusement.

In the morning of the 15th I received a message from old Toobou that he wanted to see me ashore. Accordingly Omai and I went to wait upon him. We found him, like an ancient patriarch, seated under the shade of a tree, with a large piece of the cloth, made in the island, spread out at full length before him, and a number of respectably looking people sitting round it. He desired us to place ourselves by him; and then he told Omai, that the cloth, together with a piece of red feathers, and about a dozen cocoa-nuts, were his present to me. I thanked him for the favour, and desired he would go on board with me, as I had nothing on shore to give him in return.

Omai now left me, being sent for by Penlaho; and soon after Feenou came, and acquainted me that young Fattafaihe, Poulaho's son, desired to see me. I obeyed the summons, and found the prince and Omai sitting under a large canopy of the finer sort of cloth, with a piece of the coarser sort spread under them and before them, that was seventy-six yards long, and seven and a half broad. On one side was a large old boar, and on the other side a heap of cocoa-nuts. A number of people were seated round the cloth, and amongst them I observed Mareewagee, and others of the first rank. I was desired to sit down by the prince; and then Omai informed me, that he had been instructed by the king to tell me, that, as he and I were friends, he hoped that his son might be joined in this friendship, and that, as a token of my consent, I would accept of his present. I very readily agreed to the proposal; and it being now dinner time, I invited them all on board.

Accordingly, the young prince, Mareewagee, old Toobou, three or four inferior chiefs, and two respectable old ladies of the first rank, accompanied me. Mareewagee was dressed in a new piece of cloth, on the skirts of which were fixed six pretty large patches of red feathers. This dress seemed to have been made on purpose for this visit; for, as soon as he got on board, he put it off, and presented it to me; having, I guess, heard that it would be acceptable, on account of the feathers. Every one of my visitors received from me such presents, as, I had reason to believe, they were highly satisfied with. When dinner came upon table, not one of them would sit down, or eat a bit, of any thing that was served up. On expressing my surprise at this, they were all _taboo_, as they said; which word has a very comprehensive meanings but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden. Why they were laid under such restraints, at present, was not explained. Dinner being over, and, having gratified their curiosity, by shewing to them every part of the ship, I then conducted them ashore.

As soon as the boat reached the beach, Feenou, and some others, instantly stepped out. Young Fattafaihe following them, was called back by Mareewagee, who now paid the heir-apparent the same obeisance, and in the same manner, that I had seen it paid to the king. And when old Toobou, and one of the old ladies, had shewn him the same marks of respect, he was suffered to land. This ceremony being over, the old people stepped from my boat into a canoe that was waiting to carry them to their place of abode.

I was not sorry to be present on this occasion, as I was thus furnished with the most unequivocal proofs of the supreme dignity of Poulaho and his son, over the other principal chiefs. Indeed, by this time, I had acquired some certain information about the relative situations of the several great men, whose names have been so often mentioned. I now knew, that Mareewagee and old Toobou were brothers. Both of them were men of great property in the island, and seemed to be in high estimation with the people; the former, in particular, had the very honourable appellation given to him, by every body, of _Motooa Tonga_; that is to say, Father of Tonga, or of his country. The nature of his relationship to the king was also no longer a secret to us; for we now understood, that he was his father-in-law; Poulaho having married one of his daughters, by whom he had this son; so that Mareewagee was the prince's grandfather. Poulaho's appearance having satisfied us, that we had been under a mistake in considering Feenou as the sovereign of these islands, we had been, at first, much puzzled about his real rank; but that was, by this time, ascertained. Feenou was one of Mareewagee's sons; and Tooboueitoa was another.

On my landing, I found the king, in the house adjoining to our tent, along with our people who resided on shore. The moment I got to him, he bestowed upon me a present of a large hog and a quantity of yams. About the dusk of the evening, a number of men came, and, having sat down in a round group, began to sing in concert with the music of bamboo drums, which were placed in the centre.[165] There were three long ones, and two short. With these they struck the ground endwise, as before described. There were two others, which lay on the ground, side by side, and one of them was split or shivered; on these a man kept beating with two small sticks. They sung three songs while I stayed; and, I was told, that, after I left them, the entertainment lasted till ten o'clock. They burnt the leaves of the _wharra_ palm for a light; which is the only thing I ever saw them make use of for this purpose.

[Footnote 165: The same sort of evening concert is performed round the house of the chief, or _Tamole_, at the Caroline Islands. "Le _Tamole_ ne s'endort qu'au bruit d'un concert de musique que forme une troupe de jeunes gens, qui s'assemblent le soir, autour de sa maison, et qui chantent, à leur manière, certaines poësies."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom, xv. p. 314.--D.]

While I was passing the day in attendance on these great men, Mr Anderson, with some others, made an excursion into the country, which furnished him with the following remarks: "To the westward of the tent, the country is totally uncultivated for near two miles, though quite covered with trees and bushes, in a natural state, growing with the greatest vigour. Beyond this is a pretty large plain, on which are some cocoa-trees, and a few small plantations that appear to have been lately made; and, seemingly, on ground that has never been cultivated before. Near the creek, which runs to the westward of the tent, the land is quite flat, and partly overflowed by the sea every tide. When that retires, the surface is seen to be composed of coral rock, with holes of yellowish mud scattered up and down; and toward the edges, where it is a little firmer, are innumerable little openings, from which issue as many small crabs, of two or three different sorts, which swarm upon the spot, as flies upon a carcase; but are so nimble, that, on being approached, they disappear in an instant, and baffle even the natives to catch any of them.

At this place is a work of art, which shews that these people are capable of some design, and perseverance, when they mean to accomplish any thing. This work begins, on one side, as a narrow causeway, which, becoming gradually broader, rises, with a gentle ascent, to the height of ten feet, where it is five paces broad, and the whole length seventy-four paces. Joined to this is a sort of circus, whose diameter is thirty paces, and not above a foot or two higher than the causeway that joins it, with some trees planted in the middle. On the opposite side, another causeway of the same sort descends; but this is not above forty paces long, and is partly in ruin. The whole is built with large coral stones, with earth on the surface, which is quite overgrown with low trees and shrubs; and, from its decaying in several places, seems to be of no modern date. Whatever may have been its use formerly, it seems to be of none now; and all that we could learn of it from the natives was, that it belonged to Poulaho, and is called _Etchee_.

On the 16th, in the morning, after visiting the several works now carrying on ashore, Mr Gore and I took a walk into the country; in the course of which nothing remarkable appeared, but our having opportunities of seeing the whole process of making cloth, which is the principal manufacture of these islands, as well as of many others in this ocean. In the narrative of my first voyage, a minute description is given of this operation, as performed at Otaheite; but the process, here, differing in some particulars, it may be worth while to give the following account of it:

The manufacturers, who are females, take the slender stalks or trunks of the paper-mulberry, which they cultivate for that purpose, and which seldom grow more than six or seven feet in height, and about four fingers in thickness. From these they strip the bark, and scrape off the outer rind with a muscle-shell. The bark is then rolled up, to take off the convexity which it had round the stalk, and macerated in water for some time (they say, a night). After this, it is laid across the trunk of a small tree squared, and beaten with a square wooden instrument, about a foot long, full of coarse grooves on all sides; but, sometimes, with one that is plain. According to the size of the bark, a piece is soon produced; but the operation is often repeated by another hand, or it is folded several times, and beat longer, which seems rather intended to close than to divide its texture. When this is sufficiently effected, it is spread out to dry; the pieces being from four to six, or more, feet in length, and half as broad. They are then given to another person, who joins the pieces, by smearing part of them over with the viscous juice of a berry, called _tooo_, which serves as a glue. Having been thus lengthened, they are laid over a large piece of wood, with a kind of stamp, made of a fibrous substance pretty closely interwoven, placed beneath. They then take a bit of cloth, and dip it in a juice, expressed from the bark of a tree, called _kokka_, which they rub briskly upon the piece that is making. This, at once, leaves a dull brown colour, and a dry gloss upon its surface; the stamp, at the same time, making a slight impression, that answers no other purpose, that I could see, but to make the several pieces, that are glued together, stick a little more firmly. In this manner they proceed, joining and staining by degrees, till they produce a piece of cloth, of such length and breadth as they want; generally leaving a border, of a foot broad, at the sides, and longer at the ends, unstained. Throughout the whole, if any parts of the original pieces are too thin, or have holes, which is often the case, they glue spare bits upon them, till they become of an equal thickness. When they want to produce a black colour, they mix the soot procured from an oily nut, called _dooedooe_, with the juice of the _kokka_, in different quantities, according to the proposed depth of the tinge. They say, that the black sort of cloth, which is commonly most glazed, makes a cold dress, but the other a warm one; and, to obtain strength in both, they are always careful to join the small pieces lengthwise, which makes it impossible to tear the cloth in any direction but one.

On our return from the country, we met with Feenou, and took him, and another young chief, on board to dinner. When our fare was set upon the table, neither of them would eat a bit; saying, that they were _taboo avy_. But, after enquiring how the victuals had been dressed, having found that no _avy_ (water) had been used in cooking a pig; and some yams, they both sat down, and made a very hearty meal; and, on being assured that there was no water in the wine, they drank of it also. From this we conjectured, that, on some account or another, they were, at this time, forbidden to use water; or, which was more probable, they did not like the water we made use of, it being taken up out of one of their bathing-places. This was not the only time of our meeting with people that were _taboo avy_; but, for what reason, we never could tell with any degree of certainty.

Next day, the 17th, was fixed upon by Mareewagee, for giving a grand _Haiva_, or entertainment, to which we were all invited. For this purpose a large space had been cleared, before the temporary hut of this chief, near our post, as an area where the performances were to be exhibited. In the morning, great multitudes of the natives came in from the country, every one carrying a pole, about six feet long, upon his shoulder; and at each end of every pole, a yam was suspended. These yams and poles were deposited on each side of the area, so as to form two large heaps, decorated with different sorts of small fish, and piled up to the greatest advantage. They were Mareewagee's present to Captain Clerke and me; and it was hard to say, whether the wood for fuel, or the yams for food, were of most value to us. As for the fish, they might serve to please the sight, but were very offensive to the smell; part of them having been kept two or three days, to be presented to us on this occasion.

Every thing being thus prepared, about eleven o'clock they began to exhibit various dances, which they call _mai_. The music[166] consisted, at first, of seventy men as a chorus, who sat down; and amidst them were placed three instruments, which we called drums, though very unlike them. They are large cylindrical pieces of wood, or trunks of trees, from three to four feet long, some twice as thick as an ordinary sized man, and some smaller, hollowed entirely out, but close at both ends, and open only by a chink, about three inches broad, running almost the whole length of the drums; by which opening, the rest of the wood is certainly hollowed, though the operation must be difficult. This instrument is called _naffa_; and, with the chink turned toward them, they sit and beat strongly upon it, with two cylindrical pieces of hard wood, about a foot long, and as thick as the wrist; by which means they produce a rude, though loud and powerful sound. They vary the strength and rate of their beating, at different parts of the dance; and also change the tones, by beating in the middle, or near the end, of their drum.

[Footnote 166: Mr Anderson's description of the entertainments of this day being much fuller than Captain Cook's, it has been adopted, as on a former occasion.--D.]

The first dance consisted of four ranks, of twenty-four men each, holding in their hands a little, thin, light, wooden instrument, above two feet long, and, in shape, not unlike a small oblong paddle. With these, which are called _pagge_, they made a great many different motions; such as pointing them toward the ground on one side, at the same time inclining their bodies that way, from which they were shifted to the opposite side in the same manner; then passing them quickly from one hand to the other, and twirling them about very dextrously; with a variety of other manoeuvres, all which were accompanied by corresponding attitudes of the body. Their motions were, at first, slow, but quickened as the drums beat faster; and they recited sentences, in a musical tone, the whole time, which were answered by the chorus; but at the end of a short space they all joined, and finished with a shout.

After ceasing about two or three minutes, they began as before, and continued, with short intervals, above a quarter of an hour; when the rear rank dividing, shifted themselves very slowly round each end, and, meeting in the front, formed the first rank; the whole number continuing to recite the sentences as before. The other ranks did the same successively, till that which, at first, was the front, became the rear; and the evolution continued, in the same manner, till the last rank regained its first situation. They then began a much quicker dance (though slow at first), and sung for about ten minutes, when the whole body divided into two parts, retreated a little, and then approached, forming a sort of circular figure, which finished the dance; the drums being removed, and the chorus going off the field at the same time.

The second dance had only two drums, with forty men for a chorus; and the dancers, or rather actors, consisted of two ranks, the foremost having seventeen, and the other fifteen persons. Feenou was at their head, or in the middle of the front rank, which is the principal place in these cases. They danced and recited sentences, with some very short intervals, for about half an hour, sometimes quickly, sometimes more slowly, but with such a degree of exactness, as if all the motions were made by one man, which did them great credit. Near the close, the back rank divided, came round, and took the place of the front, which, again resumed its situation, as in the first dance; and when they finished, the drums and chorus, as before, went off.

Three drums (which, at least, took two, and sometimes three men to carry them) were now brought in; and seventy men sat down as a chorus to the third dance. This consisted of two ranks, of sixteen persons each, with young Toobou at their head, who was richly ornamented with a sort of garment covered with red feathers. These danced, sung, and twirled the _pagge_, as before; but, in general, much quicker, and performed so well, that they had the constant applauses of the spectators. A motion that met with particular approbation, was one in which they held the face aside, as if ashamed, and the _pagge_ before it. The back rank closed before the front one, and that again resumed its place, as in the two former dances; but then they began again, formed a triple row, divided, retreated to each end of the area, and left the greatest part of the ground clear. At that instant, two men entered very hastily, and exercised the clubs which they use in battle. They did this, by first twirling them in their hands, and making circular strokes before them with great force and quickness; but so skilfully managed, that, though standing quite close, they never interfered. They shifted their clubs from hand to hand, with great dexterity; and, after continuing a little time, kneeled, and made different motions, tossing the clubs up in the air, which they caught as they fell; and then went off as hastily as they entered. Their heads were covered with pieces of white cloth, tied at the crown (almost like a night-cap) with a wreath of foliage round the forehead; but they had only very small pieces of white cloth tied about their waists; probably, that they might be cool, and free from every encumbrance or weight. A person with a spear, dressed like the former, then came in, and in the same hasty manner; looking about eagerly, as if in search of somebody to throw it at. He then ran hastily to one side of the crowd in the front, and put himself in a threatening attitude, as if he meant to strike with his spear at one of them, bending the knee a little, and trembling, as it were with rage. He continued in this manner only a few seconds, when he moved to the other side, and having stood in the same posture there, for the same short time, retreated from the ground, as fast as when he made his appearance. The dancers, who had divided into two parties, kept repeating something slowly all this while: and now advanced, and joined again, ending with universal applause. It should seem that this dance was considered as one of their capital performances, if we might judge from some of the principal people being engaged in it. For one of the drums was beat by Futtafaihe, the brother of Poulaho, another by Feenou, and the third, which did not belong to the chorus, by Mareewagee himself, at the entrance of his hut.

The last dance had forty men, and two drums, as a chorus. It consisted of sixty men, who had not danced before, disposed in three rows, having twenty-four in front. But, before they began, we were entertained with a pretty long preliminary harangue, in which the whole body made responses to a single person who spoke. They recited sentences (perhaps verses) alternately with the chorus, and made many motions with the _pagge_, in a very brisk mode, which were all applauded with _mareeai!_ and _fufogge!_ words expressing two different degrees of praise. They divided into two bodies, with their backs to each other; formed again, shifted their ranks, as in the other dances; divided and retreated, making room for two champions, who exercised their clubs as before; and after them two others; the dancers, all the time, reciting slowly in turn with the chorus; after which they advanced and finished.

These dances, if they can properly be called so, lasted from eleven till near three o'clock; and though they were, doubtless, intended, particularly, either in honour of us, or to shew a specimen of their dexterity, vast numbers of their own people attended as spectators. Their numbers could not be computed exactly, on account of the inequality of the ground; but, by reckoning the inner circle, and the number in depth, which was between twenty and thirty in many places, we supposed that there must be near four thousand. At the same time, there were round the trading place at the tent, and straggling about, at least as many more; and some of us computed, that, aft this time, there were no less than ten or twelve thousand people in our neighbourhood; that is, within the compass of a quarter of a mile; drawn together, for the most part, by mere curiosity.

It is with regret I mention, that we could not understand what was spoken, while we were able to see what was acted, in these amusements. This, doubtless, would have afforded us much information, as to the genius and customs of these people. It was observable, that, though the spectators always approved of the various motions, when well made, a great share of the pleasure they received seemed to arise from the sentimental part, or what the performers delivered in their speeches. However, the mere acting part, independently of the sentences repeated, was well worth our notice, both with respect to the extensive plan on which it was executed, and to the various motions, as well as the exact unity, with which they were performed. Neither pencil nor pen can describe the numerous actions and motions, the singularity of which was not greater, than was the ease and gracefulness with which they were performed.

At night, we were entertained with the _bomai_, or night dances, on a space before Feenou's temporary habitation. They lasted about three hours; in which time we had about twelve of them performed, much after the same manner as those at Hepaee. But, in two, that were performed by women, a number of men came and formed a circle within their's. And, in another, consisting of twenty-four men, there were a number of motions with the hands, that we had not seen before, and were highly applauded. The music was, also, once changed, in the course of the night; and in one of the dances, Feenou appeared at the head of fifty men who had performed at Hepaee, and he was well dressed with linen, a large piece of gauze, and some little pictures hung round his neck. But it was evident, after the diversions were closed, that we had put these poor people, or rather that they had put themselves, to much inconvenience. For being drawn together on this uninhabited part of their island, numbers of them were obliged to lie down and sleep under the bushes, by the side of a tree, or of a canoe; nay, many either lay down in the open air, which they are not fond of, or walked about all the night.

The whole of this entertainment was conducted with far better order, than could have been expected in so large an assembly. Amongst such a multitude, there must be a number of ill-disposed people; and we, hourly, experienced it. All our care and attention did not prevent their plundering us, in every quarter; and that in the most daring and insolent manner. There was hardly any thing that they did not attempt to steal; and yet, as the crowd was always so great, I would not allow the sentries to fire, lest the innocent should suffer for the guilty. They once, at noon day, ventured to aim at taking an anchor from off the Discovery's bows; and they would certainly have succeeded, if the flook had not hooked one of the chain-plates in lowering down the ship's side, from which they could not disengage it by hand; and tackles were things they were unacquainted with. The only act of violence they were guilty of, was the breaking the shoulder-bone of one of our goats, so that she died soon after. This loss fell upon themselves, as she was one of those that I intended to leave upon the island; but of this, the person who did it was ignorant.

Early in the morning of the 18th, an incident happened, that strongly marked one of their customs. A man got out of a canoe into the quarter gallery of the Resolution, and stole from thence a pewter bason. He was discovered, pursued, and brought alongside the ship. On this occasion, three old women, who were in the canoe, made loud lamentations over the prisoner, beating their breasts and faces in a most violent manner, with the inside of their fists; and all this was done without shedding a tear. This mode of expressing grief is what occasions the mark which almost all this people bear on the face, over the cheek-bones. The repeated blows which they inflict upon this part, abrade the skin, and make even the blood flow out in a considerable quantity; and when the wounds are recent, they look as if a hollow circle had been burnt in. On many occasions, they actually cut this part of the face with an instrument, in the same manner as the people of Otaheite cut their heads.

This day, I bestowed on Mareewagee some presents, in return for those we had received from him the day before; and as the entertainments which he had then exhibited for our amusement, called upon us to make some exhibition in our way, I ordered the party of marines to go through their exercise on the spot where his dances had been performed; and, in the evening, played off some fire-works at the same place. Poulaho, with all the principal chiefs, and a great number of people, of all denominations, were present. The platoon firing, which was executed tolerably well, seemed to give them pleasure; but they were lost in astonishment when they beheld our water-rockets. They paid but little attention to the fife and drum, or French horns that played during the intervals. The king sat behind every body, because no one is allowed to sit behind him; and, that his view might not be obstructed, nobody sat immediately before him; but a lane, as it were, was made by the people from him, quite down to the space allotted for the fire-works.

In expectation of this evening show, the circle of natives about our tent being pretty large, they engaged, the greatest part of the afternoon, in boxing and wrestling; the first of which exercises they call _fangatooa_, and the second _foohoo_. When any of them chooses to wrestle, he gets up from one side of the ring, and crosses the ground in a sort of measured pace, clapping smartly on the elbow joint of one arm, which is bent, and produces a hollow sound; that is reckoned the challenge. If no person comes out from the opposite side to engage him, he returns in the same manner, and sits down; but sometimes stands clapping in the midst of the ground, to provoke some one to come out. If an opponent appear, they come together with marks of the greatest good-nature, generally smiling, and taking time to adjust the piece of cloth which is fastened round the waist. They then lay hold of each other by this girdle, with a hand on each side; and he who succeeds in drawing his antagonist to him, immediately tries to lift him upon his breast, and throw him upon his back; and if he be able to turn round with him two or three times, in that position, before he throws him, his dexterity never fails of procuring plaudits from the spectators. If they be more equally matched, they close soon, and endeavour to throw each other by entwining their legs, or lifting each other from the ground; in which struggles they shew a prodigious exertion of strength, every muscle, as it were, being ready to burst with straining. When one is thrown, he immediately quits the field, but the victor sits down for a few seconds, then gets up, and goes to the side he came from, who proclaim the victory aloud, in a sentence delivered slowly, and in a musical cadence. After sitting a short space, he rises again and challenges; when some-times several antagonists make their appearance; but he has the privilege of choosing which of them he pleases to wrestle with; and has, likewise, the preference of challenging again, if he should throw his adversary, until he himself be vanquished; and then the opposite side sing the song of victory in favour of their champion. It also often happens, that five or six rise from each side, and challenge together; in which case, it is common to see three or four couple engaged on the field at once. But it is astonishing to see what temper they preserve in this exercise; for we observed no instances of their leaving the spot, with the least displeasure in their countenances. When they find that they are so equally matched as not to be likely to throw each other, they leave off by mutual consent. And if the fall of one is not fair, or if it does not appear very clearly who has had the advantage, both sides sing the victory, and then they engage again. But no person, who has been vanquished, can engage with his conqueror a second time.

The boxers advance side-ways, changing the side at every pace, with one arm stretched fully out before, the other behind; and holding a piece of cord in one hand, which they wrap firmly about it, when they find an antagonist, or else have done so before they enter. This, I imagine, they do, to prevent a dislocation of the hand or fingers. Their blows are directed chiefly to the head; but sometimes to the sides; and are dealt out with great activity. They shift sides, and box equally well with both hands. But one of their favourite and most dextrous blows, is, to turn round on their heel, just as they have struck their antagonist, and to give him another very smart one with the other hand backward.

The boxing matches seldom last long; and the parties either leave off together, or one acknowledges his being beat. But they never sing the song of victory in these cases, unless one strikes his adversary to the ground; which shews, that, of the two, wrestling is their most approved diversion. Not only boys engage, in both the exercises, but frequently little girls box very obstinately for a short time. In all which cases, it doth not appear, that they ever consider it as the smallest disgrace to be vanquished; and the person overcome sits down, with as much indifference, as if he had never entered the lists. Some of our people ventured to contend with them in both exercises, but were always worsted; except in a few instances, where it appeared, that the fear they were in of offending us, contributed more to the victory, than the superiority of the person they engaged.

The cattle, which we had brought, and which were all on shore, however carefully guarded, I was sensible, run no small risk, when I considered the thievish disposition of many of the natives, and their dexterity in appropriating to themselves, by stealth, what they saw no prospect of obtaining by fair means. For this reason, I thought it prudent to declare my intention of leaving behind me some of our animals; and even to make a distribution of them previously to my departure.

With this view, in the evening of the 19th, I assembled all the chiefs before our house, and my intended presents to them were marked out. To Poulaho, the king, I gave a young English bull and cow; to Mareewagee, a Cape ram, and two ewes; and to Feenou, a horse and a mare. As my design, to make such a distribution, had been made known the day before, most of the people in the neighbourhood were then present. I instructed Omai to tell them, that there were no such animals within many months sail of their island; that we had brought them, for their use, from that immense distance, at a vast trouble and expence; that, therefore, they must be careful not to kill any of them, till they had multiplied to a numerous race; and, lastly, that they and their children ought to remember, that they had received them from the men of _Britane_. He also explained to them their several uses, and what else was necessary for them to know, or rather as far as he knew; for Omai was not very well versed in such things himself. As I intended that the above presents should remain with the other cattle, till we were ready to sail, I desired each of the chiefs to send a man or two to look after their respective animals, along with my people, in order that they might be better acquainted with them, and with the manner of treating them. The king and Feenou did so; but neither Mareewagee, nor any other person for him, took the least notice of the sheep afterward; nor did old Toobou attend at this meeting, though he was invited, and was in the neighbourhood. I had meant to give him the goats, viz. a ram and two ewes; which, as he was so indifferent about them, I added to the king's share.

It soon appeared, that some were dissatisfied with this allotment of our animals; for, early next morning, one of our kids, and two turkey-cocks, were missing. I could not be so simple as to suppose, that this was merely an accidental loss; and I was determined to have them again. The first step I took was to seize on three canoes that happened to be alongside the ships. I then went ashore, and, having found the king, his brother, Feenou, and some other chiefs, in the house that we occupied, I immediately put a guard over them, and gave them to understand, that they must remain under restraint, till not only the kid and the turkeys, but the other things that had been stolen from us, at different times, were restored. They concealed, as well as they could, their feelings, on finding themselves prisoners; and, having assured me, that every thing should be restored, as I desired, sat down to drink their _kava_, seemingly much at their ease. It was not long before an axe, and an iron wedge, were brought to me. In the mean time, some armed natives began to gather behind the house; but, on a part of our guard marching against them, they dispersed; and I advised the chiefs to give orders, that no more should appear. Such orders were accordingly given by them, and they were obeyed. On asking them to go aboard with me to dinner, they readily consented. But some having afterward objected to the king's going, he instantly rose up, and declared he would be the first man. Accordingly we came on board. I kept them there till near four o'clock, when I conducted them ashore; and, soon after, the kid, and one of the turkey-cocks, were brought back. The other, they said, should be restored the next morning. I believed this would happen, and released both them and the canoes.

After the chiefs had left us, I walked out with Omai, to observe how the people about us fared; for this was the time of their meals. I found that, in general, they were at short commons. Nor is this to be wondered at, since most of the yams, and other provisions which they brought with them, were sold to us; and they never thought of returning to their own habitations, while they could find any sort of subsistence in our neighbourhood. Our station was upon an uncultivated point of land; so that there were none of the islanders, who, properly, resided within half a mile of us. But, even at this distance, the multitude of strangers being so great, one might have expected, that every house would have been much crowded. It was quite otherwise. The families residing there were as much left to themselves, as if there had not been a supernumerary visitor near them. All the strangers lived in little temporary sheds, or under trees and bushes; and the cocoa-trees were stripped of their branches, to erect habitations for the chiefs.

In this walk we met with about half a dozen women, in one place, at supper. Two of the company, I observed, being fed by the others, on our asking the reason, they said _taboo mattee_. On farther enquiry we found, that one of them had, two months before, washed the dead corpse of a chief; and that, on this account, she was not to handle any food for five months. The other had performed the same office to the corpse of another person of inferior rank, and was now under the same restriction; but not for so long a time. At another place, hard by, we saw another woman fed; and we learnt, that she had assisted in washing the corpse of the above-mentioned chief.

Early the next morning, the king came on board, to invite me to an entertainment, which he proposed to give the same day. He had already been under the barber's hands; his head being all besmeared with red pigment, in order to redden his hair, which was naturally of a dark-brown colour. After breakfast, I attended him to the shore; and we found his people very busy, in two places, in the front of our area, fixing, in an upright and square position, thus [::], four very long posts, near two feet from each other. The space between the posts was afterward filled up with yams; and as they went on filling it, they fastened pieces of sticks across, from post to post, at the distance of about every four feet, to prevent the posts from separating by the weight of the inclosed yams, and also to get up by. When the yams had reached the top of the first posts, they fastened others to them, and so continued till each pile was the height of thirty feet, or upward. On the top of one, they placed two baked hogs; and on the top of the other, a living one; and another they tied by the legs, half-way up. It was matter of curiosity to observe, with what facility and dispatch these two piles were raised. Had our seamen been ordered to execute such a work, they would have sworn that it could not be performed without carpenters; and the carpenters would have called to their aid a dozen different sorts of tools, and have expended, at least, a hundred weight of nails; and, after all, it would have employed them as many days as it did these people hours. But seamen, like most other amphibious animals, are always the most helpless on land. After they had completed these two piles, they made several other heaps of yams and bread-fruit on each side of the area; to which were added a turtle, and a large quantity of excellent fish. All this, with a piece of cloth, a mat, and some red feathers, was the king's present to me; and he seemed to pique himself on exceeding, as he really did, Feenou's liberality, which I experienced at Hepaee.

About one o'clock they began the _mai_, or dances; the first of which was almost a copy of the first that was exhibited at Mareewagee's entertainment. The second was conducted by Captain Furneaux's Toobou, who, as we mentioned, had also danced there; and in this, four or five women were introduced, who went through the several parts with as much exactness as the men. Toward the end, the performers divided to leave room for two champions, who exercised their clubs, as described on a former occasion. And, in the third dance, which was the last now presented, two more men, with their clubs, displayed their dexterity. The dances were succeeded by wrestling and boxing; and one man entered the lists with a sort of club, made from the stem of a cocoa-leaf, which is firm and heavy; but could find no antagonist to engage him at so rough a sport. At night we had the _bomai_ repeated; in which Poulaho himself danced, dressed in English manufacture. But neither these, nor the dances in the daytime, were so considerable, nor carried on with so much spirit, as Feenou's, or Mareewagee's; and, therefore, there is less occasion to be more particular in our description of them.

In order to be present the whole time, I dined ashore. The king sat down with us, but he neither ate nor drank. I found that this was owing to the presence of a female, whom, at his desire, I had admitted to the dining-party; and who, as we afterward understood, had superior rank to himself. As soon as this great personage had dined, she stepped up to the king, who put his hands to her feet, and then she retired. He immediately dipped his fingers into a glass of wine, and then received the obeisance of all her followers. This was the single instance we ever observed of his paying this mark of reverence to any person. At the king's desire, I ordered some fire-works to be played off in the evening; but, unfortunately, being damaged; this exhibition did not answer expectation.

SECTION VIII.

_Some of the Officers plundered by the Natives.--A fishing Party.--A Visit to Poulaho.--A Fiatooka described.--Observations on the Country Entertainments at Poulaho's House.--His Mourning Ceremony.--Of the Kava Plant, and the Manner of preparing the Liquor.--Account of Onevy, a little Island.--One of the Natives wounded by a Sentinel.--Messrs King and Anderson visit the Kings Brother.--Their Entertainment.--Another Mourning Ceremony.--Manner of passing the Night.--Remarks on the Country they passed through.--Preparations made for Sailing.--An Eclipse of the Sun, imperfectly observed.--Mr Anderson's Account of the Island, and its Productions_.

As no more entertainments were to be expected on either side, and the curiosity of the populace was, by this time, pretty well satisfied, on the day after Poulaho's _haiva_, most of them left us. We still, however, had thieves about us; and, encouraged by the negligence of our own people, we had continual instances of their depredations.

Some of the officers, belonging to both ships, who had made an excursion into the interior parts of the island, without my leave, and, indeed, without my knowledge, returned this evening, after an absence of two days. They had taken with them their musquets, with the necessary ammunition, and several small articles of the favourite commodities; all which the natives had the dexterity to steal from them in the course of their expedition. This affair was likely to be attended with inconvenient consequences. For our plundered travellers, upon their return, without consulting me, employed Omai to complain to the king of the treatment they had met with. He, not knowing what step I should take, and, from what had already happened, fearing lest I might lay him again under restraint, went off early the next morning. His example was followed by Feenou; so that we had not a chief of any authority remaining in our neighbourhood. I was very much displeased at this, and reprimanded Omai for having presumed to meddle. This reprimand put him upon his mettle to bring his friend Feenou hack; and he succeeded in the negociation, having this powerful argument to urge, that he might depend upon my using no violent measures to oblige the natives to restore what had been taken from the gentlemen. Feenou, trusting to this declaration, returned toward the evening; and, encouraged by the reception, Poulaho favoured us with his company the day after. Both these chiefs, upon this occasion, very justly observed to me, that, if any of my people, at any time, wanted to go into the country, they ought to be acquainted with it; in which case they would send proper people along with them; and then they would be answerable for their safety. And I am convinced, from experience, that, by taking this very reasonable precaution, a man and his property may be as safe among these islanders, as in other parts of the more civilized world. Though I gave myself no trouble about the recovery of the things stolen upon this occasion, most of them, through Feenou's interposition, were recovered, except one musquet, and a few other articles of inferior value. By this time, also, we had recovered the turkey-cock, and most of the tools, and other matters, that had been stolen from our workmen.

On the 25th, two boats, which I had sent to look for a channel, by which we might, most commodiously, get to sea, returned. The masters, who commanded them, reported, that the channel to the north, by which we came in, was highly dangerous, being full of coral rocks from one side to the other; but that, to the eastward, there was a very good channel, which, however, was very much contracted in one place by the small islands, so that a leading wind would be requisite to get through it; that is, a westerly wind, which, we had found, did not often blow here. We had now recruited the ships with wood and water, we had finished the repairs of our sails, and had little more to expect from the inhabitants of the produce of their island. However, as an eclipse of the sun was to happen upon the 5th of next month, I resolved to defer sailing till that time had elapsed, in order to have a chance of observing it.

Having, therefore, some days of leisure before me, a party of us, accompanied by Poulaho, set out, early next morning, in a boat for Mooa, the village where he and the other great men usually reside. As we rowed up the inlet, we met with fourteen canoes fishing in company, in one of which was Poulaho's son. In each canoe was a triangular net, extended between two poles; at the lower end of which was a cod to receive and secure the fish. They had already caught some fine mullets, and they put about a dozen into our boat. I desired to see their method of fishing, which they readily complied with. A shoal of fish was supposed to be upon one of the banks, which they instantly inclosed in a long net like a seine, or set-net. This the fishers, one getting into the water out of each boat, surrounded with the triangular nets in their hands, with which they scooped the fish out of the seine, or caught them as they attempted to leap over it. They shewed us the whole process of this operation, (which seemed to be a sure one,) by throwing in some of the fish they had already caught; for, at this time, there happened to be none upon the bank that was inclosed.

Leaving the prince and his fishing party, we proceeded to the bottom of the bay, and landed where we had done before, on our fruitless errand to see Mareewagee. As soon as we got on shore, the king desired Omai to tell me, that I need be under no apprehensions about the boat, or any thing in her, for not a single article would be touched by any one; and we afterward found this to be the case. We were immediately conducted to one of Poulaho's houses not far off, and near the public one, or _malaee_, in which we had been, when we first visited Mooa. This, though pretty large, seemed to be his private habitation, and was situated within a plantation. The king took his seat at one end of the house, and the people who came to visit him, sat down, as they arrived, in a semicircle at the other end. The first thing done, was to prepare a bowl of _kava_, and to order some yams to be baked for us. While these were getting ready, some of us, accompanied by a few of the king's attendants, and Omai as our interpreter, walked out to take a view of a _fiatooka_, or burying-place, which we had observed to be almost close by the house, and was much more extensive, and seemingly of more consequence, than any we had seen at the other islands. We were told that it belonged to the king. It consisted of three pretty large houses, situated upon a rising ground, or rather just by the brink of it, with a small one at some distance, all ranged longitudinally. The middle house of the three first, was by much the largest, and placed in a square, twenty-four paces by twenty-eight, raised about three feet. The other houses were placed on little mounts, raised artificially to the same height. The floors of these houses, as also the tops of the mounts round them, were covered with loose, fine pebbles, and the whole was inclosed by large flat stones[167] of hard coral rock, properly hewn, placed on their edges, one of which stones measured twelve feet in length, two in breadth, and above one in thickness. One of the houses, contrary to what we had seen before, was open on one side; and within it were two rude wooden busts of men, one near the entrance, and the other farther in. On enquiring of the natives, who had followed us to the ground, but durst not enter here, What these images were intended for? they made us as sensible as we could wish, that they were merely memorials of some chiefs who had been buried there, and not the representations of any deity. Such monuments, it should seem, are seldom raised; for these had, probably, been erected several ages ago. We were told that the dead had been buried in each of these houses, but no marks of this appeared. In one of them, was the carved head of an Otaheite canoe, which had been driven ashore on their coast, and deposited here. At the foot of the rising ground, was a large area, or grass-plot, with different trees planted about it, amongst which were several of those called _etoa_, very large. These, as they resemble the cypress, had a fine effect in such a place. There was, also, a row of low palms near one of the houses, and behind it a ditch, in which lay a great number of old baskets.

[Footnote 167: The burying places of the chiefs at the Caroline Islands, are also inclosed in this manner. See Lettres Edifiantes & Curiouses, tom. xv. p. 309.--D.]

After dinner, or rather after we had refreshed ourselves with some provisions which we had brought with us from our ship, we made an excursion into the country, taking a pretty large circuit, attended by one of the king's ministers. Our train was not great, as he would not suffer the rabble to follow us. He also obliged all those whom we met upon our progress, to sit down till we had passed, which is a mark of respect due only to their sovereigns. We found by far the greatest part of the country cultivated, and planted with various sorts of productions; and most of these plantations were fenced round. Some spots, where plantations had been formerly, now produced nothing, lying fallow; and there were places that had never been touched, but lay in a state of nature, and yet even these were useful, in affording them timber, as they were generally covered with trees. We met with several large uninhabited houses, which, we were told, belonged to the king. There were many public and well-beaten roads, and abundance of foot-paths leading to every part of the island. The roads being good, and the country level, travelling was very easy. It is remarkable, that when we were on the most elevated parts, at least a hundred feet above the level of the sea, we often met with the same coral rock, which is found at the shore, projecting above the surface, and perforated and cut into all those inequalities which are usually seen in rocks that lie within the wash of the tide. And yet these very spots, with hardly any soil upon them, were covered with luxuriant vegetation. We were conducted to several little pools, and to some springs of water; but, in general, they were either stinking or brackish, though recommended to us by the natives as excellent. The former were mostly inland, and the latter near the shore of the bay, and below high-water mark, so that tolerable water could be taken up from them, only when the tide was out.

When we returned from our walk, which was not till the dusk of the evening, our supper was ready. It consisted of a baked hog, some fish, and yams, all excellently well cooked, after the method of these islands. As there was nothing to amuse us after supper, we followed the custom of the country, and lay down to sleep, our beds being mats spread upon the floor, and cloth to cover us. The king, who had made himself very happy with some wine and brandy which we had brought, slept in the same house, as well as several others of the natives. Long before day-break, he and they all rose, and sat conversing by moon-light. The conversation, as might well be guessed, turned wholly upon us; the king entertaining his company with an account of what he had seen, or remarked. As soon as it was day, they dispersed, some one way, and some another; but it was not long before they all returned, and, with them, several more of their countrymen.

They now began to prepare a bowl of _kava_; and, leaving them so employed, I went to pay a visit to Toobou, Captain Furneaux's friend, who had a house hard by, which, for size and neatness, was exceeded by few in the place. As I had left the others, so I found here a company preparing a morning draught. This chief made a present to me of a living hog, a baked one, a quantity of yams, and a large piece of cloth. When I returned to the king, I found him, and his circle of attendants, drinking the second bowl of _kava_. That being emptied, he told Omai, that he was going presently to perform a mourning ceremony, called _Tooge_, on account of a son who had been dead some time, and he desired us to accompany him. We were glad of the opportunity, expecting to see somewhat new or curious.

The first thing the chief did, was to step out of the house, attended by two old women, and put on a new suit of clothes, or rather a new piece of cloth, and, over it, an old ragged mat, that might have served his great grandfather, on some such occasion. His servants, or those who attended him, were all dressed in the same manner, excepting that none of their mats could vie, in antiquity, with that of their master. Thus equipped, we marched off, preceded by about eight or ten persons, in all the above habits of ceremony, each of them, besides, having a small green bough about his neck. Poulaho held his bough in his hand till we drew near the place of rendezvous, when he also put it about his neck. We now entered a small inclosure, in which was a neat house, and we found one man sitting before it. As the company entered, they pulled off the green branches from round their necks, and threw them away. The king having first seated himself, the others sat down before him, in the usual manner. The circle increased, by others dropping in, to the number of a hundred or upward, mostly old men, all dressed as above described. The company being completely assembled, a large root of _kava_, brought by one of the king's servants, was produced, and a bowl which contained four or five gallons. Several persons now began to chew the root, and this bowl was made brimful of liquor. While it was preparing, others were employed in making drinking cups of plantain leaves. The first cup that was filled, was presented to the king, and he ordered it to be given to another person. The second was also brought to him, which he drank, and the third was offered to me. Afterward, as each cup was filled, the man who filled it, asked who was to have it? Another then named the person; and to him it was carried. As the bowl grew low, the man who distributed the liquor seemed rather at a loss to whom cups of it should be next sent, and frequently consulted those who sat near him. This mode of distribution continued, while any liquor remained; and though not half the company had a share, yet no one seemed dissatisfied. About half a dozen cups served for all; and each, as it was emptied, was thrown down upon the ground, where the servants picked it up, and carried it to be filled again. During the whole time, the chief and his circle sat as was usually the case, with a great deal of gravity, hardly speaking a word to each other.

We had long waited in expectation, each moment, of seeing the mourning ceremony begin; when, soon after the _kava_ was drank out, to our great surprise and disappointment, they all rose up and dispersed; and Poulaho told us, he was now ready to attend us to the ships. If this was a mourning ceremony, it was a strange one. Perhaps it was the second, third, or fourth mourning; or, which was not very uncommon, Omai might have misunderstood what Poulaho said to him. For, excepting the change of dress, and the putting the green bough round their necks, nothing seemed to have passed at this meeting, but what we saw them practise, too frequently, every day.

[168]"We had seen the drinking of _kava_ sometimes at the other islands, but, by no means, so frequently as here, where it seems to be the only forenoon employment of the principal people. The _kava_ is a species of pepper, which they cultivate for this purpose, and esteem it a valuable article, taking great care to defend the young plants from any injury; and it is commonly planted about their houses. It seldom grows to more than a man's height, though I have seen some plants almost double that. It branches considerably, with large heart-shaped leaves, and jointed stalks. The root is the only part that is used at the Friendly Islands, which, being dug up, is given to the servants that attend, who, breaking it in pieces, scrape the dirt off with a shell, or bit of stick, and then each begins and chews his portion, which he spits into a piece of plantain leaf. The person who is to prepare the liquor, collects all these mouthfuls; and puts them into a large wooden dish, or bowl, adding as much water as will make it of a proper strength. It is then well mixed up with the hands, and some loose stuff, of which mats are made, is thrown upon the surface, which intercepts the fibrous part, and is wrung hard, to get as much liquid out from it, as is possible. The manner of distributing it need not be repeated. The quantity which is put into each cup is commonly about a quarter of a pint. The immediate effect of this beverage is not perceptible on these people, who use it so frequently; but on some of ours, who ventured to try it, though so nastily prepared, it had the same power as spirits have, in intoxicating them; or, rather, it produced that kind of stupefaction, which is the consequence of using opium, or other substances of that kind. It should be observed, at the same time, that though these islanders have this liquor always fresh prepared, and I have seen them drink it seven times before noon, it is, nevertheless, so disagreeable, or, at least, seems so, that the greatest part of them cannot swallow it without making wry faces, and shuddering, afterward,"

[Footnote 168: The following account of _kava_, to the end of this paragraph, is inserted from Mr Anderson's journal.--D.]

As soon as this mourning ceremony was over, we left Mooa, and set out to return to the ships. While we rowed down the _lagoon_, or inlet, we met with two canoes coming in from fishing. Poulaho ordered them to be called alongside our boat, and took from them every fish and shell they had got. He, afterward, stopped two other canoes, and searched them, but they had nothing. Why this was done I cannot say, for we had plenty provisions in the boat. Some of this fish he gave to me, and his servants sold the rest on board the ship. As we proceeded down the inlet, we overtook a large sailing canoe. Every person on board her, that was upon his legs when we came up, sat down till we had passed; even the man who steered, though he could not manage the helm, except in a standing posture.

Poulaho, and others, having informed me, that there was some excellent water on Onevy, a little island, which lies about a league off the mouth of the inlet, and on the north side of the eastern channel, we landed there, in order to taste it. But I found it to be as brackish as most that we had met with. This island is quite in a natural state, being only frequented as a fishing place, and has nearly the same productions as Palmerston's Island, with some _etoa_ trees. After leaving Onevy, where we dined, in our way to the ship, we took a view of a curious coral rock, which seems to have been thrown upon the reef where it stands. It is elevated about ten or twelve feet above the surface of the sea that surrounds it. The base it rests upon, is not above one-third of the circumference of its projecting summit, which I judged to be about one hundred feet, and is covered with _etoa_ and _pandanus_ trees.

When we got on board the ship, I found that every thing had been quiet during my absence, not a theft having been committed, of which Feenou, and Futtafaihe, the king's brother, who had undertaken the management of his countrymen, boasted not a little. This shews what power the chiefs have, when they have the will to execute it; which we were seldom to expect, since, whatever was stolen from us, generally, if not always, was conveyed to them.

The good conduct of the natives was of short duration; for, the next day, six or eight of them assaulted some of our people, who were sawing planks. They were fired upon by the sentry, and one was supposed to be wounded, and three others taken. These I kept confined till night, and did not dismiss them without punishment. After this, they behaved with a little more circumspection, and gave us much less trouble. This change of behaviour was certainly occasioned by the man being wounded; for, before, they had only been told of the effect of fire-arms, but now they had felt it. The repeated insolence of the natives, had induced me to order the musquets of the sentries, to be loaded with small shot, and to authorise them to fire on particular occasions. I took it for granted, therefore, that this man had only been wounded with small shot. But Mr King and Mr Anderson, in an excursion into the country, met with him, and found indubitable marks of his having been wounded, but not dangerously, with a musquet ball. I never could find out how this musquet happened to be charged with ball; and there were people enough ready to swear, that its contents were only small shot.

Mr Anderson's account of the excursion just mentioned, will fill up an interval of two days, during which nothing of note happened at the ships: "Mr King and I went, on the 30th, along with Futtafaihe, as visitors to his house, which is at Mooa, very near that of his brother Poulaho. A short time after we arrived, a pretty large hog was killed; which is done by repeated strokes on the head. The hair was then scraped off, very dexterously, with the sharp edge of pieces of split bamboo, taking the entrails out at a large oval hole cut in the belly, by the same simple instrument. Before this, they had prepared an oven, which is a large hole dug in the earth, filled at the bottom with stones, about the size of the fist; over which a fire is made till they are red hot. They took some of these stones, wrapt up in leaves of the bread-fruit tree, and filled the hog's belly, stuffing in a quantity of leaves, to prevent their falling out, and putting a plug of the same kind in the _anus_. The carcass was then placed on some sticks laid across the stones, in a standing posture, and covered with a great quantity of plantain leaves. After which, they dug up the earth all round; and having thus effectually closed the oven, the operation of baking required no farther interference.

"In the mean time we walked about the country, but met with nothing remarkable, except a _fiatooka_ of one house, standing on an artificial mount, at least thirty feet high. A little on one side of it, was a pretty large open area, and not far off, was a good deal of uncultivated ground, which, on enquiring why it lay waste, our guides seemed to say, belonged to the _fiatooka_, (which was Poulaho's,) and was not, by any means, to be touched. There was also, at no great distance, a number of _etoa_ trees, on which clung vast numbers of the large _ternate_ bats, making a disagreeable noise. We could not kill any, at this time, for want of musquets; but some that were got at Annamooka, measured near three feet, when the wings were extended. On our return to Futtafaihe's house, he ordered the hog that had been dressed, to be produced, with several baskets of baked yams, and some cocoa-nuts. But we found, that, instead of his entertaining us, we were to entertain him, the property of the feast being entirely transferred to us, as his guests, and we were to dispose of it as we pleased. The same person who cleaned the hog in the morning, now cut it up (but not before we desired him) in a very dextrous manner, with a knife of split bamboo, dividing the several parts, and hitting the joints, with a quickness and skill that surprised us very much. The whole was set down before us, though at least fifty pounds weight, until we took a small piece away, and desired that they would share the rest amongst the people sitting round. But it was not without a great many scruples they did that at last, and then they asked, what particular persons they should give it to. However, they were very well pleased, when they found that it was not contrary to any custom of ours; some carrying off the portion they had received, and others eating it upon the spot. It was with great difficulty that we could prevail upon Futtafaihe himself to eat a small bit."

"After dinner, we went with him, and five or six people, his attendants, toward the place where Poulaho's mourning ceremony was transacted the last time we were at Mooa; but we did not enter the inclosure. Every person who went with us, had the mat tied over his cloth, and some leaves about the neck, as had been done on the former occasion; and when we arrived at a large open boat-house, where a few people were, they threw away their leaves, sat down before it, and gave their cheeks a few gentle strokes with the fist; after which they continued sitting, for about ten minutes, with a very grave appearance, and then dispersed, without having spoken a single word. This explained what Poulaho had mentioned about _Tooge_; though, from the operation only lasting a few seconds, he had not been observed to perform it. And this seems to be only a continuation of the mourning ceremony, by way of condolence. For, upon enquiring, on whose account it was now performed, we were told, that it was for a chief who had died at Vavaoo some time ago; that they had practised it ever since, and should continue to do so for a considerable time longer."

"In the evening, we had a pig, dressed as the hog, with yams and cocoa-nuts, brought for supper; and Futtafaihe finding that we did not like the scruples they had made before, to accept of any part of the entertainment, asked us immediately to share it, and give it to whom we pleased. When supper was over, abundance of cloth was brought for us to sleep in, but we were a good deal disturbed, by a singular instance of luxury, in which their principal men indulge themselves, that of being beat while they are asleep. Two women sat by Futtafaihe, and performed this operation, which is called _tooge tooge_, by beating briskly on his body and legs, with both fists, as on a drum, till he fell asleep, and continuing it the whole night, with some short intervals. When once the person is asleep, they abate a little in the strength and quickness of the beating, but resume it, if they observe any appearance of his awaking. In the morning, we found that Futtafaihe's women relieved each other, and went to sleep by turns. In any other country, it would be supposed, that such a practice would put an end to all rest, but here it certainly acts as an opiate, and is a strong proof of what habit may effect. The noise of this, however, was not the only thing that kept us awake; for the people, who passed the night in the house, not only conversed amongst each other frequently, as in the day, but all got up before it was light, and made a hearty meal on fish and yams, which were brought to them by a person, who seemed to know very well the appointed time for this nocturnal refreshment."

"Next morning, July 1, we set out with Futtafaihe, and walked down the east side of the bay to the point. The country, all along this side, is well cultivated, but, in general, not so much inclosed as at Mooa; and amongst many other plantain fields that we passed, there was one at least a mile long, which was in excellent order, every tree growing with great vigour. We found, that, in travelling, Futtafaihe exercised a power, though by no means wantonly, which pointed out the great authority of such principal men; or is, perhaps, only annexed to those of the royal family. For he sent to one place for fish, to another for yams, and so on, at other places, and all his orders were obeyed with the greatest readiness, as if he had been absolute master of the people's property. On coming to the point, the natives mentioned something of one, who, they said, had been fired at by some of our people; and, upon our wishing to see him, they conducted us to a house, where we found a man who had been shot through the shoulder, but not dangerously, as the ball had entered a little above the inner part of the collar-bone, and passed out obliquely backward. We were sure, from the state of the wound, that he was the person who had been fired at by one of the sentinels three days before, though positive orders had been given, that none of them should load their pieces with any thing but small shot. We gave some directions to his friends how to manage the wound, to which no application had been made; and they seemed pleased, when we told them it would get well in a certain time. But, on our going away, they asked us to send the wounded man some yams, and other things for food, and, in such a manner, that we could not help thinking they considered it to be our duty to support him till he should get well."

"In the evening we crossed the bay to our station, in a canoe, which Futtafaihe had exercised his prerogative in procuring, by calling to the first that passed by. He had also got a large hog at this place, and brought a servant from his house with a bundle of cloth, which he wanted us to take with us, as a present from him. But the boat being small, we objected; and he ordered it to be brought over to us the next day."

I had prolonged my stay at this island, on account of the approaching eclipse; but, on the 2d of July, on looking at the micrometer belonging to the board of longitude, I found some of the rack work broken, and the instrument useless till repaired, which there was not time to do before it was intended to be used. Preparing now for our departure, I got on board, this day, all the cattle, poultry, and other animals, except such as were destined to remain. I had designed to leave a turkey-cock and hen, but having now only two of each undisposed of, one of the hens, through the ignorance of one of my people, was strangled, and died upon the spot. I had brought three turkey-hens to these islands. One was killed as above-mentioned, and the other by an useless dog belonging to one of the officers. These two accidents put it out of my power to leave a pair here; and, at the same time, to carry the breed to Otaheite, for which island they were originally intended. I was sorry, afterward, that I did not give the preference to Tongataboo, as the present would have been of more value there than at Otaheite; for the natives of the former island, I am persuaded, would have taken more pains to multiply the breed.

The next day we took up our anchor, and moved the ships behind Pangimodoo, that we might be ready to take the advantage of the first favourable wind, to get through the narrows. The king, who was one of our company this day at dinner, I observed, took particular notice of the plates. This occasioned me to make him an offer of one, either of pewter, or of earthenware. He chose the first; and then began to tell us the several uses to which he intended to apply it. Two of them are so extraordinary, that I cannot omit mentioning them. He said, that, whenever he should have occasion to visit any of the other islands, he would leave this plate behind him at Tongataboo, as a sort of representative, in his absence, that the people might pay it the same obeisance they do to himself in person. He was asked, what had been usually employed for this purpose before he got this plate? and we had the satisfaction of learning from him, that this singular honour had hitherto been conferred on a wooden bowl in which he washed his hands. The other extraordinary use to which he meant to apply it, in the room of his wooden bowl, was to discover a thief. He said, that, when any thing was stolen, and the thief could not be found out, the people were all assembled together before him, when he washed his hands in water in this vessel; after which it was cleaned, and then the whole multitude advanced, one after another, and touched it in the same manner as they touch his foot, when they pay him obeisance. If the guilty person touched it, he died immediately upon the spot, not by violence, but by the hand of Providence; and if any one refused to touch it, his refusal was a clear proof that he was the man.

In the morning of the 5th, the day of the eclipse, the weather was dark and cloudy, with showers of rain, so that we had little hopes of an observation. About nine o'clock, the sun broke out at intervals for about half an hour; after which it was totally obscured, till within a minute or two of the beginning of the eclipse. We were all at our telescopes, viz. Mr Bayly, Mr King, Captain Clerke, Mr Bligh, and myself. I lost the observation, by not having a dark glass at hand, suitable to the clouds that were continually passing over the sun; and Mr Bligh had not got the sun into the field of his telescope; so that the commencement of the eclipse was only observed by the other three gentlemen; and by them, with an uncertainty of several seconds, as follows:--

H. M. S. By Mr Bayly, at 11 46 23 1/2 } Mr King, at 11 46 28 }Apparent time. Capt. Clerke, at 11 47 5 }

Mr Bayly and Mr King observed, with the achromatic telescopes, belonging to the board of longitude, of equal magnifying powers; and Captain Clerke observed with one of the reflectors. The sun appeared at intervals, till about the middle of the eclipse, after which it was seen no more during the day, so that the end could not be observed. The disappointment was of little consequence, since the longitude was more than sufficiently determined, independently of this eclipse, by lunar observations, which will be mentioned hereafter.

As soon as we knew the eclipse to be over, we packed up the instruments, took down the observatories, and sent every thing on board that had not been already removed. As none of the natives had taken the least notice or care of the three sheep allotted to Mareewagee, I ordered them to be carried back to the ships. I was apprehensive, that, if I had left them here, they run great risk of being destroyed by dogs. That animal did not exist upon this island, when I first visited it in 1773; but I now found they had got a good many, partly from the breed then left by myself, and partly from some, imported since that time, from an island not very remote, called Feejee. The dogs, however, at present, had not found their way into any of the Friendly Islands, except Tongataboo; and none but the chiefs there had, as yet, got possession of any.

Being now upon the eve of out departure from this island, I shall add some particulars about it, and its productions, for which I am indebted to Mr Anderson. And, having spent as many weeks there, as I had done days,[169] when I visited it in 1773, the better opportunities that now occurred, of gaining more accurate information, and the skill of that gentleman, in directing his enquiries, will, in some measure, supply the imperfection of my former account of this island.

[Footnote 169: From the 4th to the 7th of October.]

"Amsterdam, Tongataboo, or (as the natives also very frequently called it) Tonga, is about twenty leagues in circuit, somewhat oblong, though by much broadest at the east end, and its greatest length from east to west. The south shore, which I saw in 1773, is straight, and consists of coral rocks, eight or ten feet high, terminating perpendicularly, except in some places, where it is interrupted by small sandy beaches, on which, at low water, a range of black rocks may be seen. The west end is not above five or six miles broad, but has a shore somewhat like that of the south side, whereas the whole north side is environed with shoals and islands, and the shore within them low and sandy. The east side or end is, most probably, like the south, as the shore begins to assume a rocky appearance toward the north-east point, though not above seven or eight feet high.

"The island may, with the greatest propriety, be called a low one, as the trees on the west part, where we now lay at anchor, only appeared; and the only eminent part, which can be seen from a ship, is the south-east point, though many gently rising and declining grounds are observable by one who is ashore. The general appearance of the country does not afford that beautiful kind of landscape that is produced from a variety of hills and valleys, lawns, rivulets, and cascades; but, at the same time, it conveys to the spectator an idea of the most exuberant fertility, whether we respect the places improved by art, or those still in a natural state, both which yield all their vegetable productions with the greatest vigour, and perpetual verdure. At a distance, the surface seems entirely clothed with trees of various sizes, some of which are very large. But, above the rest, the tall cocoa-palms always raise their tufted heads, and are far from being the smallest ornament to any country that produces them. The _boogo_, which is a species of fig, with narrow pointed leaves, is the largest sized tree of the island; and on the uncultivated spots, especially toward the sea, the most common bushes and small trees are the _pandanus_, several sorts of _hibiscus_, the _faitanoo_, mentioned more than once in the course of our voyage, and a few others. It ought also to be observed, that though the materials for forming grand landscapes are wanting, there are many of what might, at least, be called neat prospects, about the cultivated grounds and dwelling-places, but more especially about the _fiatookas_, where sometimes art, and sometimes nature, has done much to please the eye.

"From the situation of Tongataboo, toward the tropic, the climate is more variable, than in countries farther within that line, though, perhaps, that might be owing to the season of the year, which was now the winter solstice. The winds are, for the most part, from some point between south and east; and, when moderate, are commonly attended with fine weather. When they blow fresher, the weather is often cloudy, though open; and, in such cases, there is frequently rain. The wind sometimes veers to the N.E., N.N.E, or even N.N.W., but never lasts long, nor blows strong from thence, though it is commonly accompanied by heavy rain, and close sultry weather. The quick succession, of vegetables has been already mentioned; but I am not certain that the changes of weather, by which it is brought about, are considerable enough to make them perceptible to the natives as to their method of life, or rather that they should be very sensible of the different seasons. This, perhaps, may be inferred from the state of their vegetable productions, which are never so much affected, with respect to the foliage, as to shed that all at once; for every leaf is succeeded by another as fast as it falls, which causes that appearance of universal and continual spring found here.

"The basis of the island, as far as we know, is entirely a coral rock, which is the only sort that presents itself on the shore. Nor did we see the least appearance of any other stone, except a few small blue pebbles strewed about the _fiatookas_; and the smooth, solid black stone, something like the _lapis lydius_, of which the natives make their hatchets. But these may, probably, have been brought from other islands in the neighbourhood; for a piece of slaty, iron-coloured stone was bought at one of them, which was never seen here. Though the coral projects in many places above the surface, the soil is, in general, of a considerable depth. In all cultivated places, it is commonly of a loose, black colour, produced seemingly, in a great measure, from the rotten vegetables that are planted there. Underneath which is, very probably, a clayey _stratum_; for a soil of that kind is often seen, both in the low and in the rising grounds, but especially in several places toward the shore, where it is of any height, and, when broken off, appears sometimes of a reddish, though oftener of a brownish yellow colour, and of a pretty stiff consistence. Where the shore is low, the soil is commonly sandy, or rather composed of triturated coral, which, however, yields bushes growing with great luxuriance, and is sometimes planted, not unsuccessfully, by the natives.

"Of cultivated fruits, the principal are plantains, of which they have fifteen different sorts or varieties; breadfruit; two sorts of fruit found at Otaheite, and known there under the names of _jambu_ and _geevee_; the latter a kind of plumb; and vast numbers of shaddocks, which, however, are found as often in a natural state, as planted.

"The roots are yams, of which are two sorts; one black, and so large, that it often weighs twenty or thirty pounds; the other white and long, seldom weighing a pound; a large root called _kappe_; one not unlike our white potatoes, called _mawhaha_; the _talo_, or _coccos_ of other places; and another named _jeejee_.

"Besides vast numbers of cocoa-nut trees, they have three other sorts of palms, two of which are very scarce. One of them is called _beeoo_, which grows almost as high as the cocoa-tree, has very large leaves plaited like a fan, and clusters or bunches of globular nuts, not larger than a small pistol ball, growing amongst the branches, with a very hard kernel, which is sometimes eat. The other is a kind of cabbage-tree, not distinguishable from the cocoa, but by being rather thicker, and by having its leaves more ragged. It has a cabbage three or four feet long; at the top of which are the leaves, and at the bottom the fruit, which is scarcely two inches long, resembling an oblong cocoa-nut, with an insipid tenacious kernel, called, by the natives, _neeoogoola_, or red cocoa-nut, as it assumes a reddish cast when ripe. The third sort is called _ongo ongo_, and much commoner, being generally found planted about their _fiatookas_. It seldom grows higher than five feet, though sometimes to eight, and has a vast number of oval compressed nuts, as large as a pippin, sticking immediately to the trunk, amongst the leaves, which are not eat. There is plenty of excellent sugar-cane, which is cultivated; gourds, bamboo, turmeric, and a species of fig, about the size of a small cherry, called _matte_, which, though wild, is sometimes eat. But the catalogue of uncultivated plants is too large to be enumerated here. Besides the _pemphis decaspermum, mallococca, maba_, and some other new genera, described by Dr Forster,[170] there are a few more found here, which, perhaps, the different seasons of the year, and his short stay, did not give him an opportunity to take notice of. Although it did not appear, during our longer stay, that above a fourth part of the trees, and other plants, were in flower; a circumstance absolutely necessary to enable one to distinguish the various kinds.

[Footnote 170: See his _Characteres Generum Plantarum_. Lond. 1776.]

"The only quadrupeds, besides hogs, are a few rats, and some dogs, which are not natives of the place, but produced from some left by us in 1773, and by others got from Feejee. Fowls, which are of a large breed, are domesticated here.

"Amongst the birds, are parrots, somewhat smaller than the common grey ones, of an indifferent green on the back and wings, the tail bluish, and the rest of a sooty or chocolate brown; parroquets, not larger than a sparrow, of a fine yellowish green, with bright azure on the crown of the head, and the throat and belly red; besides another sort as large as a dove, with a blue crown and thighs, the throat and under part of the head crimson, as also part of the belly, and the rest a beautiful green.

"There are owls about the size of our common sort, but of a finer plumage; the cuckoos mentioned at Palmerston's Island; king-fishers, about the size of a thrush, of a greenish blue, with a white ring about the neck; and a bird of the thrush kind, almost as big, of a dull green colour, with two yellow wattles at the base of the bill, which is the only singing one we observed here; but it compensates a good deal for the want of others by the strength and melody of its notes, which fill the woods at dawn, in the evening, and at the breaking up of bad weather.

The other land-birds are rails, as large as a pigeon, of a variegated grey colour, with a rusty neck; a black sort with red eyes, not larger than a lark; large violet-coloured coots, with red bald crowns; two sorts of fly-catchers; a very small swallow; and three sorts of pigeons, one of which is _le ramier cuivre_ of Mons. Sonnerat;[171] another, half the size of the common sort, of a light green on the back and wings, with a red forehead; and a third, somewhat less, of a purple brown, but whitish underneath.

[Footnote 171: _Voyage à la Nouvelle Guinée_, Tab. CII.]

"Of water-fowl, and such as frequent the sea, are the ducks seen at Annamooka, though scarce here; blue and white herons; tropic birds; common noddies; white terns; a new species of a leaden colour, with a black crest; a small bluish curlew; and a large plover, spotted with yellow. Besides the large bats, mentioned before, there is also the common sort.

"The only noxious or disgusting animals of the reptile or insect tribe, are sea-snakes, three feet long, with black and white circles alternately, often found on shore; some scorpions, and _centipedes_. There are fine green _guanoes_, a foot and a half long; another brown and spotted lizard about a foot long; and two other small sorts. Amongst the other insects are some beautiful moths, butterflies, very large spiders, and others, making, in the whole, about fifty different sorts.

The sea abounds with fish, though the variety is less than might be expected. The most frequent sorts are mullets; several sorts of parrot-fish; silver-fish; old wives; some beautifully spotted soles; leather-jackets; bonnetos, and albicores; besides the eels mentioned at Palmerston's Island, some sharks, rays, pipe-fish, a sort of pike, and some curious devil-fish.

"The many reefs and shoals on the north side of the island, afford shelter for an endless variety of shell-fish; amongst which are many that are esteemed precious in Europe. Such as the true hammer oyster, of which, however, none could be obtained entire; a large indentated oyster, and several others, but none of the common sort, panamas, cones, a sort of gigantic cockle, found also in the East Indies, pearl shell oysters, and many others, several of which, I believe, have been hitherto unknown to the most diligent enquirers after that branch of natural history. There are likewise several sorts of sea-eggs, and many very fine star-fish, besides a considerable variety of corals, amongst which are two red sorts, the one most elegantly branched, the other tubulous. And there is no less variety amongst the crabs and cray-fish, which are very numerous. To which may be added, several sorts of sponge, the sea-hare, _holothuriae_, and the like."

SECTION IX.

_A grand Solemnity, called Natche, in Honour of the King's Son, performed.--The Processions and other Ceremonies, during the first day, described.--The Manner of passing the Night at the King's House.--Continuation of the Solemnity, the next Day.--Conjectures about the Nature of it.--Departure from Tongataboo, and Arrival at Eooa.--Account of that Island, and Transactions there_.

We were now ready to sail, but the wind being easterly, we had not sufficient day-light to turn through the narrows, either with the morning, or with the evening flood, the one falling out too early, and the other too late. So that, without a leading wind, we were under a necessity of waiting two or three days.

I took the opportunity of this delay to be present at a public solemnity, to which the king had invited us, when we went last to visit him, and which, he had informed us, was to be performed on the 8th. With a view to this, he and all the people of note quitted our neighbourhood on the 7th, and repaired to Mooa, where the solemnity was to be exhibited. A party of us followed them the next morning. We understood, from what Poulaho had said to us, that his son and heir was now to be initiated into certain privileges, amongst which was, that of eating with his father, an honour he had not, as yet, been admitted to.

We arrived at Mooa about eight o'clock, and found the king, with a large circle of attendants sitting before him, within an inclosure so small and dirty, as to excite my wonder that any such could be found in that neighbourhood. They were intent upon their usual morning occupation, in preparing a bowl of _kava_. As this was no liquor for us, we walked out to visit some of our friends, and to observe what preparations might be making for the ceremony, which was soon to begin. About ten o'clock, the people began to assemble in a large area, which is before the _malaee_, or great house, to which we had been conducted the first time we visited Mooa. At the end of a road, that opens into this area, stood some men with spears and clubs, who kept constantly reciting or chanting short sentences in a mournful tone, which conveyed some idea of distress, and as if they called for something. This was continued about an hour; and, in the mean time, many people came down the road, each of them bringing a yam, tied to the middle of a pole, which they laid down before the persons who continued repeating the sentences. While this was going on, the king and prince arrived, and seated themselves upon the area; and we were desired to sit down by them, but to pull off our hats, and to untie our hair. The bearers of the yams being all come in, each pole was taken up between two men, who carried it over their shoulders. After forming themselves into companies of ten or twelve persons each, they marched across the place with a quick pace; each company headed by a man bearing a club or spear, and guarded on the right by several others armed with different weapons. A man carrying a living pigeon on a perch, closed the rear, of the procession, in which about two hundred and fifty persons walked.

Omai was desired by me to ask the chief, to what place the yams were to be thus carried with so much solemnity? but, as he seemed unwilling to give us the information we wanted, two or three of us followed the procession contrary to his inclination. We found that they stopped before a _morai_ or _fiatooka_ of one house standing upon a mount, which was hardly a quarter of a mile from the place where they first assembled. Here we observed them depositing the yams, and making them up into bundles; but for what purpose we could not learn. And, as our presence seemed to give them uneasiness, we left them and returned to Poulaho, who told us we might amuse ourselves by walking about, as nothing would be done for some time. The fear of losing any part of the ceremony prevented our being long absent. When we returned to the king, he desired me to order the boat's crew not to stir from the boat; for, as every thing would very soon be _taboo_, if any of our people, or of their own, should be found walking about, they would be knocked down with clubs, nay _mateed_, that is, killed. He also acquainted us, that we could not be present at the ceremony, but that we should be conducted to a place, where we might see every thing that passed. Objections were made to our dress. We were told, that, to qualify us to be present, it was necessary that we should be naked as low as the breast, with our hats off, and our hair untied. Omai offered to conform to these requisites, and began to strip; other objections were then started; so that the exclusion was given to him equally with ourselves.

I did not much like this restriction, and, therefore, stole out to see what might now be going forward. I found very few people stirring, except those dressed to attend the ceremony; some of whom had in their hands small poles about four feet long, and to the underpart of these were fastened two or three other sticks; not bigger than one's finger, and about six inches in length. These men were going toward the _morai_ just mentioned. I took the same road, and was several times stopped by them, all crying out _taboo_. However, I went forward without much regarding them, till I came in sight of the _morai_, and of the people who were sitting before it. I was now urged very strongly to go back, and, not knowing what might be the consequence of a refusal, I complied. I had observed, that the people who carried the poles passed this _morai_, or what I may as well call temple; and guessing from this circumstance that something was transacting beyond it, which might be worth looking at, I had thoughts of advancing by making a round for this purpose; but I was so closely watched by three men, that I could not put my design in execution. In order to shake these fellows off, I returned to the _malaee_, where I had left the king, and from thence made an elopement a second time; but I instantly met with the same three men, so that it seemed as if they had been ordered to watch my motions. I paid no regard to what they said or did, till I came within sight of the king's principal _fiatooka_ or _morai_, which I have already described, before which a great number of men were sitting, being the same persons whom I had just before seen pass by the other _morai_, from which this was but a little distant. Observing that I could watch the proceedings of this company from the king's plantation, I repaired thither very much to the satisfaction of those who attended me.

As soon as I got in, I acquainted the gentlemen who had come with me from the ships, with what I had seen; and we took a proper station to watch the result. The number of people at the _fiatooka_ continued to increase for some time; and, at length, we could see them quit their sitting-posture, and march off in procession. They walked in pairs, one after another, every pair carrying between them one of the small poles above-mentioned on their shoulders. We were told, that the small pieces of sticks fastened to the poles were yams; so that probably they were meant to represent this root emblematically. The hindmost man of each couple, for the most part, placed one of his hands to the middle of the pole, as if, without this additional support, it were not strong enough to carry the weight that hung to it, and under which they all seemed to bend as they walked. This procession consisted of one hundred and eight pairs, and all or most of them men of rank. They came close by the fence behind which we stood, so that we had a full view of them.

Having waited here till they had all passed, we then repaired to Poulaho's house, and saw him going out. We could not be allowed to follow him, but were forthwith conducted to the place allotted to us, which was behind a fence, adjoining to the area of the fiatooka, where the yams had been deposited in the forenoon. As we were not the only people who were excluded from being publicly present at this ceremony, but allowed to peep from behind the curtain, we had a good deal of company; and I observed, that all the other inclosures round the place were filled with people. And yet all imaginable care seemed to be taken, that they should see as little as possible; for the fences had not only been repaired that morning, but in many places raised higher than common, so that the tallest man could not look over them. To remedy this defect in our station; we took the liberty to cut holes in the fence with our knives, and by this means we could see pretty distinctly every thing that was transacting on the other side.

On our arrival at our station, we found two or three hundred people sitting on the grass, near the end of the road that opened into the area of the _morai_, and the number continually increased by others joining them. At length, arrived a few men carrying some small poles, and branches or leaves of the cocoa-nut tree; and, upon their first appearance, an old man seated himself in the road and, with his face toward them, pronounced a long oration in a serious tone. He then retired back, and the others advancing to the middle of the area, began to erect a small shed, employing for that purpose the materials above-mentioned. When they had finished their work, they all squatted down for a moment before it, then rose up, and retired to the rest of the company. Soon after came Poulaho's son, preceded by four or five men, and they seated themselves a little aside from the shed, and rather behind it. After them, appeared twelve or fourteen women of the first rank, walking slowly in pairs, each pair carrying between them a narrow piece of white cloth extended, about two or three yards in length. These marched up to the prince, squatted down before him, and, having wrapped some of the pieces of the cloth they had brought round his body, they rose up, and retired in the same order to some distance on his left, and there seated themselves. Poulaho himself soon made his appearance, preceded by four men, who walked two and two abreast, and sat down on his son's left hand, about twenty paces from him. The young prince then quitting his first position, went and sat down under the shed with, his attendants; and a considerable number more placed themselves on the grass before this royal canopy. The prince himself sat facing the people, with his back to the _morai_. This being done, three companies, of ten or a dozen men in each, started up from amongst the large crowd a little after each other, and running hastily to the opposite side of the area, sat down for a few seconds; after which they returned in the same manner to their former stations. To them succeeded two men, each of whom held a small green branch in his hand, who got up and approached the prince, sitting down for a few seconds three different times as they advanced; and then, turning their backs, retired in the same manner, inclining their branches to each other as they sat. In a little time, two more repeated this ceremony.

The grand procession which I had seen march off from the other _morai_, now began to come in. To judge of the circuit they had made from the time they had been absent, it must have been pretty large. As they entered the area, they marched up to the right of the shed, and, having prostrated themselves on the grass, deposited their pretended burthens (the poles above-mentioned), and faced round to the prince. They then rose up, and retired in the same order, closing their hands, which they held before them, with the most serious aspect, and seated themselves along the front of the area. During all the time that this numerous band were coming in, and depositing their poles, three men who sat under the shed with the prince, continued pronouncing separate sentences in a melancholy tone. After this, a profound silence ensued for a little time, and then a man, who sat in the front of the area, began an oration (or prayer), during which, at several different times, he went and broke one of the poles, which had been brought in by those who had walked in procession. When he had ended, the people sitting before the shed separated, to make a lane, through which the prince and his attendants passed, and the assembly broke up.

Some of our party, satisfied with what they had already seen, now returned to the ships; but I, and two or three more of the officers, remained at Mooa to see the conclusion of the solemnity, which was not to be till the next day, being desirous of omitting no opportunity, which might afford any information about the religious or the political institutions of this people. The small sticks or poles, which had been brought into the area by those who walked in procession, being left lying on the ground, after the crowd had dispersed, I went and examined them. I found, that to the middle of each, two or three small sticks were tied, as has been related. Yet we had been repeatedly told by the natives, who stood near us, that they were young yams, insomuch that some of our gentlemen believed them, rather than their own eyes. As I had the demonstration of my senses to satisfy me, that they were not real yams, it is clear, that we ought to have understood them, that they were only the artificial representations of these roots.

Our supper was got ready about seven o'clock. It consisted of fish and yams. We might have had pork also, but we did not choose to kill a large hog, which the king had given to us for that purpose. He supped with us, and drank pretty freely of brandy and water, so that he went to bed with a sufficient dose. We passed the night in the same house with him and several of his attendants.

About one or two o'clock in the morning they waked, and conversed for about an hour, and then went to sleep again. All, but Poulaho himself, rose at day-break, and went, I know not whither. Soon after a woman, one of those who generally attended upon the chief, came in, and enquired where he was. I pointed him out to her, and she immediately sat down by him, and began the same operation, which Mr Anderson had seen practised upon Futtafaihe, tapping of beating gently, with her clinched fists, on his thighs. This, instead of prolonging his sleep, as was intended, had the contrary effect; however, though he awaked, he continued to lie down.

Omai and I now went to visit the prince, who had parted from us early in the evening. For he did not lodge with the king, but in apartments of his own, or at least such as had been allotted to him at some distance from his father's house. We found him with a circle of boys or youths about his own age, sitting before him, and an old woman and an old man, who seemed to have the care of him, sitting behind. There were others, both men and women, employed about their necessary affairs in different departments, who probably belonged to his household.

From the prince we returned to the king. By this time he had got up, and had a crowded circle before him, composed chiefly of old men. While a large bowl of _kava_ was preparing, a baked hog and yarns, smoking hot, were brought in; the greatest part of which fell to our share, and was very acceptable to the boat's crew; for these people eat very little in a morning, especially the _kava_-drinkers. I afterward walked out, and visited several other chiefs, and found that all of them were taking their morning draught, or had already taken it. Returning to the king, I found him asleep in a small retired hut, with two women tapping on his breech. About eleven o'clock he arose again, and then some fish and yams, which tasted as if they had been stewed in cocoa-nut milk, were brought to him. Of these he eat a large portion, and lay down once more to sleep. I now left him, and carried to the prince a present of cloth, beads, and other articles, which I had brought with me from the ship for the purpose. There was a sufficient quantity of cloth to make him a complete suit, and he was immediately decked out with it. Proud of his dress, he first went to shew himself to his father, and then conducted me to his mother, with whom were about ten or a dozen other women of a respectable appearance. Here the prince changed his apparel, and made me a present of two pieces of the cloth manufactured in the island. By this time it was past noon, when, by appointment, I repaired to the palace to dinner. Several of our gentlemen had returned this morning from the ships, and we were all invited to the feast, which was presently served up, and consisted of two pigs and yams. I roused the drowsy monarch to partake of what he had provided for our entertainment. In the mean time, two mullets, and some shellfish, were brought to him, as I supposed, for his separate portion. But he joined it to our fare, sat down with us, and made a hearty meal.

When dinner was over, we were told that the ceremony would soon begin, and were strictly enjoined not to walk out. I had resolved, however, to peep no longer from behind the curtain, but to mix with the actors themselves, if possible. With this view, I stole out from the plantation, and walked toward the _morai_, the scene of the solemnity. I was several times desired to go back by people whom I met, but I paid no regard to them, and they suffered me to pass on. When I arrived at the _morai_, I found a number of men seated on the side of the area, on each side of the road that leads up to it. A few were sitting on the opposite side of the area, and two men in the middle of it, with their, faces turned to the _morai_. When I got into the midst of the first company, I was desired to sit down, which I accordingly did. Where I sat, there were lying a number of small bundles or parcels, composed of cocoa-nut leaves, and tied to sticks made into the form of hand-barrows. All the information I could get about them was, that they were _taboo_. Our number kept continually increasing, every one coming from the same quarter. From time to time, one or another of the company turned himself to those who were coming to join us, and made a short speech, in which I could remark that the word _arekee_, that is, king, was generally mentioned. One man said something that produced bursts of hearty laughter from all the crowd; others of the speakers met with public applause. I was several times desired to leave the place, and, at last, when they found that I would not stir, after some seeming consultation, they applied to me to uncover my shoulders as theirs were. With this request I complied, and then they seemed to be no longer uneasy at my presence.

I sat a full hour, without any thing more going forward, beside what I have mentioned. At length the prince, the women, and the king, all came in, as they had done the day before. The prince being placed under the shed, after his father's arrival, two men, each carrying a piece of mat, came repeating something seriously, and put them about him. The assembled people now began their operations; and first, three companies ran backward and forward across the area, as described in the account of the proceedings of the former day. Soon after, the two men, who sat in the middle of the area, made a short speech or prayer, and then the whole body, amongst whom I had my place, started up, and ran and seated themselves before the shed under which the prince, and three or four men, were sitting. I was now partly under the management of one of the company, who seemed very assiduous to serve me. By his means, I was placed in such a situation, that if I had been allowed to make use of my eyes, nothing that passed could have escaped me. But it was necessary to sit with down-cast looks, and demure as maids.

Soon after the procession came in, as on the day before; each two persons bearing on their shoulders a pole, round the middle of which, a cocoa-nut leaf was plaited. These were deposited with ceremonies similar to those observed on the preceding day. This first procession was followed by a second; the men composing which, brought baskets, such as are usually employed by this people to carry provisions in, and made of palm leaves. These were followed, by a third procession, in which were brought different kinds of small fish, each fixed at the end of a forked stick. The baskets were carried up to an old man, whom I took to be the chief priest, and who sat on the prince's right hand, without the shed. He held each in his hand, while he made a short speech or prayer, then laid it down, and called for another, repeating the same words as before; and thus he went through the whole number of baskets. The fish were presented, one by one, on the forked sticks, as they came in, to two men, who sat on the left, and who, till now, held green branches in their hands. The first fish they laid down on their right, and the second on their left. When the third was presented, a stout-looking man, who sat behind the other two, reached his arm over between them, and made a snatch at it; as also did the other two at the very same time. Thus they seemed to contend for every fish that was presented; but as there were two hands against one, besides the advantage of situation, the man behind got nothing but pieces; for he never quitted his bold, till the fish was torn out of his hand, and what little remained in it he shook out behind him. The others laid what they got on the right and left alternately. At length, either by accident or design, the man behind got possession of a whole fish, without either of the other two so much as touching it. At this the word _mareeai_, which signifies _very good_ or _well done_, was uttered in a low voice throughout the whole crowd. It seemed that he had performed now all that was expected from him, for he made no attempt upon the few fish that came after. These fish, as also the baskets, were all delivered, by the persons who brought them in, sitting; and, in the same order and manner, the small poles, which the first procession carried, had been laid upon the ground.

The last procession being closed, there was some speaking or praying by different persons. Then, on some signal being given, we all started up, ran several paces to the left, and sat down with our backs to the prince, and the few who remained with him; I was desired not to look behind me. However, neither this injunction nor the remembrance of Lot's wife, discouraged me from facing about. I now saw that the prince had turned his face to the _morai_. But this last movement had brought so many people between him and me, that I could not perceive what was doing. I was afterward assured, that, at this very time, the prince was admitted to the high honour of eating with his father, which, till now, had never been permitted to him; a piece of roasted yam being presented to each of them for this purpose; This was the more probable, as we had been told before-hand, that this was to happen during the solemnity, and as all the people turned their backs to them at this time, which they always do when their monarch eats.

After some little time, we all faced about, and formed a semicircle before the prince, leaving a large open space between us. Presently there appeared some men coming toward us, two and two, bearing large sticks or poles upon their shoulders, making a noise that might be called singing, and waving their hands as they advanced. When they had got close up to us, they made a shew of walking very fast, without proceeding a single step. Immediately after, three or four men started up from the crowd, with large sticks in their hands, who ran toward those newcomers. The latter instantly threw down the poles from their shoulders, and scampered off; and the others attacked the poles, and, having beat them most unmercifully, returned to their places. As the pole-bearers ran off, they gave the challenge that is usual here in wrestling; and, not long after, a number of stout fellows came from the same quarter, repeating the challenge as they advanced. These were opposed by a party who came from the opposite side almost at the same instant. The two parties paraded about the area for a few minutes, and then retired, each to their own side. After this, there were wrestling and boxing-matches for about half an hour. Then two men seated themselves before the prince, and made speeches, addressed, as I thought, entirely to him. With this the solemnity ended, and the whole assembly broke up.

I now went and examined the several baskets which had been presented; a curiosity that I was not allowed before to indulge, because every thing was then _taboo_. But the solemnity being now over, they became simply what I found them to be, empty baskets. So that, whatever they were supposed to contain, was emblematically represented. And so, indeed, was every other thing which had been brought in procession, except the fish.

We endeavoured in vain to find out the meaning, not only of the ceremony in general, which is called _Natche_, but of its different parts. We seldom got any other answer to our enquiries, but _taboo_, a word which, I have before observed, is applied to many other things. But as the prince was evidently the principal person concerned in it, and as we had been told by the king ten days before the celebration of the _Natche_, that the people would bring in yams for him and his son to eat together, and as he even described some part of the ceremony, we concluded, from what he had then said, and from what we now saw, that an oath of allegiance, if I may so express myself, or solemn promise, was on this occasion made to the prince, as the immediate successor to the regal dignity, to stand by him, and to furnish him with the several articles that were here emblematically represented. This seems the more probable, as all the principal people of the island, whom we had ever seen, assisted in the processions. But, be this as it may, the whole was conducted with a great deal of mysterious solemnity; and that there was a mixture of religion in the institution was evident, not only from the place where it was performed, but from the manner of performing it. Our dress and deportment had never been called in question upon any former occasion whatever. Now, it was expected that we should be uncovered as low as the waist; that our hair should be loose, and flowing over our shoulders; that we should, like themselves, sit cross-legged; and, at times, in the most humble posture, with down-cast eyes, and hands locked together; all which requisites were most devoutly observed by the whole assembly. And, lastly, every one was excluded from the solemnity; but the principal people, and those who assisted in the celebration. All these circumstances were to me a sufficient testimony, that, upon this occasion, they consider themselves as acting under the immediate inspection of a Supreme Being;

The present _Natche_ may be considered, from the above account of it, as merely figurative. For the small quantity of yams, which we saw the first day, could not be intended as a general contribution; and, indeed, we were given to understand, that they were a portion consecrated to the _Otooa_, or Divinity. But we were informed, that, in about three months, there would be performed, on the same account, a far more important and grander solemnity; on which occasion, not only the tribute of Tongataboo, but that of Hepaee, Vavaoo, and of all the other islands; would be brought to the chief, and confirmed more awfully, by sacrificing ten human victims from amongst the inferior sort of people. A horrid solemnity indeed! and which is a most significant instance of the influence of gloomy and ignorant superstition, over the minds of one of the most benevolent and humane nations upon earth. On enquiring into the reasons of so barbarous a practice, they only said, that it was a necessary part of the _Natche_, and that, if they omitted it, the Deity would certainly destroy their king.

Before the assembly broke up, the day was far spent; and as we were at some distance from the ships, and had an intricate navigation to go through, we were in haste to set out from Mooa. When I took leave of Poulaho, he pressed me much to stay till the next day, to be present at a funeral ceremony. The wife of Mareewagee, who was mother-in-law to the king, had lately died, and her corpse had, on account of the _Natche_, been carried on board a canoe that lay in the _lagoon_. Poulaho told me, that, as soon as he had paid the last offices to her, he would attend me to Eooa, but, if I did not wait, he would follow me thither. I understood at the same time, that, if it had not been for the death of this woman, most of the chiefs would have accompanied us to that island, where, it seems, all of them have possessions. I would gladly have waited to see this ceremony also, had not the tide been now favourable for the ships to get through the narrows. The wind besides, which, for several days past, had been very boisterous, was now moderate and settled, and to have lost this opportunity, might have detained us a fortnight longer. But what was decisive against my waiting, we understood that the funeral ceremonies would last five days, which was too long a time, as the ships lay in such a situation, that I could not get to sea at pleasure. I, however, assured the king, that, if we did not sail, I should certainly visit him again the next day. And so we all took leave of him, and set out for the ships, where we arrived about eight o'clock in the evening.

I had forgot to mention, that Omai was present at this second day's ceremony as well as myself, but we were not together, nor did I know that he was there, till it was almost over. He afterward told me, that, as soon as the king saw that I had stolen out from the plantation, he sent several people, one after another, to desire me to come back. Probably, these messengers were not admitted to the place where I was, for I saw nothing of them. At last, intelligence was brought to the chief, that I had actually stripped, in conformity to their custom; and then he told Omai, that he might be present also, if he would comply with all necessary forms. Omai had no objection, as nothing was required of him, but to conform to the custom of his own country. Accordingly, he was furnished with a proper dress, and appeared at the ceremony as one of the natives. It is likely, that one reason of our being excluded at first, was an apprehension, that we would not submit to the requisites to qualify us to assist.

While I was attending the _Natche_ at Mooa, I ordered the horses, bull and cow, and goats, to be brought thither, thinking that they would be safer there, under the eyes of the chiefs, than at a place that would be, in a manner, deserted, the moment after our departure. Besides the above-mentioned animals, we left with our friends here, a young boar, and three young sows, of the English breed. They were exceedingly desirous of them, judging, no doubt, that they would greatly improve their own breed, which is rather small. Feenou also got from us two rabbits, a buck and a doe; and, before we sailed, we were told that young ones had been already produced. If the cattle succeed, of which I make no doubt, it will be a vast acquisition to these islands; and as Tongataboo is a fine level country, the horses cannot but be useful.

On the 10th, at eight o'clock in the morning, we weighed anchor, and, with a steady gale at S.E., turned through the channel, between the small isles called Makkahaa and Monooafai, it being much wider than the channel between the last-mentioned island and Pangimodoo. The flood set strong in our favour, till we were the length of the channel leading up to the _lagoon_, where the flood from the eastward meets that from the west. This, together with the indraught of the _lagoon_, and of the shoals before it, causeth strong ripplings and whirlpools. To add to these dangers, the depth of water in the channel exceeds the length of a cable; so that there is no anchorage, except close to the rocks, where we meet with forty and forty-five fathoms, over a bottom of dark sand. But then, here, a ship would be exposed to the whirlpools. This frustrated the design which I had formed, of coming to an anchor as soon as we were through the narrows, and of making an excursion to see the funeral. I chose rather to lose that ceremony, than to leave the ships in a situation in which I did not think them safe. We continued to ply to windward, between the two tides, without either gaining or losing an inch, till near high water, when, by a favourable slant, we got into the eastern tide's influence. We expected, there, to find the ebb to run strong to the eastward in our favour, but it proved so inconsiderable, that, at any other time, it would not have been noticed. This informed us, that most of the water which flows into the _lagoon_, comes from the N.W., and returns the same way. About five in the afternoon, finding that we could not get to sea before it was dark, I came to an anchor, under the shore of Tongataboo, in forty-five fathoms water, and about two cables length from the reef, that runs along that side of the island. The Discovery dropped anchor under our stern; but before the anchor took hold, she drove off the bank, and did not recover it till after midnight.

We remained at this station till eleven o'clock the next day, when we weighed, and plyed to the eastward. But it was ten at night before we weathered the east end of the island, and were enabled to stretch away for Middleburgh, or Eooa, (as it is called by the inhabitants,) where we anchored, at eight o'clock in the next morning, in forty fathoms water, over a bottom of sand, interspersed with coral rocks; the extremes of the island extending from N. 40° E., to S. 22° W.; the high land of Eooa, S. 45° E.; and Tongataboo, from N. 70° W., to N. 19° W., distant about half a mile from the shore, being nearly the same place where I had my station in 1773, and then named by me, _English Road_.

We had no sooner anchored, than Taoofa, the chief, and several other natives, visited as on board, and seemed to rejoice much at our arrival. This Taoofa[172] had been my _Tayo_, when I was here, during my last voyage; consequently, we were not strangers to each other. In a little time, I went ashore with him, in search of fresh water, the procuring of which was the chief object that brought me to Eooa. I had been told at Tongataboo, that there was here a stream, running from the hills into the sea; but this was not the case now. I was first conducted to a brackish spring, between low and high water mark, amongst rocks, in the cove where we landed, and where no one would ever have thought of looking for what we wanted. However, I believe the water of this spring might be good, were it possible to take it up before the tide mixes with it. Finding that we did not like this, our friends took us a little way into the island, where, in a deep chasm, we found very good water; which, at the expence of some time and trouble, might be conveyed down to the shore, by means of spouts or troughs, that could be made with plantain leaves, and the stem of the tree. But, rather than to undertake that tedious task, I resolved to rest contented with the supply the ships had got at Tongataboo.

[Footnote 172: In the account of Captain Cook's former voyage, he calls the only chief he then met with, at this place, _Tioony_.--D.]

Before I returned on board, I set on foot a trade for hogs and yams. Of the former, we could procure but few; but of the latter, plenty. I put ashore, at this island, the ram and two ewes, of the Cape of Good Hope breed of sheep, entrusting them to the care of Taoofa, who seemed proud of his charge. It was fortunate, perhaps, that Mareewagee, to whom I had given them, as before mentioned, slighted the present. Eooa not having, as yet, got any dogs upon it, seems to be a properer place than Tongataboo for the rearing of sheep.

As we lay at anchor, this island bore a very different aspect from any we had lately seen, and formed a most beautiful landscape. It is higher than any we had passed since leaving New Zealand, (as Kao may justly be reckoned an immense rock,) and from its top, which is almost flat, declines very gently toward the sea. As the other isles of this cluster are level, the eye can discover nothing but the trees that cover them; but here the land, rising gently upward, presents us with an extensive prospect, where groves of trees are only interspersed at irregular distances, in beautiful disorder, and the rest covered with grass. Near the shore, again, it is quite shaded with various trees, amongst which are the habitations of the natives; and to the right of our station, was one of the most extensive groves of cocoa-palms we had ever seen.

The 13th, in the afternoon, a party of us made an excursion to the highest part of the island, which was a little to the right of our ships, in order to have a full view of the country. About half way up, we crossed a deep valley, the bottom and sides of which, though composed of hardly any thing but coral rock, were clothed with trees. We were now about two or three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and yet, even here, the coral was perforated into all the holes and inequalities which usually diversify the surface of this substance within the reach of the tide. Indeed, we found the same coral till we began to approach the summits of the highest hills; and it was remarkable, that these were chiefly composed of a yellowish, soft, sandy stone. The soil there, is, in general, a reddish clay, which, in many places, seemed to be very deep. On the most elevated part of the whole island, we found a round platform, or mount of earth, supported by a wall of coral stones; to bring which to such a height, must have cost much labour. Our guides told us, that this mount had been erected by order of their chief; and that they, sometimes, meet there to drink/_kava_. They called it _etchee_; by which name, an erection which we had seen at Tongataboo, as already mentioned, was distinguished. Not many paces from it, was a spring, of excellent water; and, about a mile lower down, a running stream, which, we were told, found its way to the sea when the rains were copious. We also met with water in many little holes; and, no doubt, great plenty might be found by digging.

From the elevation to which we had ascended, we had a full view of the whole island, except a part of the south point. The S.E. side, from which the highest hills we were now upon, are not far distant, rises with very great inequalities, immediately from the sea, so that the plains and meadows, of which there are here some of great extent, lie all on the N.W. side; and as they are adorned with tufts of trees, intermixed with plantations, they form a very beautiful landscape in every point of view. While I was surveying this delightful prospect, I could not help flattering myself with the pleasing idea, that some future navigator may, from the same station, behold these meadows stocked with cattle, brought to these islands by the ships of England; and that the completion of this single benevolent purpose, independently of all other considerations, would sufficiently mark to posterity, that our voyages had not been useless to the general interests of humanity. Besides the plants common on the other neighbouring islands, we found, on the height, a species of _acrosticum, melastoma_, and fern tree, with a few other ferns and plants not common lower down.

Our guides informed us, that all, or most of the land, on this island, belonged to the great chiefs of Tongataboo, and that the inhabitants were only tenants or vassals to them. Indeed, this seemed to be the case at all the other neighbouring isles, except Annamooka, where there were some chiefs, who seemed to act with some kind of independence. Omai, who was a great favourite with Feenou, and these people in general, was tempted with the offer of being made chief of this island, if he would have staid amongst them; and it is not clear to me, that he would not have been glad to stay, if the scheme had met with my approbation. I own I did disapprove of it, but not because I thought that Omai would do better for himself in his own native isle.

On returning from my country expedition, we were informed that a party of the natives had, in the circle where our people traded, struck one of their own countrymen with a club, which laid bare, or as others said, fractured his skull, and then broke his thigh with the same, when our men interposed. He had no signs of life when carried to a neighbouring house, but afterward recovered a little. On my asking the reason of so severe a treatment, we were informed, that he had been discovered in a situation rather indelicate, with a woman who was _taboo'd_. We, however, understood, that she was no otherwise _taboo'd_, than by belonging to another person, and rather superior in rank to her gallant. From this circumstance we had an opportunity of observing how these people treat such infidelities. But the female sinner has, by far, the smaller share of punishment for her misdemeanor, as they told us that she would only receive a slight beating.

The next morning, I planted a pine-apple, and sowed the seeds of melons and other vegetables, in the chief's plantation. I had some encouragement, indeed, to flatter myself, that my endeavours of this kind would not be fruitless; for, this day, there was served up at my dinner, a dish of turnips, being the produce of the seeds I had left here during my last voyage.

I had fixed upon the 15th for sailing, till Taoofa pressed me to stay a day or two longer, to receive a present he had prepared for me. This reason, and the daily expectation of seeing some of our friends from Tongataboo, induced me to defer my departure.

Accordingly, the next day I received the chiefs present, consisting of two small heaps of yams, and some fruit, which seemed to be collected by a kind of contribution, as at the other isles. On this occasion, most of the people of the island had assembled at the place; and, as we had experienced on such numerous meetings amongst their neighbours, gave us not a little trouble to prevent them from pilfering whatever they could lay their hands upon. We were entertained with cudgelling, wrestling, and boxing-matches; and, in the latter, both male and female combatants exhibited. It was intended to have finished the shew with the _bomai_, or night dance, but an accident either put a total stop to it, or, at least, prevented any of us from staying ashore to see it. One of my people, walking a very little way, was surrounded by twenty or thirty of the natives, who knocked him down, and stripped him of every thing he had on his back. On hearing of this, I immediately seized two canoes, and a large hog, and insisted on Taoofa's causing the clothes to be restored, and on the offenders being delivered up to me. The chief seemed much concerned at what had happened, and forthwith took the necessary steps to satisfy me. This affair so alarmed the assembled people, that most of them fled. However, when they found that I took no other measures to revenge the insult, they returned. It was not long before one of the offenders was delivered up to me, and a shirt and a pair of trowsers restored. The remainder of the stolen goods not coming in before night, I was under a necessity of leaving them to go aboard; for the sea run so high, that it was with the greatest difficulty the boats could get out of the creek with day-light, much less in the dark.

The next morning I landed again, having provided myself with a present for Taoofa, in return for what he had given me. As it was early, there were but few people at the landing-place, and those few not without their fears. But on my desiring Omai to assure them that we meant no harm; and, in confirmation of this assurance, having restored the canoes and released the offender, whom they had delivered up to me, they resumed their usual gaiety; and presently a large circle was formed, in which the chief, and all the principal men of the island, took their places. The remainder of the clothes were now brought in; but as they had been torn off the man's back by pieces, they were not worth carrying on board. Taoofa, on receiving my present, shared it with three or four other chiefs, keeping only a small part for himself. This present exceeded their expectation so greatly, that one of their chiefs, a venerable old man, told me, that they did not deserve it, considering how little they had given to me, and the ill treatment one of my people had met with. I remained with them till they had finished their bowl of _kava_; and having then paid for the hog, which I had taken the day before, returned on board, with Taoofa, and one of Poulaho's servants, by whom I sent, as a parting mark of my esteem and regard for that chief, a piece of bar iron, being as valuable a present as any I could make to him.

Soon after, we weighed, and with a light breeze at S.E., stood out to sea; and then Tafooa, and a few other natives, that were in the ship, left us. On heaving up the anchor, we found that the cable had suffered considerably by the rocks; so that the bottom, in this road, is not to be depended upon. Besides this, we experienced, that a prodigious swell rolls in there from the S.W.

We had not been long under sail, before we observed a sailing canoe coming from Tongataboo, and entering the creek before which we had anchored. Same hours after, a small canoe, conducted by four men, came off to us. For, as we had but little wind, we were still at no great distance front the land. These men told us, that the sailing canoe, which we had seen arrive from Tongataboo, had brought orders to the people of Eooa, to furnish us with a certain number of hogs; and that, in two days, the king and other chiefs, would be with us. They, therefore, desired we would return to our former station. There was no reason to doubt the truth of what these men told us. Two of them had actually come from Tongataboo in the sailing canoe; and they had no view in coming off to us, but to give this intelligence. However, as we were now clear of the land, it was not a sufficient inducement to bring me back, especially as we had already on board a stock of fresh provisions, sufficient, in all probability, to last during our passage to Otaheite. Besides Taoofa's present, we had got a good quantity of yams at Eooa, in exchange chiefly for small nails. Our supply of hogs was also considerably increased there; though, doubtless, we should have got many more, if the chiefs of Tongataboo had been with us, whose property they mostly were. At the approach of night, these men finding that we would not return, left us; as also some others who had come off in two canoes, with a few cocoa-nuts and shaddocks, to exchange them for what they could get; the eagerness of these people to get into their possession more of our commodities, inducing them to follow the ships out to sea, and to continue their intercourse with us to the last moment.

SECTION X.

_Advantages derived from visiting the Friendly Islands.--Best Articles for Traffic.--Refreshments that may be procured.--The Number of the Islands, and their Names.--Keppel's and Boscawen's Islands belong to them.--Account of Vavaoo--Of Hamoa--Of Feejee.--Voyages of the Natives in their Canoes.--Difficulty of procuring exact Information.--Persons of the Inhabitants of both Sexes.--Their Colour.--Diseases.--Their general Character.--Manner of wearing their Hair.--Of puncturing their Bodies.--Their Clothing and Ornaments.--Personal Cleanliness_.

Thus we took leave of the Friendly Islands and their inhabitants, after a stay of between two and three months, during which time, we lived together in the most cordial friendship. Some accidental differences, it is true, now and then happened, owing to their great propensity to thieving; but too often encouraged by the negligence of our own people. But these differences were never attended with any fatal consequences, to prevent which, all my measures were directed; and I believe few on board our ships left our friends here without some regret. The time employed amongst them was not thrown away. We expended very little of our sea provisions, subsisting, in general, upon the produce of the islands, while we staid, and carrying away with us a quantity of refreshments sufficient to last till our arrival at another station, where we could depend upon a fresh supply. I was not sorry, besides, to have had an opportunity of bettering the condition of these good people, by leaving the useful animals before-mentioned among them; and, at the same time, those designed for Otaheite, received fresh strength in the pastures of Tongataboo. Upon the whole, therefore, the advantages we received by touching here were very great; and I had the additional satisfaction to reflect, that they were received, without retarding one moment, the prosecution of the great object of our voyage; the season for proceeding to the north, being, as has been already observed, lost, before I took the resolution of bearing away for these islands.

But besides the immediate advantages, which both the natives of the Friendly Islands and ourselves received by this visit, future navigators from Europe, if any such should ever tread our steps, will profit by the knowledge I acquired of the geography of this part of the Pacific Ocean; and the more philosophical reader, who loves to view human nature in new situations, and to speculate on singular, but faithful representations of the persons, the customs, the arts, the religion, the government, and the language of uncultivated man, in remote and fresh-discovered quarters of the globe, will perhaps find matter of amusement, if not of instruction, in the information which I have been enabled to convey to him, concerning the inhabitants of this Archipelago. I shall suspend my narrative of the progress of the voyage, while I faithfully relate what I had opportunities of collecting on these several topics.

We found by our experience, that the best articles for traffic at these islands, are iron tools in general. Axes and hatchets, nails, from the largest spike down to tenpenny ones, rasps, files, and knives, are much sought after. Red cloth, and linen, both white and coloured, looking-glasses and beads are also in estimation; but of the latter those that are blue are preferred to all others, and white ones are thought the least valuable. A string of large blue beads would at any time purchase a hog. But it must be observed, that such articles as are merely ornaments, may be highly esteemed at one time, and not so at another. When we first arrived at Annamooka, the people there would hardly take them in exchange even for fruit; but when Feenou came, this great man set the fashion, and brought them into vogue, till they rose in their value to what I have just mentioned.

In return for the favourite commodities which I have enumerated, all the refreshments may be procured that the islands produce. These are, hogs, fowls, fish, yams, breadfruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, sugar-cane, and, in general, every such supply as can be met with at Otaheite, or any of the Society Islands. The yams of the Friendly Islands are excellent, and, when grown to perfection, keep very well at sea. But their pork, bread-fruit, and plantains, though far from despicable, are nevertheless much inferior in quality to the same articles at Otaheite, and in its neighbourhood.

Good water, which ships on long voyages stand so much in need of, is scarce at these islands. It may be found, it is true, on them all; but still either in too inconsiderable quantities, or in situations too inconvenient, to serve the purposes of navigators. However, as the islands afford plenty of provisions, and particularly of cocoa-nuts, ships may make a tolerable shift with such water as is to be got; and if one is not over nice, there will be no want. While we lay at anchor under Kotoo, on our return from Hepaee, some people from Kao informed us, that there was a stream of water there, which, pouring down from the mountain, runs into the sea on the S.W. side of the island; that is, on, the side that faces Toofoa, another island remarkable for its height, as also for having a considerable volcano in it, which, as has been already mentioned, burnt violently all the time that we were in its neighbourhood. It may be worth while for future navigators to attend to this intelligence about the stream of water at Kao, especially as we learned that there was anchorage on that part of the coast. The black stone, of which the natives of the Friendly Islands make their hatchets and other tools, we were informed, is the production of Toofoa.

Under the denomination of Friendly Islands, we must include, not only the group at Hepaee which I visited, but also all those islands that have been discovered nearly under the same meridian to the north, as well as some others that have never been seen hitherto by any European navigators, but are under the dominion of Tongataboo, which, though not the largest, is the capital and seat of government.

According to the information that we received there, this archipelago is very extensive. Above one hundred and fifty islands were reckoned up to us by the natives, who made use of bits of leaves to ascertain their number; and Mr Anderson, with his usual diligence, even procured all their names. Fifteen of them are said to be high or hilly, such, as Toofoa and Eooa, and thirty-five of them large. Of these, only three were seen this voyage; Hepaee, (which is considered by the natives as one island,) Tongataboo, and Eooa: Of the size of the unexplored thirty-two, nothing more can be mentioned, but that they must be all larger than Annamooka, which those from whom we had our information ranked amongst the smaller isles. Some, or indeed several of this latter denomination, are mere spots without inhabitants. But it must be left to future navigators to introduce into the geography of this part of the South Pacific Ocean the exact situation and size of near a hundred more islands in this neighbourhood, which we had not an opportunity to explore, and whose existence we only learnt from the testimony of our friends as above-mentioned. On their authority the following list of them was made, and it may serve as a ground-work for farther investigation.

_Names of the Friendly Islands, and others, in that Neighbourhood, mentioned by the Inhabitants of Anamooka, Hepaee, and Tongataboo_.[173]

[Footnote 173: Those islands which the natives represented as large ones, are distinguished in Italics.]

Komooefeeva, Noogoofaeeou, Novababoo, Kollalona, Koreemou, Golabbe, Felongaboonga, Failemaia, Vagaeetoo, Kovereetoa, Koweeka, Gowakka, Fonogooeatta, Konookoonama, _Goofoo_, Modooanoogoo Kooonoogoo, Mafanna, noogoo Geenageena, Kolloooa, Tongooa, Kowourogoheefo, Tabanna, Koooa, Kottejeea, Motooha, Fenooa eeka, Kokabba, Looakabba, _Vavaoo_ Boloa, Toofanaetollo, Koloa, Toofagga, Toofanaelaa, Fafeene, Loogoobahanga, _Kogoopoloo_, Taoonga, Taoola, _Havaeeeeke_, Kobakeemotoo, Maneeneeta, _Tootooeela_, Kongahoonoho, Fonooaooma, _Manooka_, Komalla, Fonooonneonne, _Leshainga_, Konoababoo, Wegaffa, _Pappataia_, Konnetalle, Fooamotoo, _Loubatta_, Komongoraffa, Fonooalaiee, _Oloo_, Kotoolooa, Tattahoi, _Takounove_, Kologobeele, Latte, _Kapaoo_, Kollokolahee, _Neuafo, Kovooeea_, Matageefaia, _Feejee, Kongaireekee_; Mallajee, _Oowaia, Tafeedoowaia_, Mallalahee, _Kongaiarahoi, Hamoa_, Gonoogoolaiee, _Kotoobooo, Neeootabootaboo_, Toonabai, _Komotte, Fotoona_, Konnevy, _Komoarra, Vytooboo_, Konnevao, _Kolaiva, Lotooma_, Moggodoo, _Kofoona, Toggelao_, Looamoggo, _Konnagillelaivoo, Talava_.

I have not the least doubt that Prince William's Islands, discovered and so named by Tasman, are included in the foregoing list. For while we lay at Hapaee, one of the natives told me, that three or four days sail from thence to the N.W., there was a cluster of small islands, consisting of upwards of forty. This situation corresponds very well with that assigned in the accounts we have of Tasman's voyage, to his Prince William's Islands.[174]

[Footnote 174: Tasman saw eighteen or twenty of these small islands, every one of which was surrounded with sands, shoals, and rocks. They are also called in some charts, Heemskirk's Banks. See Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages to the South Pacific Ocean, vol. ii. p. 38, and Campbell's edition of Harris's, vol. i. p. 325.--D.]

We have also very good authority to believe that Keppel's and Boscawen's Island, two of Captain Wallis's discoveries in 1765, are comprehended in our list; and that they are not only well known to these people, but are under the same sovereign. The following information seemed to me decisive as to this: Upon my enquiring one day of Poulaho, the king, in what manner the inhabitants of Tongataboo had acquired the knowledge of iron, and from what quarter they had procured a small iron tool which I had seen amongst them when I first visited their island, during my former voyage, he informed me, that they had received this iron from an island which he called Neeootabootaboo. Carrying my enquiries further, I then desired to know whether he had ever been informed from whom the people of Neeootabootaboo had got it. I found him perfectly acquainted with its history. He said that one of those islanders sold a club for five nails, to a ship which had touched there, and that these five nails afterward were sent to Tongataboo. He added, that this was the first iron known amongst them, so that what Tasman left of that metal must have been worn out, and forgot long ago. I was very particular in my enquiries about the situation, size, and form of the island; expressing my desire to know when this ship had touched there, how long she staid, and whether any more were in company. The leading facts appeared to be fresh in his memory. He said that there was but one ship; that she did not come to an anchor, but left the island after her boat had been on shore. And from many circumstances which he mentioned, It could not be many years since this had happened. According to his information, there are two islands near each other, which he himself had been at. The one he described as high and peaked, like Kao, and he called it Kootahee; the other, where the people of the ship landed, called Neeootabootaboo, he represented as much lower. He added, that the natives of both are the same sort of people with those of Tongataboo, built their canoes in the same manner, that their islands had hogs and fowls, and in general the same vegetable productions. The ship so pointedly referred to in this conversation, could be no other than the Dolphin; the only single ship from Europe, as far as we have ever learned, that had touched of late years at any island in this part of the Pacific Ocean, prior to my former visit of the Friendly Islands.[175]

[Footnote 175: See Captain Wallis's Voyage in this Collection, vol. xii. Captain Wallis calls both these islands high ones. But the superior height of one of them may be inferred, from his saying, that it appears like a sugar-loaf. This strongly marks its resemblance to Kao. From comparing Poulaho's intelligence to Captain Cook, with Captain Wallis's account, it seems to be past all doubt that Boscawen's Island is our Kotahee, and Keppel's Island our Neeootabootaboo. The last is one of the large islands marked in the foregoing list. The reader, who has been already apprized of the variations of our people in writing down what the natives pronounced, will hardly doubt that Kottejeea and Kootahee are the same.--D.]

But the most considerable islands in this neighbourhood that we now heard of, (and we heard a great deal about them,) are Hamoa, Vavaoo, and Feejee. Each of these was represented to us as larger than Tongataboo. No European that we know of, has, as yet, seen any of them. Tasman, indeed, lays down in his chart an island nearly in the situation where, I suppose Vavaoo to be, that is about the latitude of 91°.[176] But then that island is there marked as a very small one, whereas Vavaoo, according to the united testimony of all our friends at Tongataboo, exceeds the size of their own island, and has high mountains, I should certainly have visited it, and have accompanied Feenou from Hapaee, if he had not then discouraged me, by representing it to be very inconsiderable, and without any harbour. But Poulaho, the king, afterward assured me that it was a large island; and that it not only produced every thing in common with Tongataboo, but had the peculiar advantage of possessing several streams of fresh water, with as good a harbour as that which we found at his capital island. He offered to attend me if I would visit it; adding, that if I did not find every thing agreeing with his representation, I might kill him. I had not the least doubt of the truth of his intelligence; and was satisfied that Feenou, from some interested view, attempted to deceive me.

[Footnote 176: Neither Dalrymple nor Campbell, in their accounts of Tasman's voyage, take any particular notice of his having seen such an island. The chart here referred to by Captain Cook, is probably Mr Dalrymple's, in his Collection of Voyages, where Tasman's track is marked accurately; and several very small spots of land are laid down in the situation here mentioned.--D.]

Hamoa, which is also under the dominion of Tongataboo, lies two days sail N.W. from Vavaoo; it was described to me as the largest of all their islands, as affording harbours and good water, and as producing in abundance every article of refreshment found at the places we visited. Poulaho himself frequently resides there. It should seem that the people of this island are in high estimation at Tongataboo; for we were told that some of the songs and dances with which we were entertained, had been copied from theirs; and we saw some houses said to be built after their fashion. Mr Anderson, always inquisitive about such matters, learnt the three following words of the dialect of Hamoa;

_Tamolao_,[177] a chief man. _Tamaety_, a chief woman. _Solle_, a common man.

Feejee, as we were told, lies three days sail from Tongataboo, in the direction of N.W. by W. It was described to us as a high, but very fruitful island, abounding with hogs, dogs, fowls, and all the kinds of fruit and roots that are found in any of the others, and as much larger than Tongataboo; to the dominion of which, as was represented, to us, it is not subject, as the other islands of this archipelago are. On the contrary, Feejee and Tongataboo frequently make war upon each other. And it appeared from several circumstances, that the inhabitants of the latter are much afraid of this enemy. They used to express their sense of their own inferiority to the Feejee men by bending the body forward, and covering the face with their hands. And it is no wonder that they should be under this dread; for those of Feejee are formidable on account of the dexterity with which they use their bows and slings, but much more so on account of the savage practice to which they are addicted, like those of New Zealand, of eating their enemies whom they kill in battle. We were satisfied that this was not a misrepresentation; for we met with several Feejee people at Tongataboo, and, on enquiring of them, they did not deny the charge.

[Footnote 177: In two or three preceding notes, extracts have been made from the Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, as marking a strong resemblance between some of the customs of the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands, and those which Captain Cook describes as prevailing at an immense distance, in the islands which he visited in the South Pacific Ocean. Possibly, however, the presumption arising from this resemblance, that all these islands were peopled by the same nation, or tribe, may be resisted, under the plausible pretence, that customs very similar prevail amongst very distant people, without inferring any other common source, besides the general principles of human nature, the same in all ages, and every part of the globe. The reader, perhaps, will not think this pretence applicable to the matter before us, if he attends to the following very obvious distinction: Those customs which have their foundation in wants that are common to the whole human species, and which are confined to the contrivance of means to relieve those wants, may well be supposed to bear a strong resemblance, without warranting the conclusion, that they who use them have copied each other, or have derived them from one common source; human sagacity being the same every where, and the means adapted to the relief of any particular natural want, especially in countries similarly uncultivated, being but few. Thus the most distant tribes, as widely separated as the Kamtschadales are from the Brazilians, may produce their fire by rubbing two sticks upon each other, without giving us the least foundation for supposing, that either of them imitated the other, or derived the invention from a source of instruction common to both. But this seems not to be the case, with regard to those customs to which no general principle of human nature has given birth, and which have their establishment solely from the endless varieties of local whim and national fashion. Of this latter kind, those customs obviously are, that belong both to the North and to the South Pacific Islands, from which we would infer, that they were originally one nation; and the men of Mangeea, and the men of the New Philippines, who pay their respects to a person whom they mean to honour, by rubbing his hand over their faces, bid fair to have learnt their mode of salutation in the same school. But if this observation should not have removed the doubts of the sceptical refiner, probably he will hardly venture to persist in denying the identity of race, contended for in the present instance, when he shall observe, that, to the proof drawn from affinity of customs, we have it in our power to add that most unexceptionable one, drawn from affinity of language. _Tamoloa_, we now know, is the word used at Hamoa, one of the Friendly Islands, to signify a chief: And whoever looks into the Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, will see this is the very name by which the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands distinguish their principal men. We have, in two preceding notes, inserted passages from Father Cantova's account of them, where their _Tamoles_ are spoken of; and he repeats the word at least a dozen times in the course of a few pages. But I cannot avoid transcribing from him, the following very decisive testimony, which renders any other quotation superfluous:--"L'autoritié du Gouvernement se partage entre plusieurs familles nobles, dont les Chefs s'appellent _Tamoles_. Il y a outre cela, dans chaque province, un principale _Tamole_, auquel tous les autres sont soumis."--Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom, xv p. 312.--D.

Mr Faber, in a prospectus to his work on Pagan Idolatry, has availed himself of the important principle contained in this note, to infer a common origin from the peculiar resemblance of religious opinions and ceremonies among the various systems of paganism. His reasoning is precisely the same as that which is used in tracing the descent of nations, and it is very distinctly stated by him in the following passage:--"Things, in themselves not _arbitrary_, prove nothing whatsoever: And tribes may be alike hunters, and fishers, and bowmen, though they have sprung from very different ancestors. But things, in themselves _altogether arbitrary_, are acknowledged to form the basis of a reasonable argument: And, if tribes are found to speak dialects of the same language, and to be attached throughout to the same whimsical customs, which are not deducible from _the nature of things_, but from _pure caprice_ merely, _such _points of coincidence are commonly and rationally thought to furnish a moral demonstration of the common origin of those tribes." An objection to this reasoning instantly rises from a denial of the notion, that any thing can be arbitrary, in which such a limited being as man is concerned. A skilful opponent, in other words, will move the previous question respecting man's free agency, and will not move a step in consequences, till it be decided. Nay, even if it were so, in favour of the highest claims which have ever been put in on the side of liberty, still he might demur, and with good reason indeed, till the fact of arbitrariness in any case, or cases, was ascertained. Obviously, would he say, we are not entitled to make inferences from the nature of things, till we are acquainted with it. But who, he would ask, can with propriety say, his acquaintance with nature is so complete, that he can at once, and without possibility of mistake, determine, what does and what does not belong to it? It is to be feared, that a man has but a bad case in hand, who, in order to establish its truth, must first prove his own infallibility. Such an objection, therefore, as has been now stated, is evidently not destitute of strength. But on the whole, a careful examination will convince any unprejudiced person, that the reasoning alluded to, is entitled to considerable regard, and yields very probable deductions. Only let us not urge it too far, and let us by all means recollect, that things which to lookers-on seem altogether arbitrary, may nevertheless be accounted for by the agents themselves, on principles which have their foundation in the common nature of our species, independent of any casual communication or intercourse between us.--E.]

Now that I am again led to speak of cannibals, let me ask those who maintain, that the want of food first brings men to feed on human flesh, what is it that induces the Feejee people to keep it up in the midst of plenty? This practice is detested very much by those of Tongataboo, who cultivate the friendship of their savage neighbours of Feejee, apparently out of fear, though they sometimes venture to skirmish with them on their own ground, and carry off red feathers as their booty, which are in great plenty there, and, as has been frequently mentioned, are in great estimation amongst our Friendly Islanders. When the two islands are at peace, the intercourse between them seems to be pretty frequent, though they have, doubtless, been but lately known to each other; or we may suppose that Tongataboo, and its adjoining islands, would have been supplied before this with a breed of dogs, which abound at Feejee, and had not been introduced at Tongataboo so late as 1773, when I first visited it. The natives of Feejee, whom we met with here, were of a colour that was a full shade darker than that of the inhabitants of the Friendly Islands in general. One of them had his left ear slit, and the lobe was so distended, that it almost reached his shoulder, which singularity I had met with at other islands of the South Sea, during my second voyage. It appeared to me that the Feejee men whom we now saw were much respected here, not only perhaps from the power and cruel manner of their nation's going to war, but also from their ingenuity. For they seem to excel the inhabitants of Tongataboo in that respect, if we might judge from several specimens of their skill in workmanship which we saw, such as clubs and spears, which were carved in a very masterly manner, cloth beautifully chequered, variegated mats, earthen pots, and some other articles, all which had a cast of superiority in the execution.

I have mentioned that Feejee lies three days sail from Tongataboo, because these people have no other method of measuring the distance from island to island, but by expressing the time required to make the voyage in one of their canoes. In order to ascertain this with some precision, or at least to form some judgment how far these canoes can sail in a moderate gale in any given time, I went on board one of them, when under sail, and, by several trials with the log, found that she went seven knots, or miles, in an hour, close hauled, in a gentle gale. From this I judge, that they will sail, on a medium, With such breezes as generally blow in their sea, about seven or eight miles in an hour. But the length of each day is not to be reckoned at twenty-four hours. For when they speak of one day's sail, they mean no more than from the morning to the evening of the same day, that is, ten or twelve hours at most. And two days sail with them signifies from the morning of the first day to the evening of the second, and so for any other number of days. In these navigations, the sun is their guide by day, and the stars by night. When these are obscured, they have recourse to the points from whence the winds and the waves came upon the vessel. If during the obscuration, both the wind and the waves should shift, (which, within the limits of the trade-wind seldom happens at any other time,) they are then bewildered, frequently miss their intended port, and are never heard of more. The history of Omai's countrymen, who were driven, to Wateeoo, leads us to infer, that those not heard of are not always lost.

Of all the harbours and anchoring places I have met with among these islands, that of Tongataboo is by far the best, not only on account of its great security, but of its capacity, and of the goodness of its bottom. The risk that we ran in entering it from the north, ought to be a sufficient caution to every future commander, not to attempt that passage again with a ship of burden, since the other, by which we left it, is so much more easy and safe. To sail into it by this eastern channel, steer in for the N.E. point of the island, and keep along the north shore, with the small isles on your starboard, till you are the length of the east point of the entrance into the _lagoon_, then edge over for the reef of the small isles, and, on following its direction, it will conduct you through between Makkahaa and Monoofai, or the fourth and fifth isles, which you will perceive to lie off the west point of the _lagoon_. Or you may go between the third and fourth islands, that is, between Pangimodoo and Monooafai, but this channel is much narrower than the other. There runs a very strong tide in both. The flood, as I have observed before, comes in from the N.W., and the ebb returns the same way; but I shall speak of the tides in another place. As soon as you are through either of these channels, haul in for the shore of Tongataboo, and anchor between it and Pangimodoo, before a creek leading into the _lagoon_, into which boats can go at half flood.

Although Tongataboo has the best harbour, Annamooka furnishes the best water, and yet it cannot be called good. However, by digging holes near the side of the pond, we can get what may be called tolerable. This island too is the best situated for drawing refreshments from all the others, as being nearly in the centre of the whole group. Besides the road in which we anchored, and the harbour within the south-west point, there is a creek in the reef before the eastern sandy cove, on the north side of the island, in which two or three ships may lie very securely by mooring head and stern, with their anchors or moorings fast to the rocks.

I have already described the Hepaee Islands, and shall only add to that description, by mentioning that they extend S.W. by S., and N.E. by N., about nineteen miles. The north end lies in the latitude of 19° 39" S., and 33' of longitude to the east of Annamooka. Between them are a great many small islands, sand-banks, and breakers; so, that, the safest way to arrive at Hepaee, is either by the course I held, or round by the north, according to the situation of the ship bound thither. Lefooga, off which we anchored, is the most fertile isle of those that are called Hepaee, and consequently is the best inhabited. There is anchorage along the north-west side of this island; but it will be necessary to examine the ground well before you moor. For, although the lead may bring up fine sand, there are nevertheless some sharp coral rocks, that would soon destroy the cables.

What has been here omitted concerning the geography of these islands, will be found in the narrative of my last voyage. To that narrative I must also refer, for such particulars concerning the inhabitants, their manners, and arts, as I had observed then, and about which I saw no reason to change my judgment. At present, I shall confine myself to such interesting particulars, as either were not mentioned in that narrative, or were imperfectly or incorrectly represented there, and to such as may serve to explain some passages in the foregoing account of our transactions with the natives.

It may, indeed, be expected, that after spending between two and three months amongst them, I should be enabled to clear up every difficulty, and to give a tolerably satisfactory account of their customs, opinions, and institutions, both civil and religious, especially as we had a person on board, who might be supposed qualified to act the part of an interpreter, by understanding their language and ours. But poor Omai was very deficient. For unless the object or thing we wanted to enquire about, was actually before us, we found it difficult to gain a tolerable knowledge of it from information only, without falling into a hundred mistakes; and to such mistakes Omai was more liable than we were. For, having no curiosity, he never gave himself the trouble to make remarks for himself; and, when he was disposed to explain matters to us, his ideas appeared to be so limited, and perhaps so different from ours, that his accounts were often so confused, as to perplex instead of instructing us. Add to this, that it was very rare that we found amongst the natives, a person who united the ability and the inclination to give us the information we wanted; and we found, that most of them hated to be troubled with what they probably thought idle questions. Our situation at Tongataboo, where we remained the longest, was like-wise unfavourable. It was in a part of the country where there were few inhabitants, except fishers. It was always holiday with our visitors, as well as with those we visited; so that we had but few opportunities of observing what was really the domestic way of living of the natives. Under these disadvantages, it is not surprising that we should not be able to bring away with us satisfactory accounts of many things; but some of us endeavoured to remedy those disadvantages by diligent observation, and I am indebted to Mr Anderson for a considerable share of what follows in this and in the following section. In other matters, I have only expressed, nearly in his own words, remarks that coincided with mine; but what relates to the religion and language of these people is entirely his own.

The natives of the Friendly Islands seldom exceed the common stature (though we have measured some who were above six feet), but are very strong and well-made, especially as to their limbs. They are generally broad about the shoulders, and though the muscular disposition of the men, which seems a consequence of much action, rather conveys the appearance of strength than of beauty, there are several to be seen who are really handsome. Their features are very various, insomuch, that it is scarcely possible to fix on any general likeness by which to characterize them, unless it be a fullness at the point of the nose, which is very common. But, on the other hand, we met with hundreds of truly European faces, and many genuine Roman noses amongst them. Their eyes and teeth are good; but the last neither so remarkably white nor so well set, as is often found amongst Indian nations; though to balance that, few of them have any uncommon thickness about the lips, a defect as frequent as the other perfection.

The women are not so much distinguished from the men by their features, as by their general form, which is, for the most part, destitute of that strong fleshy firmness that appears in the latter. Though the features of some are so delicate, as not only to be a true index of their sex, but to lay claim to a considerable share of beauty and expression, the rule is by no means so general as in many other countries. But, at the same time, this is frequently the most exceptionable part; for the bodies and limbs of most of the females, are well proportioned, and some absolutely perfect models of a beautiful figure. But the most remarkable distinction in the women, is the uncommon smallness and delicacy of their fingers, which may be put in competition with the finest in Europe.

The general colour is a cast deeper than the copper brown; but several of the men and women have a true olive complexion, and some of the last are even a great deal fairer, which is probably the effect of being less exposed to the sun, as a tendency to corpulence, in a few of the principal people, seems to be the consequence of a more indolent life. It is also amongst the last, that a soft clear skin is most frequently observed. Amongst the bulk of the people, the skin is more commonly of a dull hue, with some degree of roughness, especially the parts that are not covered, which perhaps may be occasioned by some cutaneous disease. We saw a man and boy at Hepaee, and a child at Annamooka, perfectly white. Such have been found amongst all black nations; but I apprehend that their colour is rather a disease, than a natural phenomenon.

There are nevertheless, upon the whole, few natural defects or deformities to be found amongst them, though we saw two or three with their feet bent inward, and some afflicted with a sort of blindness, occasioned by a disease of the _cornea_. Neither are they exempt from some other diseases. The most common of which is the tetter, or ring-worm, that seems to affect almost one half of them, and leaves whitish serpentine marks every where behind it. But this is of less consequence than another disease which is very frequent, and appears on every part of the body in large broad ulcers, with thick white edges, discharging a clear thin matter, some of which had a very virulent appearance, particularly those on the face, which were shocking to look at. And yet we met with some who seemed to be cured of it, and others in a fair way of being cured; but this was not effected without the loss of the nose, or of the best part of it. As we know for a certainty, (and the fact is acknowledged by themselves), that the people of these islands were subject to this loathsome disease before the English first visited them, notwithstanding the similarity of symptoms, it cannot be the effect of the venereal contagion, unless we adopt a supposition, which I could wish had a sufficient foundation in truth, that the venereal disorder was not introduced here from Europe by our ships in 1773. It assuredly was now found to exist amongst them, for we had not been long there, before some of our people received the infection; and I had the mortification to learn from thence, that all the care I took when I first visited these islands to prevent this dreadful disease from being communicated to their inhabitants, had proved ineffectual. What is extraordinary, they do not seem to regard it much; and as we saw few signs of its destroying effects, probably the climate, and the way of living of these people, greatly abate its virulence. There are two other diseases frequent amongst them; one of which is an indolent firm swelling, which affects the legs and arms, and increases them to an extraordinary size in their whole length. The other is a tumour of the same sort in the testicles, which sometimes exceed the size of the two fists. But, in other respects, they may be considered as uncommonly healthy, not a single person having been seen, during our stay, confined to the house by sickness of any kind. On the contrary, their strength and activity are every way answerable to their muscular appearance; and they exert both, in their usual employment and in their diversions, in such a manner, that there can be no doubt of their being; as yet, little debilitated by the numerous diseases that are the consequence of indolence, and an unnatural method of life.

The graceful air and firm step with which these people walk, are not the least obvious proof of their personal accomplishments. They consider this as a thing so natural, or so necessary to be acquired, that nothing used to excite their laughter sooner, than to see us frequently stumbling upon the roots of trees, or other inequalities of the ground.

Their countenances very remarkably express the abundant mildness or good-nature which they possess; and are entirely free from that savage keenness which marks nations in a barbarous state. One would, indeed, be apt to fancy that they had been bred up under the severest restrictions, to acquire an aspect so settled, and such a command of their passions, as well as steadiness in conduct. But they are, at the same time, frank, cheerful, and good-humoured; though sometimes in the presence of their chiefs, they put on a degree of gravity, and such a serious air, as becomes stiff and awkward, and has an appearance of reserve.

Their peaceable disposition is sufficiently evinced from the friendly reception all strangers have met with who have visited them. Instead of offering to attack them openly or clandestinely, as has been the case with most of the inhabitants of these seas, they have never appeared, in the smallest degree, hostile; but, on the contrary, like the most civilized people, have courted an intercourse with, their visitors by bartering, which is the only medium that unites all nations in a sort of friendship. They understand barter (which they call _fukkatou_) so perfectly, that at first we imagined they might have acquired this knowledge of it by commercial intercourse with the neighbouring islands; but we were afterward assured, that they had little or no traffic, except with Feejee, from which they get the red feathers, and the few other articles mentioned before. Perhaps no nation in the world traffic with more honesty and less distrust. We could always safely permit them to examine our goods, and to hand them about one to another; and they put the same confidence in us. If either party repented of the bargain, the goods were re-exchanged with mutual consent and good-humour. Upon the whole, they seem possessed of many of the most excellent qualities that adorn the human mind; such as industry, ingenuity, perseverance, affability, and, perhaps, other virtues which our short stay with them might prevent our observing.

The only defect sullying their character, that we know of, is a propensity to thieving, to which we found those of all ages, and both sexes, addicted, and to an uncommon degree. It should, however, be considered, that this exceptionable part of their conduct seemed to exist merely with respect to us; for, in their general intercourse with one another, I had reason to be of opinion, that thefts do not happen more frequently (perhaps less so) than in other countries, the dishonest practices of whose worthless individuals are not supposed to authorise any indiscriminate censure on the whole body of the people. Great allowances should be made for the foibles of these poor natives of the Pacific Ocean, whose minds were overpowered with the glare of objects, equally new to them, as they were captivating. Stealing, amongst the civilized and enlightened nations of the world, may well be considered as denoting a character deeply stained with moral turpitude, with avarice unrestrained by the known rules of right, and with profligacy producing extreme indigence, and neglecting the means of relieving it. But at the Friendly and other islands which we visited, the thefts, so frequently committed by the natives, of what we had brought along with us, may be fairly traced to less culpable motives. They seemed to arise solely from an intense curiosity or desire to possess something which they had not been accustomed to before, and belonging to a sort of people so different from themselves. And, perhaps, if it were possible, that a set of beings, seemingly as superior in our judgment, as we are in theirs, should appear amongst us, it might be doubted, whether our natural regard to justice would be able to restrain many from falling into the same error. That I have assigned the true motive for their propensity to this practice, appears from their stealing every thing indiscriminately at first sight, before they could have the least conception of converting their prize to any one useful purpose. But I believe with us, no person would forfeit his reputation, or expose himself to punishment, without knowing, before-hand, how to employ the stolen goods. Upon the whole, the pilfering disposition of these islanders, though certainly disagreeable and troublesome to strangers, was the means of affording us some information as to the quickness of their intellects. For their small thefts were committed with much dexterity; and those of greater consequence with a plan or scheme suited to the importance of the objects. An extraordinary instance of the last sort, their attempts to carry away one of the Discovery's anchors at mid-day, has been already related.

Their hair is, in general, straight, thick, and strong, though a few have it bushy and frizzled. The natural colour, I believe, almost without exception, is black; but the greatest part of the men, and some of the women, have it stained of a brown or purple colour, and a few of an orange cast. The first colour is produced by applying a sort of plaster of burnt coral, mixed with water; the second, by the raspings of a reddish wood, which is made up with water into a poultice, and laid over the hair; and the third is, I believe, the effect of _turmeric_ root.

When I first visited these islands, I thought it had been an universal custom for both men and women to wear the hair short; but, during our present longer stay, we saw a great many exceptions. Indeed, they are so whimsical in their fashions of wearing it, that it is hard to tell which is most in vogue. Some have it cut off from one side of the head, while that on the other remains long; some have only a portion of it cut short, or perhaps shaved; others have it entirely cut off, except a single lock, which is left commonly on one side; or it is suffered to grow to its full length, without any of these mutilations. The women in general wear it short. The men have their beards cut short; and both men and women strip the hair from their arm pits. The operation by which this is performed has been already described. The men are stained from about the middle of the belly, to about half way down their thighs, with a deep, blue colour. This is done with a flat bone instrument, cut full of fine teeth, which, being dipped in the staining mixture, prepared from the juice of the _dooe dooe_, is struck into the skin with a bit of stick, and, by that means, indelible marks are made. In this manner they trace lines and figures, which, in some, are very elegant, both from the variety, and from the arrangement. The women have only a few small lines or spots, thus imprinted, on the inside of their hands. Their kings, as a mark of distinction, are exempted from this custom, as also from inflicting on themselves any of those bloody marks of mourning, which shall be mentioned in another place.

The men are all circumcised, or rather supercised; as the operation consists in cutting off only a small piece of the foreskin at the upper part, which, by that means, is rendered incapable ever after of covering the _glans_. This is all they aim at; as they say, the operation is practised from a notion of cleanliness.

The dress of both men and women is the same, and consists of a piece of cloth or matting (but mostly the former), about two yards wide, and two and a half long; at least, so long as to go once and a half round the waist, to which it is confined by a girdle or cord. It is double before, and hangs down like a petticoat, as low as the middle of the leg. The upper part of the garment, above the girdle, is plaited into several folds; so that when unfolded, there is cloth sufficient to draw up and wrap round the shoulders, which is very seldom done. This, as to form, is the general dress; but large pieces of cloth, and fine matting, are worn only by the superior people. The inferior sort are satisfied with small pieces, and very often wear nothing but a covering made of leaves of plants, or the _maro_, which is a narrow piece of cloth, or matting, like a sash. This they pass between the thighs, and wrap round the waist; but the use of it is chiefly confined to the men. In their great _haivas_, or entertainments, they have various dresses made for the purpose; but the form is always the same, and the richest dresses are covered, more or less, with red feathers. On what particular occasion their chiefs wear their large red feather-caps, I could not learn. Both men and women sometimes shade their faces from the sun with little bonnets, made of various materials.

As the clothing, so are the ornaments, worn by those of both sexes, the same. The most common of these are necklaces, made of the fruit of the _pandamus_, and various sweet-smelling flowers, which go under the general name of _kahulla_. Others are composed of small shells, the wing and leg-bones of birds, shark's teeth, and other things; all which hang loose upon the breast. In the same manner, they often wear a mother-of-pearl shell, neatly polished, or a ring of the same substance carved, on the upper part of the arm; rings of tortoise-shell on the fingers, and a number of these joined together as bracelets on the wrists.

The lobes of the ears (though most frequently only one) are perforated, with two holes, in which they wear cylindrical bits of ivory, about three inches long, introduced at one hole, and brought out of the other; or bits of reed of the same size, filled with a yellow pigment. This seems, to be a fine powder of turmeric, with which the women rub themselves all over, in the same manner, as our ladies use their dry rouge upon the cheeks.

Nothing appears to give them greater pleasure than personal cleanliness; to produce which, they frequently bathe in the ponds, which seem to serve no other purpose.[178] Though the water in most of them stinks intolerably, they prefer them to the sea; and they are so sensible that salt water hurts their skin, that, when necessity obliges them to bathe in the sea, they commonly have some cocoa-nut shells, filled with fresh water, poured over them, to wash it off. They are immoderately fond of cocoa-nut oil for the same reason; a great quantity of which they not only pour upon their head and shoulders, but rub the body all over, briskly, with a smaller quantity. And none but those who have seen this practice, can easily conceive how the appearance of the skin is improved by it. This oil, however, is not to be procured by every one; and the inferior sort of people, doubtless, appear less smooth for want of it.

[Footnote 178: So at the Caroline Islands. "Ils sont accoutumés a se baigner trois fois le jour, le matin, à midi, et sur le soir." _Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 314.--D.]

SECTION XI.

_Employments of the Women, at the Friendly Islands.--Of the Men.--Agriculture.--Construction of their Houses.--Their working Tools.--Cordage and fishing Implements.--Musical Instruments.--Weapons. --Food and Cookery.--Amusements.--Marriage.--Mourning Ceremonies for the Dead.--Their Divinities.--Notions about the Soul, and a Future State.--Their Places of Worship.--Government.--Manner of paying Obeisance to the King.--Account of the Royal Family.--Remarks on their Language, and a Specimen of it.--Nautical, and other Observations_.

Their domestic life is of that middle kind, neither so laborious as to be disagreeable, nor so vacant as to suffer them to degenerate into indolence. Nature has done so much for their country, that the first can hardly occur, and their disposition seems to be a pretty good bar to the last. By this happy combination of circumstances, their necessary labor seems to yield in its turn to their recreations, in such a manner, that the latter are never interrupted by the thoughts of being obliged to recur to the former, till satiety makes them wish for such a transition.

The employment of the women is of the easy kind, and, for the most part, such as may be executed in the house. The manufacturing their cloth is wholly consigned to their care. Having already described the process, I shall only add, that they have this cloth of different degrees of fineness. The coarser sort, of which they make very large pieces, does not receive the impression of any pattern. Of the finer sort, they have some that is striped and chequered, and of other patterns differently coloured. But how these colours are laid on, I cannot say, as I never saw any of this sort made. The cloth, in general, will resist water for some time; but that which has the strongest glaze will resist longest.

The manufacture next in consequence, and also within the department of the women, is that of their mats, which excel every thing I have seen at any other place, both as to their texture and their beauty. In particular, many of them are so superior to those made at Otaheite, that they are not a bad article to carry thither by way of trade. Of these mats, they have seven or eight different sorts, for the purposes of wearing or sleeping upon, and many are merely ornamental. The last are chiefly made from the tough membraneous part of the stock of the plantain tree; those that they wear from the _pandanus_, cultivated for that purpose, and never suffered to shoot into a trunk; and the coarser sort, which they sleep upon, from a plant called _evarra_. There are many other articles of less note, that employ the spare time of their females; as combs, of which, they make vast numbers; and little baskets made of the same substance as the mats, and others of the fibrous cocoa-nut husk, either plain, or interwoven with small beads; but all finished with such neatness and taste in the disposition of the various parts, that a stranger cannot help admiring their assiduity and dexterity.

The province allotted to the men is, as might be expected, far more laborious and extensive than that of the women. Agriculture, architecture, boat-building, fishing, and other things that relate to navigation, are the objects of their care.[179] Cultivated roots and fruits being their principal support, this requires their constant attention to agriculture, which they pursue very diligently, and seem to have brought almost to as great perfection as circumstances will permit. The large extent of the plantain fields has been taken notice of already, and the same may be said of the yams; these two together, being at least as ten to one, with respect to all the other articles. In planting both these, they dig small holes for their reception, and afterward root up the surrounding grass, which, in this hot country, is quickly deprived of its vegetating power, and, soon rotting, becomes a good manure. The instruments they use for this purpose, which they call _hooo_, are nothing more than pickers or stakes of different lengths, according to the depth they have to dig. These are flattened and sharpened to an edge at one end, and the largest have a short piece fixed transversely, for pressing it into the ground with the foot. With these, though they are not more than from two to four inches broad, they dig and plant ground of many acres in extent. In planting the plantains and yams, they observe so much exactness, that, whichever way you look, the rows present themselves regular and complete.

[Footnote 179: How remarkably does Captain Cook's account of the employments of the women and men here, agree with Father Cantova's, of the Caroline Islanders?--"La principale occupation des hommes, est de construire des barques, de pecher, et de cultiver la terre. L'affaire des femmes est de faire la cuisine, et de mettre en oeuvre un espece de plante sauvagé, et un arbre,--pour en faire de la toile."--_Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 313.--D.]

The cocoa-nut and bread-fruit trees are scattered about without any order, and seem to give them no trouble, after they have attained a certain height. The same may be said of another large tree, which produces great numbers of a large, roundish, compressed nut, called _eeefee_; and of a smaller tree that bears a rounded oval nut, two inches long, with two or three triangular kernels, tough and insipid, called _mabba_, most frequently planted near their houses.

The _kappe_ is commonly regularly planted, and in pretty large spots; but the _mawhaha_ is interspersed amongst other things, as the _jeejee_ and _yams_ are; the last of which I have frequently seen in the insterspaces of the plantain trees at their common distance. Sugar-cane is commonly in small spots, crowded closely together; and the mulberry, of which the cloth is made, though without order, has sufficient room allowed for it, and is kept very clean. The only other plant, that they cultivate for their manufactures, is the _pandanus_, which is generally planted in a row, close together, at the sides of the other fields; and they consider it as a thing so distinct in this state, that they have a different name for it, which shews, that they are very sensible of the great changes brought about by cultivation.

It is remarkable, that these people, who, in many things shew much taste and ingenuity, should shew little of either in building their houses, though the defect is rather in the design than in the execution. Those of the lower people are poor huts, scarcely sufficient to defend them from the weather, and very small. Those of the better sort are larger and more comfortable, but not what one might expect. The dimensions of one of a middling size, are about thirty feet long, twenty broad, and twelve high. Their house is, properly speaking, a thatched roof or shed, supported by posts and rafters, disposed in a very judicious manner. The floor is raised with earth smoothed, and covered with strong thick matting, and kept very clean. The most of them are closed on the weather-side, (and some more than two-thirds round), with strong mats, or with branches of the cocoa-nut tree plaited or woven into each other. These they fix up edgewise, reaching from the eaves to the ground, and thus they answer the purpose of a wall. A thick strong mat, about two and one-half or three feet broad, bent into the form of a semicircle, and set up on its edge, with the ends touching the side of the house, in shape resembling the fender of a fire-hearth, incloses a space for the master and mistress of the family to sleep in. The lady, indeed, spends most of her time during the day within it. The rest of the family sleep upon the floor, wherever they please to lie down; the unmarried men and women apart from each other. Or, if the family be large, there are small huts adjoining, to which the servants retire in the night; so that privacy is as much observed here as one could expect. They have mats made on purpose for sleeping on; and the clothes that they wear in the day, serve for their covering in the night. Their whole furniture consists of a bowl or two, in which they make _kava_; a few gourds, cocoa-nut shells, some small wooden stools which serve them for pillows; and, perhaps, a large stool for the chief or master of the family to sit upon.

The only probable reason I can assign for their neglect of ornamental architecture in the construction of their houses, is their being fond of living much in the open air. Indeed, they seem to consider their houses, within which they seldom eat, as of little use but to sleep in, and to retire to in bad weather. And the lower sort of people, who spend a great part of their time in close attendance upon the chiefs, can have little use for their own houses, but in the last case.

They make amends for the defects of their houses by their great attention to, and dexterity, in, naval architecture, if I may be allowed to give it that name. But I refer to the narrative of my last voyage, for an account of their canoes, and their manner of building and navigating them.[180]

[Footnote 180: The reader, by comparing that account with what Cantova says of the sea-boats of the Caroline Islands, will find, in this instance, also, the greatest similarity. See _Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, p. 286.--D.]

The only tools which they use to construct these boats, are hatchets, or rather thick adzes, of a smooth black stone that abounds at Toofooa; augres, made of sharks' teeth, fixed on small handles; and rasps of a rough skin of a fish, fastened on flat pieces of wood, thinner on one side, which also have handles. The labour and time employed in finishing their canoes, which are the most perfect of their mechanical productions, will account for their being very careful of them. For they are built and preserved under sheds, or they cover the decked part of them with cocoa leaves, when they are hauled on shore, to prevent their being hurt by the sun.

The same tools are all they have for other works, if we except different shells, which they use as knives. But there are few of their productions that require these, unless it be some of their weapons; the other articles being chiefly their fishing materials and cordage.

The cordage is made from the fibres of the cocoa-nut husk, which, though not more than nine or ten inches long, they plait, about the size of a quill or less, to any length that they please, and roll it up in balls, from which the larger ropes are made, by twisting several of these together. The lines that they fish with, are as strong and even as the best cord we make, resembling it almost in every respect. Their other fishing implements are large and small hooks. The last are composed entirely of pearl-shell, but the first are only covered with it on the back, and the points of both commonly of tortoise-shell; those of the small being plain, and the others barbed. With the large ones they catch bonnetos and albicores, by putting them to a bamboo rod, twelve or fourteen feet long, with a line of the same length, which rests in a notch of a piece of wood, fixed in the stern of the canoe for that purpose, and is dragged on the surface of the sea, as she rows along, without any other bait than a tuft of flaxy stuff near the point. They have also great numbers of pretty small seines, some of which are of a very delicate texture. These they use to catch fish with, in the holes on the reefs, when the tide ebbs.

The other manual employments consist chiefly in making musical reeds, flutes, warlike weapons, and stools, or rather pillows, to sleep on. The reed have eight, nine, or ten pieces, placed parallel to each other, but not in any regular progression, having the longest sometimes in the middle, and several of the same length; so that I have seen none with more than six notes, and they seem incapable of playing any music on them, that is, distinguishable by our ears. The flutes are a joint of bamboo, close at both ends, with a hole near each, and four others; two of which, and one of the first only, are used in playing. They apply the thumb of the left hand to close the left nostril, and blow into the hole at one end with the other. The middle finger of the left hand is applied to the first hole on the left, and the fore-finger of the right to the lowest hole on that side. In this manner, though the notes are only three, they produce a pleasing, yet simple music, which they vary much more than one would think possible, with so imperfect an instrument. Their being accustomed to a music which consists of so few notes, is, perhaps, the reason why they do not seem to relish any of ours, which is so complex. But they can taste what is more deficient than their own; for, we observed, that they used to be well pleased with hearing the chant of our two young New Zealanders, which consisted rather in mere strength, than in melody of expression.

The weapons which they make, are clubs of different sorts (in the ornamenting of which they spend much time), spears, and darts. They have also bows and arrows; but these seemed to be designed only for amusement, such as shooting at birds, and not for military purposes. The stools are about two feet long, but only four or five inches high, and near four broad, bending downward in the middle, with four strong legs, and circular feet; the whole made of one piece of black or brown wood, neatly polished, and sometimes inlaid with bits of ivory. They also inlay the handles of fly-flaps with ivory, after being neatly carved; and they shape bones into small figures of men, birds, and other things, which must be very difficult, as their carving instrument is only a shark's tooth.

Yams, plantains, and cocoa-nuts, compose the greatest part of their vegetable diet. Of their animal food, the chief articles are hogs, fowls, fish, and all sorts of shellfish; but the lower people eat rats. The two first vegetable articles, with bread-fruit, are what may be called the basis of their food at different times of the year, with fish and shell-fish; for hogs, fowls, and turtle, seem only to be occasional dainties reserved for their chiefs. The intervals between the seasons of these vegetable productions, must be sometimes considerable, as they prepare a sort of artificial bread from plantains, which they put under ground before ripe, and suffer them to remain till they ferment, when they are taken out, and made up into small balls; but so sour and indifferent, that they often said our bread was preferable, though somewhat musty.

Their food is generally dressed by baking, in the same manner as at Otaheite; and they have the art of making, from different kinds of fruit, several dishes, which most of us esteemed very good. I never saw them make use of any kind of sauce, nor drink any thing at their meals but water, or the juice of the cocoa-nut; for the _kava_ is only their morning draught. I cannot say that they are cleanly, either in their cookery, or manner of eating. The generality of them will lay their victuals upon the first leaf they meet with, however dirty it may be; but when food is served up to the chiefs, it is commonly laid upon green plantain leaves. When the king made a meal, he was, for the most part, attended upon by three or four persons. One cut large pieces of the joint, or of the fish; another divided it into mouthfuls; and others stood by with cocoa-nuts, and whatever else he might want. I never saw a large company sit down to what we should call a sociable meal, by eating from the same dish. The food, be what it will, is always divided into portions, each to serve a certain number; these portions are again subdivided; so that one seldom sees above two or three persons eating together. The women are not excluded from eating with the men; but there are certain ranks or orders amongst them, that can neither eat nor drink together. This distinction begins with the king; but where it ends, I cannot say.

They seem to have no set time for meals; though it should be observed, that, during our stay amongst them, their domestic economy was much disturbed by their constant attention to us. As far as we could remark, those of the superior rank only drink _kava_ in the forenoon, and the others eat, perhaps, a bit of yam; but we commonly saw all of them eat something in the afternoon. It is probable that the practice of making a meal in the night is pretty common, and their rest being thus interrupted, they frequently sleep in the day. They go to bed as soon as it is dark, and rise with the dawn in the morning.[181]

[Footnote 181: Cantova says of his islanders, "Ils prennent leur repos des que le soleil est couché, et ils se levent avec l'aurore."--_Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 314.--D.]

They are very fond of associating together; so that it is common to find several houses empty and the owners of them convened in some other one, or, rather, upon a convenient spot in the neighbourhood, where they recreate themselves by conversing and other amusements. Their private diversions are chiefly singing, dancing, and music performed by the women. When two or three women sing in concert, and snap their fingers, it is called _hoobai_; but when there is a greater number, they divide into several parties, each of which sings on a different key, which makes a very agreeable music, and is called _heeva_ or _haiva_. In the same manner, they vary the music of their flutes by playing on those of a different size; but their dancing is much the same as when they perform publicly. The dancing of the men (if it is to be called dancing), although it does not consist much in moving the feet, as we do, has a thousand different motions with the hands, to which we are entire strangers; and they are performed with an ease and grace which are not to be described, nor even conceived, but by those who have seen them. But I need add nothing to what has been already said on this subject, in the account of the incidents that happened during our stay at the islands.[182]

[Footnote 182: If, to the copious descriptions that occur in the preceding pages, of the particular entertainments exhibited in Hepaee and Tongataboo, we add the general view of the usual amusements of the inhabitants of these islands, contained in this paragraph, and compare it with the quotation from the Jesuit's Letters, in a former note, we shall be still more forcibly struck with the reasonableness of tracing such singularly resembling customs to one common source. The argument, in confirmation of this, drawn from identity of language, has been already illustrated, by observing the remarkable coincidence of the name by which the chiefs of the Caroline Islands, and those at Hamao, one of the friendly ones, are distinguished. But the argument does not rest on a single instance, though that happens to be a very striking one. Another of the very few specimens of the dialect of the North Pacific islanders, preserved by Father Cantova, furnishes an additional proof. Immediately after the passage above referred to, he proceeds thus: "Ce divertissement s'appelle, en leur langue, _tanger ifaifil_; qui veut dire, la plainte des femmes."--_Lettres tres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 315. Now it is very remarkable, that we learn from Mr Anderson's collection of words, which will appear in this chapter, that _la plainte des femmes_, or, in English, _the mournful song of the women_, which the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands express in their language _tanger ifaifil_, would, by those of Tongataboo, be expressed _tangee vefaine_.

If any one should still doubt, in spite of this evidence, it may be recommended to his consideration, that long separation and other causes, have introduced greater variations in the mode of pronouncing these two words, at places confessedly inhabited by the same race, than subsist in the specimen just given. It appears, from Mr Anderson's vocabulary, printed in Captain Cook's second voyage, that what is pronounced _tangee_ at the Friendly Islands, is _taee_ at Otaheite; and the _vefaine_ of the former, is the _waheine_ of the latter.--D.]

Whether their marriages be made lasting by any kind of solemn contract, we could not determine with precision; but it is certain, that the bulk of the people satisfied themselves with one wife. The chiefs, however, have commonly several women;[183] though some of us were of opinion, that there was only one that was looked upon as the mistress of the family.

[Footnote 183: Cantova says of his Caroline islanders, "La pluralité des femmes est non seulement permise à tous ces insulaires, elle est encore une marque d'honneur et de distinction. Le _Tamole_ de l'isle d'Huogoleu en a neuf."--_Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 310.--D.]

As female chastity, at first sight, seemed to be held in no great estimation, we expected to have found frequent breaches of their conjugal fidelity; but we did them great injustice. I do not know that a single instance happened daring our whole stay.[184] Neither are those of the better sort, that are unmarried, more free of their favours. It is true, there was no want of those of a different character; and, perhaps, such are more frequently met with here, in proportion to the number of people, than in many other countries. But it appeared to me, that the most, if not all of them, were of the lowest class; and such of them as permitted familiarities to our people, were prostitutes by profession.

[Footnote 184: At the Caroline Islands, "Ils ont horreur de l'adultere, comme d'une grand pêché."--_Ibid_. tom. xv. p. 310.--D.]

Nothing can be a greater proof of the humanity of these people, than the concern they shew for the dead.[185] To use a common expression, their mourning is not in words, but deeds. For, besides the _tooge_ mentioned before, and burnt circles and scars, they beat the teeth with stones, strike a shark's tooth into the head, until the blood flows in streams, and thrust spears into the inner part of the thigh, into their sides below the arms-pits, and through the cheeks into the mouth. All these operations convey an idea of such rigorous discipline, as must require either an uncommon degree of affection, or the grossest superstition, to exact. I will not say, that the last has no share in it; for sometimes it is so universal, that many could not have any knowledge of the person for whom the concern is expressed. Thus we saw the people of Tongataboo mourning the death of a chief at Vavaoo; and other similar instances occurred during our stay. It should be observed, however, that the more painful operations are only practised on account of the death of those most nearly connected with the mourners.[186] When a person dies, he is buried, after being wrapped up in mats and cloth, much after our manner. The chiefs seem to have the _fiatookas_ appropriated to them as their burial-places; but the common people are interred in no particular spot. What part of the mourning ceremony follows immediately after, is uncertain; but that there is something besides the general one, which is continued for a considerable length of time, we could infer, from being informed, that the funeral of Mareewagee's wife, as mentioned before, was to be attended with ceremonies that were to last five days, and in which all the principal people were to commemorate her.

[Footnote 185: How the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands express their grief on such occasions, may be seen, _ibid_. tom. xv. p. 308.--D.]

[Footnote 186: The practice of wounding the body on the death of friends, appears to have existed in ancient times, and among different people. Moses forbids it to the Israelites, in Levit. xix. 28. "Ye shall not make _any cutting in your flesh_ for the dead, nor print any mark upon you." So in Deut. xiv. 1.; and Parkhurst, in his Heb. Lexicon, commenting on the passage in Deuteronomy, says, the word rendered _to cut_, is of more general signification, including "all assaults on their own persons from immoderate grief, such as beating the breasts, tearing the hair, &c. which were commonly practised by the heathen, who have no hope of a resurrection." He instances in the Iliad xix, line 284, in the Eneid iv, line 673, the case of the Egyptians mentioned by Herodotus, Q. 85, and several other passages in different writers. It would be easy to find out similar examples in the accounts of more modern nations. But the subject is not very inviting to extensive research.--E.]

Their long and general mourning proves that they consider death as a very great evil. And this is confirmed by a very odd custom which they practise to avert it. When I first visited these islands, during my last voyage, I observed that many of the inhabitants had one or both of their little fingers cut off, and we could not then receive any satisfactory account of the reason of this mutilation.[187] But we now learned, that this operation is performed when they labour under some grievous disease, and think themselves in danger of dying. They suppose, that the Deity will accept of the little finger, as a sort of sacrifice efficacious enough to procure the recovery of their health. They cut it off with one of their stone hatchets. There was scarcely one in ten of them whom we did not find thus mutilated in one or both hands, which has a disagreeable effect, especially as they sometimes cut so close, that they encroach upon the bone of the hand, which joins to the amputated finger.[188]

[Footnote 187: Cantova's account of the practice of the Caroline Islands, is as follows: "Lorsqu'il meurt quelque personne d'un rang distmgué, ou qui leur est chere par d'autres endroits, ses obseques se font avec pompe. Il y eu a qui renferment le corps da défunct dans un petit edifice de pierre, qu'ils gardent au-dedans de leur maisons. D'autres les enterrent loin de leurs habitations."--_Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 308, 309.--D.]

[Footnote 188: It may be proper to mention here, on the authority of Captain King, that it is common for the inferior people to cut off a joint of their little finger, on account of the sickness of the chiefs to whom they belong.--D.]

From the rigid severity with which some of these mourning and religious ceremonies are executed, one would expect to find, that they meant thereby to secure to themselves felicity beyond the grave; but their principal object relates to things merely temporal. For they seem to have little conception of future punishment for faults committed in this life. They believe, however, that they are justly punished upon earth; and consequently use every method to render their divinities propitious. The Supreme Author of most things they call _Kallafootonga_, who, they say, is a female residing in the sky, and directing the thunder, wind, rain, and, in general, all the changes of weather. They believe, that when she is angry with them, the productions of the earth are blasted; that many things are destroyed by lightning; and that they themselves are afflicted with sickness and death, as well as their hogs and other animals. When this anger abates, they suppose that every thing is restored to its natural order; and it should seem that they have a great reliance on the efficacy of their endeavours to appease their offended divinity. They also admit a plurality of deities, though all inferior to _Kallafootonga_. Amongst them, they mention _Toofooa-boolootoo_, god of the clouds and fog; _Talleteboo_, and some others, residing in the heavens. The first in rank and power, who has the government of the sea, and its productions., is called _Futtafaihe_, or, as it was sometimes pronounced, _Footafooa_, who, they say, is a male, and has for his wife _Fykava kajeea_; and here, as in heaven, there are several inferior potentates, such as _Vahaa fonooa, Tareeava, Mattaba, Evaroo_, and others. The same religious system, however, does not extend all over the cluster of the Friendly Isles; for the supreme god of _Hepaee_, for instance, is called _Alo Alo_; and other isles have two or three of different names. But their notions of the power and other attributes of these beings are so very absurd, that they suppose they have no farther concern with them after death.

They have, however, very proper sentiments about the immateriality and the immortality of the soul. They call it life, the living principle, or, what is more agreeable to their notions of it, an _Otooa_, that is, a divinity, or invisible being. They say, that immediately upon death, the souls of their chiefs separate from their bodies, and go to a place called _Boolootoo_, the chief, or god, of which is _Gooleho_. This _Gooleho_ seems to be a personification of death; for they used to say to us, "You, and the men of Feejee (by this junction meaning to pay a compliment, expressive of their confession of our superiority over themselves), are also subject to the power and dominion of _Gooleho_." His country, the general receptacle of the dead, according to their mythology, was never seen by any person; and yet, it seems, they know that it lies to the westward of Feejee; and that they who are once transported thither, live for ever; or, to use their own expression, are not subject to death again, but feast upon all the favourite products of their own country, with which this everlasting abode is supposed to abound. As to the souls of the lower sort of people, they undergo a sort of transmigration; or, as they say, are eat by a bird called _loata_, which walks upon their graves for that purpose.

I think I may venture to assert, that they do not worship any thing that is the work of their own hands or any visible part of the creation. They do not make offerings of hogs, dogs, and fruit, as at Otaheite, unless it be emblematically; for their _morais_ were perfectly free from every thing of the kind. But that they offer real human sacrifices, is, with me, beyond a doubt. Their _morais_ or _fiatookas_, (for they are called by both names, but mostly by the latter), are, as at Otaheite, and many other parts of the world, burying-grounds, and places of worship; though some of them seemed to be only appropriated to the first purpose; but these were small, and, in every other respect, inferior to the others.

Of the nature of their government, we know no more than the general outline. A subordination is established among them, that resembles the feudal system of our progenitors in Europe. But of its subdivisions, of the constituent parts, and in what manner they are connected, so as to form a body politic, I confess myself totally ignorant. Some of them told us, that the power of the king is unlimited, and that the life and property of the subject is at his disposal. But the few circumstances that fell under our observation, rather contradicted than confirmed the idea of a despotic government. Mareewagee, old Toobou, and Feenou, acted each like petty sovereigns, and frequently thwarted the measures of the king, of which he often complained. Neither was his court more splendid than those of the two first, who are the most powerful chiefs in the islands; and, next to them, Feenou, Mareewagee's son, seemed to stand highest in authority. But, however independent on the despotic power of the king the great men may be, we saw instances enough to prove, that the lower order of people have no property, nor safety for their persons, but at the will of the chiefs to whom they respectively belong.

Tongataboo is divided into many districts; of above thirty of which we learned the names. Each of these has its particular chief, who decides differences, and distributes justice within his own district. But we could not form any satisfactory judgment about the extent of their power in general, or their mode of proportioning punishments to crimes. Most of these chiefs have possessions in other islands from whence they draw supplies. At least, we know this is so with respect to the king, who, at certain established times, receives the product of his distant domains at Tongataboo, which is not only the principal place of his residence, but seemingly of all the people of consequence amongst these isles. Its inhabitants, in common conversation, call it the Land of Chiefs, while the subordinate isles are distinguished by the appellation of Lands of Servants.

These chiefs are, by the people, styled not only lords of the earth, but of the sun and sky; and the king's family assume the name of Futtafaihe, from the god so called, who is probably their tutelary patron, and perhaps their common ancestor. The sovereign's peculiar earthly title is however, simply _Tooee Tunga_.

There is a decorum observed in the presence of their principal men, and particularly of their king, that is truly admirable. Whenever he sits, down, whether it be in an house, or without, all the attendants seat themselves at the same time, in a semicircle before him, leaving always a convenient space between him and them, into which no one attempts to come, unless he has some particular business. Neither is any one allowed to pass, or sit behind him, nor even near him, without his order or permission, so that our having been indulged with this privilege, was a significant proof of the great respect that was paid us. When any one wants to speak with the king, he advances and sits down before him, delivers what he has to say in a few words, and, having received his answer, retires again to the circle. But if the king speaks to any one, that person answers from his seat, unless he is to receive some order, in which case he gets up from his place, and sits down before the chief with his legs across, which is a posture to which they are so much accustomed, that any other mode of sitting is disagreeable to them.[189] To speak to the king standing, would be accounted here as a striking mark of rudeness, as it would be with us, for one to sit down and put on his hat, when he addresses himself to his superior, and that superior on his feet and uncovered.

[Footnote 189: This is peculiar to the men; the women always sitting with both legs thrown a little on one side. We owe this remark to Captain King.--D]

It does not, indeed, appear that any of the most civilized nations have ever exceeded this people in the great order observed on all occasions, in ready compliance with the commands of their chiefs; and in the harmony that subsists throughout all ranks, and unites them, as if they were all one man, informed with, and directed by the same principle. Such a behaviour is remarkably obvious, whenever it is requisite that their chiefs should harangue any body of them collected together, which is frequently done. The most profound silence and attention is observed during the harangue, even to a much greater degree than is practised amongst us, on the most interesting and serious deliberations of our most respectable assemblies. And whatever might have been the subject of the speech delivered, we never saw an instance, when any individual present shewed signs of his being displeased, or that indicated the least inclination to dispute the declared will of a person who had a right to command. Nay, such is the force of these verbal laws, as I may call them, that I have seen one of their chiefs express his being astonished, at a person's having acted contrary to such orders, though it appeared, that the poor man could not possibly have been informed in time to have observed them.[190]

[Footnote 190: Cantava gives us the same account of the profound submission of the Caroline islanders, to the orders of the _Tamole_. "Ils reçoivent ses ordres avec le plus profond respect. Ses paroles sont autant d'oracles, qu' on revere."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 312.--D.]

Though some of the more potent chiefs may vie with the king in point of actual possessions, they fall very short in rank, and in certain marks of respect, which the collective body have agreed to pay the monarch. It is a particular privilege annexed to his sovereignty, not to be punctured nor circumcised, as all his subjects are. Whenever he walks out, every one whom he meets must sit down till he has passed. No one is allowed to be over his head; on the contrary, all must come under his feet, for there cannot be a greater outward mark of submission, than that which is paid to the sovereign, and other great people of these islands, by their inferiors. The method is this; the person who is to pay obeisance, squats down before the chief, and bows the head to the sole of his foot, which, when he sits, is so placed, that it can be easily come at, and having tapped, or touched it with the under and upper side of the fingers of both hands, he rises up and retires. It should seem that the king cannot refuse any one who chooses to pay him this homage, which is called _moe moea_; for the common people would frequently take it into their heads to do it when he was walking, and he was always obliged to stop, and hold up one of his feet behind him, till they had performed the ceremony. This, to a heavy unwieldy man, like Poulaho, must be attended with some trouble and pain; and I have sometimes seen him make a run, though very unable, to get out of the way, or to reach a place where he might conveniently sit down. The hands, after this application of them to the chief's feet, are, in some cases, rendered useless for a time; for, until they be washed, they must not touch any kind of food. This interdiction, in a country where water is so scarce, would seem to be attended with some inconvenience, but they are never at a loss for a succedaneum; and a piece of any juicy plant, which they can easily procure immediately, being rubbed upon them, this serves for the purpose of purification, as well as washing them with water. When the hands are in this state, they call it _taboo rema_. _Taboo_, in general, signifies forbidden, and _rema_ is their word for hand.

When the _taboo_ is incurred, by paying obeisance to a great personage, it is thus easily washed off. But, in some other cases, it must necessarily continue for a certain time. We have frequently seen women, who have been _taboo rema_, fed by others. At the expiration of the time, the interdicted person washes herself in one of their baths, which are dirty holes, for the most part, of brackish water. She then waits upon the king, and, after making her obeisance in the usual way, lays hold of his foot and applies it to her breast, shoulders, and other parts of her body. He then embraces her on each shoulder, after which she retires, purified from her uncleanness. I do not know that it is always necessary to come to the king for this purpose, though Omai assured me it was. If this be so, it may be one reason why he is, for the most part, travelling from island to island. I saw this ceremony performed by him two or three times, and once by Feenou, to one of his own women; but as Omai was not then with me, I could not ask the occasion.

_Taboo_, as I have before observed, is a word of an extensive signification. Human sacrifices are called _tangata taboo_; and when any thing is forbidden to be eat, or made use of, they say, that is _taboo_. They tell us, that if the king should happen to go into a house belonging to a subject, that house would be _taboo_, and could never be more inhabited by the owner; so that wherever he travels, there are particular houses for his reception. Old Toobou at this time presided over the _taboo_, that is, if Omai comprehended the matter rightly, he and his deputies inspected all the produce of the island, taking care that every man should cultivate and plant his quota, and ordering what should he eat, and what not. By this wise regulation, they effectually guard against a famine; a sufficient quantity of ground is employed in raising provisions, and every article thus raised, is secured from unnecessary waste.

By another prudent regulation in their government, they have an officer over the police, or something like it. This department, when we were amongst them, was administered by Feenou, whose business, we were told, it was to punish all offenders, whether against the state, or against individuals. He was also generalissimo, and commanded the warriors when called out upon service; but by all accounts this is very seldom. The king frequently took some pains to inform us of Feenou's office; and, among other things, told us, that if he himself should become a bad man, Feenou would kill him. What I understood by this expression of being a bad man, was, that if he did not govern according to law, or custom, Feenou would be ordered, by the other great men, or the people at large, to put him to death. There should seem to be no doubt, that a sovereign thus liable to be controuled, and punished for an abuse of power, cannot be called a despotic monarch.

When we consider the number of islands that compose this little state, and the distance at which some of them lie from the seat of government, attempts to throw off the yoke, and to acquire independency, it should seem, might be apprehended. But they tell us that this never happens. One reason why they are not thus disturbed, by domestic quarrels, may be this: That all the powerful chiefs, as we have already mentioned, reside at Tongataboo. They also secure the dependence of the other islands, by the celerity of their operations; for if, at any time, a troublesome and popular man should start up in any of them, Feenou, or whoever holds his office, is immediately dispatched thither to kill him. By this means, they crush a rebellion in its very infancy.

The orders, or classes, amongst their chiefs, or those who call themselves such, seemed to be almost as numerous as amongst us; but there are few, in comparison, that are lords of large districts of territory, the rest holding their lands under those principal barons, as they may be called. I was indeed told, that when a man of property dies, everything he leaves behind him falls to the king; but that it is usual to give it to the eldest son of the deceased, with an obligation to make a provision out of it for the rest of the children. It is not the custom here, as at Otaheite, for the son, the moment he is born, to take from the father the homage and title, but he succeeds to them at his decease, so that their form of government is not only monarchical, but hereditary.

The order of succession to the crown has not been of late interrupted; for we know, from a particular circumstance, that the Futtafaihes (Poulaho being only an addition to distinguish the king from the rest of the family) have reigned in a direct line, for at least one hundred and thirty-five years. Upon enquiring, whether any account had been preserved amongst them, of the arrival of Tasman's ships, we found that this history had been handed down to them from their ancestors, with an accuracy which marks, that oral tradition may sometimes be depended upon. For they described the two ships as resembling ours, mentioning the place where they had anchored, their having staid but a few days, and their moving from that station to Annamooka. And by way of informing us how long ago this had happened, they told us the name of the Futtafaihe who was then king, and of those who had succeeded, down to Poulaho, who is the fifth since that period, the first being an old man at the time of the arrival of the ships.

From what has been said of the present king, it would be natural to suppose, that he had the highest rank of any person in the islands. But, to our great surprise, we found it is not so; for Latoolibooloo, the person who was pointed out to me as king, when I first visited Tongataboo, and three women, are, in some respects, superior to Poulaho himself. On our enquiring who these extraordinary personages were, whom they distinguish by the name and title of Tammaha?[191] we were told, that the late king, Poulaho's father, had a sister of equal rank, and elder than himself; that she, by a man that came from the island of Feejee, had a son and two daughters, and that these three persons, as well as their mother, rank above Futtafaihe the king.

[Footnote 191: The reader need not be reminded that Tamoloa, which signifies a chief, in the dialect of Hamao, and Tammaha, become the same word, by the change of a single letter, the articulation of which is not very strongly marked.--D.]

We endeavoured, in vain, to trace the reason of this singular pre-eminence of the _Tammahas_, for we could learn nothing besides this account of their pedigree. The mother, and one of the daughters called Tooeela-kaipa, live at Vavaoo. Latoolibooloo, the son, and the other daughter, whose name is Moungoula-kaipa, reside at Tongataboo. The latter is the woman who is mentioned to have dined with me on the 21st of June. This gave occasion to our discovering her superiority over the king, who would not eat in her presence, though she made no scruple to do so before him, and received from him the customary obeisance, by touching her foot. We never had an opportunity of seeing him pay this mark of respect to Latoolibooloo, but we have observed him leave off eating, and have his victuals put aside, when the latter came into the same house. Latoolibooloo assumed the privilege of taking any thing from the people, even if it belonged to the king; and yet, in the ceremony called _Natche_, he assisted only in the same manner as the other principal men. He was looked upon, by his countrymen, as a madman; and many of his actions seemed to confirm this judgment. At Eooa, they shewed me a good deal of land said to belong to him; and I saw there a son of his, a child, whom they distinguished by the same title as his father. The son of the greatest prince in Europe could not be more humoured and caressed than this little _Tammaha_ was.

The language of the Friendly Islands has the greatest affinity imaginable to that of New Zealand, of Wateeoo, and Mangeea; and, consequently, to that of Otaheite and the Society Islands. There are also many of their words the same with those used by the natives of Cocos Island, as appears from the vocabulary collected there by Le Maire and Schouten.[192] The mode of pronunciation differs, indeed, considerably, in many instances, from that both of New Zealand and Otaheite, but still a great number of words are either exactly the same, or so little changed, that their common original may be satisfactorily traced. The language, as spoken at the Friendly Islands, is sufficiently copious for all the ideas of the people; and we had many proofs of its being easily adapted to all musical purposes, both in song and in recitative, besides being harmonious enough in common conversation. Its component parts, as far as our scanty acquaintance with it enabled us to judge, are not numerous; and, in some of its rules, it agrees with other known languages. As for instance, we could easily discern the several degrees of comparison, as used in the Latin, but none of the inflections of nouns and verbs.

[Footnote 192: See this vocabulary, at the end of vol. ii. of Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages. And yet, though Tasman's people used the words of this vocabulary in speaking to the natives of Tongataboo, (his Amsterdam,) we are told, in the accounts of his voyage, that they did not understand one another;--a circumstance worth observing, as it shews how cautious we should be, upon the scanty evidence afforded by such transient visits as Tasman's, and, indeed, as those of most of the subsequent navigators of the Pacific Ocean, to found any argument about the affinity, or want of affinity, of the languages of the different islands. No one, now, will venture to say, that a Cocos man, and one of Tongataboo, could not understand each other. Some of the words of Horn Island, another of Schouten's discoveries, also belong to the dialect of Tongataboo.--See Dalrymple, as above.--D.]

We were able to collect several hundreds of the words; and, amongst these, are terms that express numbers as far as a hundred thousand, beyond which they never would reckon. It is probable, indeed, that they are not able to go farther; for, after having got thus far, we observed, that they commonly used a word which expresses an indefinite number. A short specimen, selected from the larger vocabulary, is here inserted, with the corresponding words, of the same signification, as used at Otaheite, on the opposite column; which, while it will give, as we may say, ocular demonstration of their being dialects of the same language, will, at the same time, point out the particular letters, by the insertion, omission, or alteration of which, the variations of the two dialects, from each other, have been effected.

It must be observed, however, that our vocabularies of this sort must necessarily be liable to great mistakes. The ideas of those, from whom we were to learn the words, were so different from ours, that it was difficult to fix them to the object of enquiry. Or, if this could be obtained, to learn an unknown tongue from an instructor who did not know a single word of any language that his scholar was conversant with, could not promise to produce much. But even when these difficulties were surmounted, there still remained a fruitful source of mistake, I mean, inaccuracy in catching exactly the true sound of a word, to which our ears had never been accustomed, from persons whose mode of pronunciation was, in general, so indistinct, that it seldom happened that any two of us, in writing down the fame word, from the same mouth, made use of the same vowels in representing it. Nay, we even, very commonly, differed about consonants, the sounds of which are least liable to ambiguity. Besides all this, we found, by experience, that we had been led into strange corruptions of some of the most common words, either from the natives endeavouring to imitate us, or from our having misunderstood them. Thus, _cheeto_ was universally used by us, to express a thief, though totally different from the real word, in the language of Tongataboo. The mistake arose from a prior one, into which we had run, when at New Zealand. For though the word that signifies thief there, be absolutely the same that belongs to the dialect of the Friendly Islands, (being _kaeehaa_ at both places,) yet by some blunder, we had used the word _teete_, first at New Zealand, and afterwards at Tongataboo, on our arrival there. The natives, endeavouring to imitate us as nearly as they could, and so fabricating the word _cheeto_; this, by a complication of mistakes, was adopted by us as their own. Great care has been taken to make the following table as correct as possible:--

English. _Friendly Islands. Otaheite_. _The sun_, Elaa, Eraa. _Fire_, Eafoi, Eahoi. _Thunder_, Fatoore, Pateere. _Rain_, Ooha, Eooa. _The wind_, Matangee, Mataee. _Warm_, Mafanna, Mahanna. _The clouds_, Ao, Eao. _Land_, Fonooa, Fenooa. _Water_, Avy, Evy. _Sleep_, Mohe, Moe. _A man_, Tangata, Taata. _A woman_, Vefaine, Waheine. _A young girl_, Taheine, Toonea.

_A servant_, or _person Tooa, Toutou, _or_ teou. of mean rank_,

_The dawn_, or Aho Aou. _daybreak_,

English. _Friendly Islands. Otaheite_. _The hair_, Fooroo, Eroroo. _The tongue_, Elelo, Erero. _The ear_, Tareenga, Tareea. _The beard_, Koomoo, Ooma. _The sea_, Tahee, Taee. _A boat_, or _canoe_, Wakka, Evaa. _Black_, Oole, Ere. _Red_, Goola, Oora, oora. _A lance_, or _spear_, Tao, Tao. _A parent_, Motooa, Madooa. _What is that_? Kohaeea? Yahaeea? _To hold fast_, Amou, Mou.

_To wipe_ or _clean_ Horo, Haroee. _any thing_,

_To rise up_, Etoo, Atoo. _To cry_, or _shed tears_, Tangee, Taee. _To eat_, or _chew_, Eky, Ey. _Yes_, Ai, Ai. _No_, Kaee, Aee. _You_, Koe, Oe. _I_, Ou, Wou. _Ten_, Ongofooroo, Ahooroo.

Having now concluded my remarks on these islands and people, I shall take my final leave of them, after giving some account of the astronomical and nautical observations that were made during our stay.

And, first, I must take notice, that the difference of longitude, between Annamooka and Tongataboo, is somewhat less than was marked in the chart and narrative of my last voyage. This error might easily arise, as the longitude of each was then found without any connection with the other. But now the distance between them is determined to a degree of precision, that excludes all possibility of mistake, which the following table will illustrate:--

The latitude of the observatory at Tongataboo, by the mean of several observations 21° 8' 19"S.

The longitude, by the mean of one hundred and thirty-one sets of lunar observations, amounting to above a thousand observed distances, between the moon, son, and stars 184° 55' 88"E.

The difference of longitude, made by the time-keeper, between the above observatory and that at Anamooka 0 16 0

Hence, the longitude of Annamooka is 185 11 18 E. By the time {Greenwich rate 186 12 27 keeper it is {New Zealand rate 184 37 0 Its latitude 20 15 0

N.B. The observatory at Tongataboo was near the middle of the N. side of the island, and that at Annamooka on its W. side.

The time-keeper was too slow for mean time at Greenwich, on the first of July at noon, by 12h 34m 23',2; and her daily rate, at that time, was losing on mean time 1',783 per day. This rate will now be used for finding the longitude by the time-keeper, and 184° 55' 18", or 12h 19m 41',2, will be taken as the true longitude of Tongataboo, E. from. Greenwich.

By the mean of several observations, the S. end of the needle was found to dip,

At Leefooga, one of the Hepaee islands 36° 55' Tongataboo 39 1 1/2 The variation of the compass was found to be

At Annamooka, on board 0° 30' 3 1/2"E, Anchor off Kotoo, between Annamooka and Hepaee 0 12 29 1/2 Anchor off Leefooga 10 11 40 Tongataboo, on board 9 44 5 1/2 Ditto, on shore 10 12 58

I can assign no reason why the variation is so much less at and near Annamooka, than at either of the two places. I can only say, that there is no fault in the observations; and that the variation ought to be more at Annamooka than the above, as it has been found to be so to the northward, southward, eastward, and westward of it. But disagreements in the variation, greater than this, even in the same needle, have been often observed. And I should not have taken notice of this instance, but from a belief that the cause, whatever it is, exists in the place, and not in the needles, for Mr Bayley found the same, or rather more difference.

The tides are more considerable at these islands, than at any other of my discoveries in this ocean, that lie within the tropics. At Annamooka it is high water, on the full and change days, nearly at six o'clock; and the tide rises and falls there, upon a perpendicular, about six feet. In the harbour of Tongataboo, it is high water on the full and change days, at fifty minutes past six. The tide rises and falls on those days, four feet nine inches, and three feet six inches at the Quadratures. In the channels between the islands, which lie in this harbour, it flows near tide and half-tide, that is, the flood continues to run up near three hours, after it is high water by the shore, and the ebb continues to run down, after it is flood by the shore. It is only in these channels, and in a few other places near the shores, that the motion of the water or tide is perceivable, so that I can only guess at the quarter from which the flood comes. In the road of Annamooka, it sets W.S.W., and the ebb the contrary; but it falls into the harbour of Tongataboo from the N.W., passes through the two narrow channels, on each side of Hoolaiva, where it runs with considerable rapidity, and then spends itself in the _lagoon_. The ebb returns the same way, and runs with rather greater force. The N.W. tide is met, at the entrance of the _lagoon_, by one from the E.; but this, as I have before observed, was found to be very inconsiderable.[193]

[Footnote 193: Tongataboo has been visited several times by Europeans since Cook's last voyage, viz. by Perouse, in 1787; by Captain Edwards, in 1791; by D'Entrecasteaux, in 1793; and by some of the missionaries, in 1797. From the accounts furnished by some of these visits, several particulars might have been added to what has now been delivered. But they are comparatively unimportant, and did not seem to warrant any specific regard. Besides, if they had been more considerable, it would have been improper to anticipate what belongs to another part of our work. On the whole, however, the information given by Captain Cook, and his associate Mr Anderson, will ever be esteemed a faithful and very valuable description of an interesting island and people.--E.]

A VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE FRIENDLY ISLES,

May, &c. 1777.

* * * * *

_Friendly Isles_. English. Ve faine, _A woman_. Maiee, _Bread-fruit_. Fukkaton, _Barter_. Woa, _Admiration_. My, fogge, _Good_. Attahoa, _A bead; a necklace_. Koehau, or Kohaeea? _What is that? or what is the name of it_? Magoo, _Give me_. Le laiee, _Good_. Hou, _Come here_. Moree, _A shaddock_. Omee, _Give me_. Hobba, _A sort of plantain_. Koajee, _or_ Kaoojee, _Done; finished_. Koeea, _Yes; it is so_. Amou, _Got; to holdfast_. Horo, horo, _A handkerchief, or wiper_. Ongofooroo, _Ten_. Gehai, _or_ geefai, _There; and that_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Kato, _A basket_. Egeeai, _A mat they wear round them_. Fooroo, _or_ fooloo, _Hair_. Fooee vy, _The leg_. Tooa, vy, _Upperpart of the foot_. Fooloo, fooloo, matta, _The eyebrow_. Emamae, _Painted plantains_. Evatta vatta, _The breast_. Eboore, _Ditto_. Etooa, _The back_. Erongootoo, _The lips_. Elelo, _The tongue_. Edainga, _The thigh_. Eraimoo, _The hips_. Evae, veene, _The arm pit_. Too, _The finger_. Vakka, vakka, _The side_. Hekaite, _The belly_. Tareenga, _The ear_. Horo, _To wipe_. Kouta, _Beating with two sticks_. Fangoo, fangoo, _A flute_. Motoo, _To break_. Koooma, _Burnt circular marks_. Taffa, _Raised marks burnt_. Kowy, _The cheeks_. Koomoo, koomoo, _The beard_. Peeto, _The navel_, Eoo, _The nipple_. Etarre, _To cough_, Hengatoo, _Cloth_. Efangoo, _To sneeze_. Eanoo, _To spit_. Etoogee, _To beat_, or _strike_. Etooee, _The elbow_. Efeelo, _A small rope_, or _thread_. Haro, _or_ halo, _Go; begone_. Egeea, _The throat_. Eky, _To eat_, or _chew_. Evagoo, _To scratch_. Ma matta, _Let me look_, or _see_. Egeea, _The neck_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Enofoa, haioo, _A seat_. Etoo, _To rise up_. Mamao, _To yawn_. Ehapee, _A box_, or _chest_. Moe, _or_ mohe, _Sleep_. Tangooroo, _To snore_. Ekatta, _To laugh_. Akka, _To kick_, or _stamp_. Feedjee, _A fillup_. Ekakava, _Sweat_. Eeoho, _To bellow_, or _cry_. Epooo, _A post_, or _staunchion. Etolle, _A hatchet_. Maalava, _To breathe_. Haila, _To pant_. Oooo, _To bite_. Taffa, _To cut_. Moevae, _The heel_. Eeegoo, _The tail of a dog_. Mapoo, _To whistle_, Aipa, _A fishing-hook_. Ainga, _A sort of paint_. Evaika, _A rail_. Kooroo kooroo, _A green dove_. Ekoopamea, cheele, _A net_. Efooo, _A gimlet, or shark's tooth used for that purpose_. Aiee, _A fan_. Emaimeea, _or_ meemeea, _A reed, or small organ_. Eneeoo, _A cocoa-nut_. Eoono, _Tortoise shell_. Enoo, _A belt_. Afooneema, _The palm of the hand_. Moemoeea, _A ceremony of putting the foot of one on the head, and turning the hand several times_, &c. Pooa, tareenga, _A sort of plantains_. Kahaoo hoonga, _An arrow_, or _reed_. Atoe farre, _The roof of a house_. Etovee, _A club_. Emamma, _A ring_. Eao, _A hat_.

_Friendly Isles_ English. Tehou, _A hundred_. Keeroo, _A thousand_. Laoo varee, _Ten thousand_. Laoo noa, _A hundred thousand, or the greatest number they can reckon_. Poooree, _Night; darkness_. Maheena, _A month_. Fukkataane, _To sit cross-legged_. Kaffa, _A rope, or cord of cocoa-nut core_. Heegee, _To lift up_. Togoo, _To set down_, Fetooa tagee, _To tie_. Vevaite, _To untie_, Tollo, tolla, _Cocoa-nut skin_. Eooma, _The shoulder_. Fooo, _A nail_ (of iron). Atoo, _To give_. Epallo, _A rat_. Elafo, _To throw away_. Haaile, _To go_. Haaile atoo, _To go away_. Haaile my, _To come_. Elooa, _To puke_. Matangee, _Wind_. Mamma, _or_ mamma, reeva, _Light_. Tahee, _The sea_. Paho paho, _To paddle_. Hakaoo, _or_ toree, _Wood_; _a tree_. Ehoreeoo, _To scoop water out of a boat_. Booloo booloo, _A sail_. Fanna, _or_ fanna tooeeoroongo _A Mast_ Toula, _A hook_. Tamadje, _A child_. Tangee, _To weep_. Elango, _A fly_. Haingoo, toolaiee, _A tropic-bird_. Epalla _A bird's tail_. Kapukou, _A wing_. Hepoona, _To fly_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Togotto _To lie down_, Feenakka, _A bird cage_. Eallo, _The rolling of a ship_. Etooee, _A needle_. Epeepeege, _A girl that is a maid_. Efonno, _A turtle_. Maia, _A thing_. Mahee maia, _Give me something_. Koeea, _Yes, it is_. Geelee, _A file_. Owo, _Wait a little_. Temadoo, _Shall I come_? Kaee, _or_ Eekaee, _No_. Kafae, _A blue coat_. Oloonga, _A stool_. Takkabou, _A coarse mat to sleep upon_. Kakulla, _A sweet smell, sweet smelled_. Namooa, _To smell; smell it_. Koe, _It is; as_ Koe maa, _it is food_; Koe maiee, _it is fruitful_. Koatoooo, _A king-fisher_. Mogo, _A lizard_. Toutou, _A card_. Matte laiva, _Dead_. Moeha, _More_. Veenaga, _Fine_, _charming_, _wonderful_. Tougge my, _Bring it here_. Ai, (_long_,) angrily, _No_. Tamma, _Boy_, _man_, _friend_, _calling to one_. Eeekoou, _Here am I_; _answering one who calls_. Haloo, _Go_; _to go_. Hengalo, _At a distance_, _a great way off_. Eafee, _or_ Eafoi, _Hire_. Yehaeea, (_inquisitively_,) _What is that_? Kohaee koa, _or_ kowykoa, _What is your name_? Kovee, _or_ Koveeeea, _Bad_. Bongee, bongee, _To-morrow_. Peepee, _A pair of scissors_. Chenna, _Friend, I say_; _hark ye_. Geelee, _or_ geeree, _The skin_. Etchee, _To peel a cocoa-nut_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Taha pai, _One thing, as a day_, &c. Totto, _Blood_. Roatoo, _Shall I go_. Whakae, _Look, see_. Whakae my, _Let me see it_. Arooweevo, _Below; to let down a rope, or to go down over the ship's side to trade_. Aingy, _Large clams_, or _cockles_. Beegee, _A chief_. Eatooa, _God_. A bo, _To-night, at night_. Any, _Presently, by and by_. Elangee, _The sky_. Elaa, _The sun_. Ao, _Clouds_. Jeela, _A canoe's yard_. Laa, _A sail_. Falle wakaeea, _The hut in a large canoe_. Faee, _To play_. Tallafoo, _The fire-place in a large boat_. Goolee, _A sort of windlass, or belaying place for the rope of their sail_. Tataa, _A scoop for bailing out a boat_. Taia, _White_. Oolee, _Black_. Goola, _Red_. Ohooafee, _Smoke_. Geeai, _A close kind of mat_. Fofooa, _Pimples_. Maaloonga, _High, mountainous_. Mai, _Motions with the hands in dancing_. Touvaa, _A cap, or bonnet, they wear to shade them from the sun_. Majeela, _A large bamboo fishing-rod_. Pai, _A thing_. Mamahee, _Pain_. Echee, _or_ eeke, _Small, little_. Cheeatta, _A looking-glass_. Tangameeme, _A bladder_.

_Friendly Isles_, English. Goobainga, _A fishing-net_. Elillo, _Below, underneath_. Faee, _To shave_. Motooa, _A parent_. Moumy, _To paddle_, or _row_. Avy, ava, _or_ govy, _A harbour_, or _anchoring-place_. Po, taha, pai, _In one day_. Ebaika, _A large bat_. Kakaa, _A parrot_. Tooge, _Marks on the cheek, made by beating_. Nono, _To hide a thing_. Fonooa, _or_ Kaeenga, _Land_. Beeoo, _A palm which bean clusters of very small nuts_. Haoomoo, _A large blunt sort of plantains_. Goolo, _A globular earthen pot_, or _vessel_. Manga, mangatei, _A large blue star-fish_. Hainga, _A parroquet_. Maagonna, _Full, satisfied with eating_. Maheena, _The moon_. Teeleeamoo, _A secret_. Fonooa bou, _A land of plenty_. Oobai, _A song_. Foolehaioo, _The green wattle bird_. Pailoo, _A spoon_. Kulle, velaive, _A large white spider, with brown and white legs_. Fageeta, _A ceremony of kissing, &c. on a new acquaintance_. Goomaa, _A rat_. Agoota, oomoo, _To put a thing in an oven_. Oomoo, _An oven_. Eadda, _A path_. Mattabaa, _A door_. Togga, _A large stick used as a bar behind the door_. Koheeabo, _The paper mulberry-plant_. Faa, _Palm, called Pandanas_. Tangata, _or_ tangatta, _A man_. Taheina, _A child_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Onne, onne, _White sand_. Pai, _Ripe, old_. Ea, _A fence made of bamboo_, &c. Toee, _The wood which they make their canoes of_. Mafaee, _Wasp's nests built in the pod of a plant_. Kappe, _A large cylindrical edible root_. Ongo, ongo, _A small palm growing to the height of eight feet_. Gooholla, _It is gone_, or _flown_. Mai, kawaia, _To take away a thing_. Mai, Evaheeoo, _To let a thing remain_. Kaeenga, _Land_, or _property the shore_. Fyatooka, _A burying-place_. Woee, _Admiration_. Koeee, _A fan_. Waggee hou, _Let it alone_. Bai, _Great_. Laika, laika, _Good_. Ooo, _A crayfish_. Feengafee, _A black and white mat_. Aingatooeea, _Stained red rushes, which they wear round the waist_. An, any, _A little while ago_. Hengatoo, _Glazed cloth which they wear_. Falla, _A thick strong mat_. Mahagee, _A sort of ulcer, that leaves large laced scars_. Akkaree, _A stool to lay the head on when asleep_. Naffa, _A large cylindrical piece of wood, hollowed with a slit, which serves as a drum_. Toa, _A spear_. Etanno, _To bury under ground_. Afai, _When_. Otoogoo, _Finished_. Maree, _or_ mareeai, _Well done; an acclamation_. Fafa, _To carry one on the back_. Mamao, _A great way; distant_. Meedje, meedje, _To drink out of a cocoa-nut_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Matta, _The face_. Ty, or Etae, _Excrement_. Faitanoo, _A sort of pepper-tree, the juice of which is very acrid_. Nafee, nafee, _A fine white sort of mat_. Abee, _A house to sleep in_. Touaa, _A square bonnet_. Fukke, fety, _To give a thing gratis_, or _for friendship's sake_. Tooa, or Tooaeea, _A servant_, or _person of inferior rank_. Fukkatooa, _A challenging motion, made by striking the hand on the bend of the opposite arm_. Kaeehya, or kaeehaa, _A thief_. Fooloo, _A quill_. Moojeekakka, _A basket made of cocoa-nut core, and white beads_. Mahanga, _A brother_. Macele, _An odoriferous shrub, planted near the Fyatooka_. Fofolla, _To unfold a piece of cloth_. Kotjee, _None_. Taboone, _To close_, or _shut; a partition_ or _skreen_. Too, _To draw back a curtain_, or _skreen_. Ava, _A window; hole_. Fonooa, foohoo, _A land of warriors_. Taboo, _Not to touch a thing_. Goomoo; goomoo, _A species of lichen, that grows plentifully on some trees_. Laiva, _For good and all; certainly_. Bagooee, _A prickly star-fish_. Bedjeeloa, _A crab, with black claws_. Fae, _A sister_. Makka fatoo, _Coral rock_. Gailee, gailee, _Dirt_. Maa, _Clean_. Ma, tagge tagge, _Let me look at it_. Konna, _Poison_. Fekaee, or smalte, fekaee. _Hunger_.

_Friendly Isles_, English. Matte, fee aeenoo, _Thirst_. Aieenoo, _To drink_. Awhainne, _Near at hand_. Monoo, _An expression of thanks_. Mattahoa, _Very good_. Toooa, _Both, we; both of us_. Fooa, _repeated_, _A great number_. Boola, _Small white shells_. Anoo, anoo, _To swim_. Anga, _A man_. Haile, _A knife_. Haile, fofoo, _A knife that shuts_. Adoo, _Give it; to give_. Geehea, _Which_, or _what_. Tohagge, _Let me look at_, or _see it_. Namoogoo, _A stink_, or _bad smell_. Narooo, kakulla, _A sweet smell_. Boobooa, tahee, _Salt_. Meeme, _Urine_. Owo, owo, owo, _No, no, no_. Fohee, _To peel a plantain_. Ajeeneu, _A vessel to put drink in_. Tangee, fe toogee, _Striking the cheeks on the death of their relations_. Mamaha, _Coral rock under water_. Oohee, _A species of diosma_. Mawhaha, _An excellent root like a potatoe_. Baa, _A crackling noise; to crack, or snap_. Boogo, _The largest sort of tree in the islands_. Taifo, _A mullet_. Amou, _Whole; sound; true; valid_. Faigeeaika, _Iambos_. Kakou, _A shoal_, or _reef, on which the sea breaks_.

Shainga (_in the language_ _No; there is none_. _of Feejee_),

Fangoo, _A small calibash shell_. Oore, oore, _Black_. Looloo, _An owl_. Murroo, _Soft_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Faifaika, _Hard_. Feengotta, _A sort of shell_. Wouainee, _I am here_; i.e. _when called upon_. Mahaggee, fatoo, _A dropsy_. Goee enee, _Near at hand_. Fukka, ma fooa, _An arbour in which they catch pigeons, &c_. Fatooree, _Thunder_. A faa, _A Storm; lightning_. Toufarre, _A besom_. Tongo, _A wood, of which bows are made_. Ooha, _Rain_. Tooboo, _To grow_. Tawagge, totto, _The red-tailed tropic bird_. Kadjee, _There is no more_; or _none_. Fanna, fanna, _To wash the hands before meals_. Mooonga, _Mountains; a mountain_. Keeneeo, _Low land_. Laoo allee, _A great many; an endless number_. Ogookaee, _No; there is none_. Laia, _or_ koelaia, _Speech; words_. Kaho, _An arrow_. Aieeboo, _A vessel,_ or _dish_. Tooee, _A club_. Feila, _To pull a rope_. Eevee, aai, _A cheer, in pulling a rope_. Feilaa too, _A word given by one, on pulling a rope, and the rest repeat_ Woa, _as a response_. Engago, _Fat_, or _lard of a hog_. Kanno, matte, _The lean part of meat_. Kofooa, _A kidney_. Kollofeea, _The name of the volcano on Tofooa_. Moggocheea, _Cold_. Hooa, _The going about,_ or _tacking of a ship_. Ongonna, _To understand_. Kaee ongonna, _I do not understand you_. Mafanna, _Warm_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Anapo, _Last night_. Fakkahooa, _The southerly wind_; or _a foul wind_. Looloo, _To roll, as a ship_. Matangee, _The wind_. Matangee anga, _or_} _The east and north wind_, or _a_ matangee leeoo, } _fair wind_. Amooee, _or_ tamooree, _From behind_. Amooa, _or_ tamooa, _From before_. Ahaa, _or_ koehaa, _For what reason_? Mohe fai, _Where shall I sleep_? Koo mafoore, _To be along_, or _yield, as a ship close hauled_. Palla, _Rotten_. Elooa, _A hole_. Molle, _or_ molle molle, _Smooth_. Keeai, _A plant they make mats of; the cultivated Pandanus_. Tongo laiee, _Mangrove_. Reemoo, _Sea-weed_. Fety, _A term of friendship_. Jeejee, _Esculent dracaena_. Taboo laia, _Don't speak; hold your tongue_. Toonoa, _Dressed, cooked_. Tohke, _A measure_. Toohagge, _Let me see it_. Taheine, _A young girl; a daughter_. Haine, _Here_. Baiahou, _Swell of the sea_. Maea, _A rope_. Otta, _Raw; as raw meat_. Moho, _Meat well dressed_. Maoo lillo, _Low land_. Moanua, _Deep water; sea_. Kae haia, _Which is it you want_? Vava tahee, _Red coral_. Feefy, _A species of mimosa_. Fatoo, _The belly_. Mee mee, _To suck bones_. Meedje meedje, _To suck as a child_. Ooree, _A rudder_. Tainga, _A seed of a plant_.

_Friendly Isles_, English. Oolel teffe, _Incisions in the foreskin, which contracting present its covering the glans_. Vefoo, _To Hide a thing_. Laifa, _A silver-fish_. Heenaheena, _White; yellow_. Feeoo, _Acrid; bitter_. Goomo, _To look for a thing that is lost_. Eeta, _Angry_. Aneafee, _Yesterday_. Gefai, _Unknown; strange; as a strange man_. Fono, _To eat_. Kailee tokee, _A Panama-shell_. Toffe, _A sort of hammer oyster_. Toogoo, _Let it lie, or remain_. Koehaa, hono, hengoa, _What is the name of it_? Loee, _To understand_. Booga, _To hold fast_. Loloa, _Long_. Kotjee, _To cut_. Fatjee, _To break_. Fohenna, _A son; a brother_. Matee, _A fig-tree_. Lohee, _A lie_. Mato, _Steep; high_. Patoo, _A stroke; to strike_. Hooho, _The breasts_. Momoggo, _Cold_. Saiouhai, _Admiration_. Noo, _Mine; of me_. Valla, _A piece of cloth worn round the waist_. Doooyoo, a matoo, eeoee, _A song in favour of a victor_. Mulloo, _Serene; settled; smooth_. Vaitte, _To untie a thing_. Moheefo, _Come down below_. Fetagee; malowhee, _To fight_. Tao, _A spear_. Eenee, _Now; immediately_. Mamanna; au manna manna, _Engaged; contracted to_. Fukka, booakka, _An epithet of abuse; contempt_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Aleolo, _To fan, or cool_. Tammaha, _Certain great chiefs_. Tamolao, _Chief_. Mahae, _A torn hole_. Goefai, _What is_. Laoo, _To count_, or _reckon_. Manakko, _To give_. Fooo, _New; lately made_. Modooa, _Old; worn_. Maa, _A sour plantain, by being put under ground_. Kaifoo, _A brownish yellow_. Eafee, _To play on the flute_. Mou afai, _When do you go?_ Afaia, _How many?_ Cheefa, _A pearl oyster_. Gooe, goee, _A saw shell_. Fotoohoa, _A rock oyster_. Ogoo, _Of me; belonging to me_. Lelange, _To make_. Behange, _Let me see it_. Foo, _To box_. Heeva, _A song, with many women singing different keys_. Ooloo pokko, _The head_. Koukou, _To bathe_. Mabba, _A three-kernelled nut_. Eelo, _To know_. Fotte, fotta, _To squeeze gently with the hands_. Fangootooa, _Wrestling_. Momoho, _Ripe_. Koffe, _Bamboo which they beat with on the ground_. Alla, _I say_. Waila, _Hot_. Pango, _Bad_. Orlongaa, _Thread of which they make their nets, or the plant_. Monee, _Truth_. Anga, _A shark_. Laffa, _Ringworm_. Fooa, _Fruit; flower_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Kokka, _A tree they stain their cloth brown with_, i. e. _the bark_. Moooee, _Alive; life; soul; God, or divine spirit_. Tooo, _A tree, with the berries of which they stain their cloth_. Ogoohaika, _Who shall I give this to? Who shall I help_? Maha, _Finished; empty_. Pagge, _A little paddle they exercise with_. Faio, _Small-branched coral_. Cheeagge, _To throw a thing away_. Faiee tamma, _Pregnancy_. Lalanga, _To make_. Vao, _A wild uncultivated country_. Neeoo goola, _Cabbage-tree_. Routte, _Hibiscus; rosa sinensis_. Foa, _A custom of beating the head with a tooth till it bleeds_. Cheelee neefo, _A custom of beating the teeth on the same occasion_. Hogga tainga, _A custom of thrusting a spear into their thighs; also a mourning ceremony_. Toofatao, _Thrusting a spear into the sides under the arm-pits on these occasions_. Tooengootoo, _Doing the same through the cheeks into the mouth_. Kafoo, _The garment they commonly wear_. Offa, _A term of friendship_; as, Taio offa, _My friend, I am glad to see you_. Toofa, _To divide, or share out food_. Maeneene, _To tickle_. Hailulla, _Sarcosma_. Hooo, _A wooden instrument with which they clear away grass from their fences_. Aho, _The dawn_, or _day-break_.

_Friendly Isles_. English. Gooaa, _Who is it_? Avo, _To go_; or _take away_. Valle, _Mad_. Lelaiee a bee kovee, _Is it good_, or _bad_? Taboonee, _To shut_, or _close_. Taae, _To beat_, or _strike_. Ahae, _Who_, or _where_. Mamaa, _Light_. Mamaffa, _Heavy_. Faike, _A cuttle-fish_. Vai veegoo, _Wet; moist_.

A VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF ATOOI, ONE OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

_January_, 1778.[194]

[Footnote 194: This Vocabulary properly belongs to a subsequent part of the voyage, but is given here for the greater facility of comparison with the preceding, and as a fit companion also to that of the Society Isles, inserted in a former part of the volume.--E.]

* * * * *

_Atooi_. English. Tehaia, _Where_. Mahaia, _Ditto_. Aorre, _or_ Aoe, _No_. He oho, _The hair_. E poo, _The head_. Papaiee aoo, _The ear_. Heraee, _The forehead_. Matta, _The eye_. Pappareenga, _The cheek_. Haieea, _Fish_. Eeeheu, _The nose_. Oome oome, _The beard_. Haire, _To go_. Erawha, _Tears of joy_. Aee, _The neck_. Poheeve, _The arm_. Ooma ooma, _The breast_. Heoo, _The nipple_. Peeto, _The navel_.

_Atooi_. English, Hoohaa, _The thigh_. He,wawy, _The leg_. Eroui, _Wait a little_. Areea, _Wait a little_. Myao, _Finger and toe nails_. Eeno, _Bad_. Hootee, hootee, _To pluck up_, or _out_. Tooanna, _A brother_. Teina, _A younger brother_. Otooma heeva, _A man's name_. Nanna, _Let me see it_. Noho, _To sit_. Hoe, _To go_. Hooarra, _Sweet potatoes_. E Taeeai, _Calling to one_. Waheine, _A woman_. Teeorre, _To throw away a thing_. He, aieeree, _The skin_. Ma, ty ty, _To look at_, or _survey a thing_. Tommomy, _Come here_. Erooi, _To retch, to puke_. Too, _Sugar-cane_. Maa mona, _Sweet_ or _savoury food_. Tooharre, _To spit_. Matou, _I, first person singular_. My, ty, _Good_. Otaeaio, } _Names of two chiefs_. Terurotoa,} Oome, _A great number_. Poe, _Taro pudding_. Oohe, _Yams_. Booa, _A hog_. Eeneeoo, _Cocoa-nuts_. Ono, _To understand_. Eetee, _To understand_, or _know_. Otae, _A man's name_. Maonna, _Full, satisfied with eating_. Owytooehainoa, _What is your name_? Tanata, _A man_. Tangata, _Ditto_. Pahoo, _A drum_. Ehoora, _A kind of dance_.

_Atooi_. English. Maro, _A narrow stripe of cloth they wear_. Hoemy; harremy, _To come_. Eroemy, _Fetch it here_. Taooa, _We_, first person plural. Toura, _A rope_. Ooroo, _Bread-fruit_. Etee, _Dracaena_. Appe, _Virginian Arum_. Matte, _Dead_. Aoonai, _In a short time; presently_. Paha, _Perhaps_. Ai, _Yes_. Ateera, _Done; at an end_. Hevaite, _To unfold_. Noona, _Above_. Tapaia, _To abide; to keep_, or _restrain from going_. Poore, _A prayer_. Tahouna, _A priest_. Atee, _To fetch_, or _bring_. Meeme, _To make water_. Ehaia, _Where_. Poota, _A hole_. Mao, _That way_. Mareira, _This place_. Eeo, _There_. Evaa, _A canoe_. Touroonoa, _A man's name_. My ty, _Let me look_. Aieeboo, _A vessel of gourd shell_. Ahewaite, _Mullus cretaceus_. Opoore, _Sparus parvus punctatus_. Taee, _The sea_. Evy, _Fresh water_. Aiva, _A harbour_. Eerotto, _Within, into_. Owyte eree, _What is the chief's name_? Toneoneo, _A chief's name_. Motoo, _To tear_, or _break_. Toe, _A stone adze_. Vaheoo, _Let it lie_, or _remain_.

_Atooi_. English. Haieehe, _A barbed dart_. Hooroo manoo, _Birds' feathers_. Motoo, _An island_. Hamoea, _A ceremony of clapping the hands to the head, and prostrating themselves to the chief_. Worero, _Lost; stole_. Aeenoo, _To drink_. Tehaia, orooa, _Where are you_? Ou, _I_, first person singular. Eunai, _Here; at this place_. Pororee, _Hunger; hungry_. Hereema, _A species of Sida_. Meere, meere, _To look at_, or _behold_. Moa, _A fowl_. Manoo, _A bird_. Dirro, _Below_. Modooa, tanne, _Father_. Modooa, waheme, _Mother_. Naiwe, nawie, _Pleasant; agreeable_. Hai raa, _The sun_. Hairanee, _The sky_. Abobo, _To-morrow_. Heaho, _A small rope_. Tereira, _There; that way_. Pymy, _Throw it here_. Ewououtte, _Morus Papyrif_. Moe, _To sleep_. Nooe, _Large_. Poowha, _To yawn_. Ahaia, _When; at what time_. Wehai, _To uncover and undo a thing_. Tooto, _A small straw rope_. Eaha, nai, _What is this_? Maeea, _Plantains_. Parra, _Ripe; as, ripe fruit_. Toe, toe, _Cold_. Matanee, _The wind_. Etoo, _To rise up_. Haireetoo, _To go there_. Hoatoo, _To give_.

_Atooi_. English. Eeapo, _Night_. Eahoiahoi, _Evening_. Oora, _Red feathers_. Teehe, _A present of cloth_. Herairemy, _A place on which fruit is laid as an offering to God_. Henananoo, _A square pile of wicker-work_, or _religious obelisk_. Hereeere, _A burying-ground_. Eteepappa, _The inside of a burying-ground_. Harre, _A house_. Harre pahoo, _A drum-house in a burying-ground_. Heneene, _A wall, the wall of a burying-ground_. Heho, _A stone set up in a burying-ground, consecrated to the Deity_. Eatooa, _A god_. Tangaroa, _The name of the god of the place we were at_. None, _Morinda citrifolia_. Hereanee, _Small twig things in a burying-ground_. Hemanaa, _A house_, or _hut, where they bury their dead_. Herooanoo, _Wooden images in a burying-house_. Tooraipe, _A kind of head-dress_, or _helmet on an image_. Eahoi, _Hire_. Pohootoo noa, _A cream-coloured whet-stone_. Poota paire, _A district, at the western part of the isle_. Eonnotaine, _A short cloak of black and white feathers_. Ottahoinoo, _One article_, or _thing_. Epappa, _A board used to swim upon_. Oneete, _A kind of cloth_. Heorro taire, _A small scarlet bird_, or _merops scarlatina_. Taa, _An interjection of admiration_.

_Atooi_. English. Epoo, _A bracelet of a single shell_. Eou, _To swim_. Tearre, _Gardenia_, or _Cape Jasmine_. Heoudoo, _A refusal; I will not do it_, or _take that for this_.

Eeorre, _A rat_. Ehooo, _A gimblet, or any instrument to bore with_. Epaoo, or ooapa, _There is no more; it is done_, or _finished_. Matou, _A particular sort of fish-hook_. Erahoi, dehoi, _Thin; as, thin cloth, board, &c_. Pattahaee, or he roui,_A sort of musical instrument_ or _rattle, ornamented with red feathers_. Eappanai, _A plume of feathers they wear_. Etooo, _The Cordia sebestina_. Whatte, _To break_. Oeea, _Yes; it is so_. Heoreeoree, _A song_. Paraoo, _A wooden bowl_. Apooava, _A shallow wooden dish they drink Ava out of_. Etoohe, toohee, _A particular sort of cloth_. Ootee, or otee, otee, _To cut_. Pappaneeheomano, _A wooden instrument beset with shark's teeth, used to cut up those they kill_. Maheine, _A wife_. Homy, _Give me_. Moena, or moenga, _A mat to sleep on_. Eeno, _An adjunct, when they express any thing good, though by itself, it signifies bad. Thus they say_, Erawha eeno, _good greeting, as the Otaheitans say_, Ehoa eeno, _or my good friend_. Taboo, or tafoo, _Any thing not to be touched, as being forbid. This is an example that shews the transmutation of the_ H, F, _and_ B,

_Atooi_. English. _into each other. Thus at Otaheite yams are_ oohe, _at Tonga_ oofe, _at New Caledonia_ oobe; _and here_ taboo _is_ tafoo. Maooa, _I_, first person singular. Heno, _Little rods, about five feet long, with a tuft of hair on the small end_. Patae, _Salt_. Aheia, _A round pearl-shell_. Teanoo, _The cold arising from being in the water_. Tammata, _The sense of taste_. Ootoo, _A louse_. Ehone, _To salute by applying one nose to the other._ Ehogge _at New Zealand, and_ Ehoe _at Otaheite_. My, _A sore of any kind_. Oura, _or_ ouraa, _Cured; recovered; alive; well_. Mango, _A shark_. Te _and_ he, _The_. Heneeoohe, _An instrument made of a shark's tooth fixed on a wooden handle, to cut with_. Eea, _An adjunct, as at Otaheite, to give strength to an expression_. Paoo roa, _Quite done; finished_. Ee, _At_. Taira, _That; the other_. Ahoo aura, _Red cloth_. Henaro, _A fly_. Ehateinoa, _What is the name of that_? Heweereweere, _An outrigger of a canoe_. Mawaihe, _The sail of a canoe_. Eheou, _The mast of a canoe_. Hetoa, _The yard of a sail._ Ooamou, _Fast; secure; sound; whole_. Hono, _To go; to move_. Matou, _Fear_. Pooa, _An arrow_.

_Atooi_. English. Teeto, _A bow_. Epaee, _Wooden bowls made from the Etoo_. Ohe, _Bamboo_. Henaroo, _The swell of the sea_. Motoo, _land_. Ehetoo, _A star_. Marama, _The moon_. Ouameeta, _A man's name_.

_Numerals to Ten, as at Otaheite_.

END OF VOLUME FIFTEENTH.