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V

THE

THREE

VOYAGES

OF

CAPTAIN JAMES COOK

ROUND THE WORLD.

COMPLETE

3u &tbm WLqImw&.

WITH MAP AND OTHER PLATES,

VOL. VI.

BEING THE SECOND OF THE THIRD VOYAGE,

LONDON:

PRINTED FOB

LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN,

PATERNOSTER-ROW ,

1821.

CONTENTS

OF

THE SIXTH VOLUME,

THIRD VOYAGE.
BOOK III.

Transactions at Otaheite, and the Society Islands ,* and Pro-
secution of the Voyage to the Coast of North America.

CHAP. L

An Eclipse of the Moon observed. The Island Toobouai dis-
covered. Its Situation, Extent, and Appearance. Inter-
course with its Inhabitants. Their Persons, Dresses, and
Canoes, described. Arrival in Oheitepeha Bay at Otaheite.
Omai's Reception, and imprudent Conduct. Account of
Spanish Ships twice visiting the Island. Interview with the
Chief of this District. The Olla, or God, of Bolabola. A
mad Prophet, Arrival in Matavai Bay - Page 3

CHAP. II.

Interview with Otoo, King ot tiie Island. Imprudent Conduct
of Omai. Employments on Shore. European Animals land-
ed. Particulars about a Native who had visited Lima.
About Oedidee. A Revolt in Eimeo. War with that Island
determined upon, in a Council of Chiefs. A human Sacrifice
on that Account. A particular Relation of the Ceremonies at
the great Morai, where the Sacrifice was offered. Other bar-
barous Customs of this people 21

CHAP III.

Conference with Towha. Heevas described. Omai and Oedi-
dee give Dinners. Fireworks exhibited. A remarkable
Present of Cloth. Manner of preserving the Body of a dead
Chief. Another human Sacrifice. Riding on Horseback.
Otoo's Attention to supply Provisions, and prevent Thefts.
Animals given to him. Etary and the Deputies of a Chief

have Audiences. A Mock-fight of two War Canoes Naval

Strength of these Islands. Manner of Conducting a War 44

VI CONTENTS,

CHAP. IV.

The Day of sailing fixed. Peace made with Eimeo. Debates
about it, and Otoo's Conduct blamed. A Solemnity at the
Morai on the Occasion, described by Mr. King. Observations
upon it. Instance of Otoo's Art. Omai's War Canoe, and
Remarks upon his Behaviour. Otoo's Present, and Message
to the King of Great Britain. Reflections on our Manner of
Traffic, and on the good Treatment we met with at Otaheite.
Account of the Expedition of the Spaniards. Their Fictions

to depreciate the English Wishes expressed that no Settle-

ment may be made, Omai's jealousy of another Traveller

Page 58

CHAP. V.

Arrival at Eimeo. Two Harbours there, and an Account of
them. Visit from Maheine, Chief of the Island. His Person
described. A Goat stolen, and sent back with the Thief.
Another Goat stolen, and secreted. Measures taken on the
Occasion. Expedition cross the Island. Houses and Canoes
burnt. The Goat delivered up, and Peace restored. Some
Account of the Island, &c. 74?

CHAP. VI.

Arrival at Huaheine. Council of the Chiefs. Omai's Offerings,
and Speech to the Chiefs. His Establishment in this Island
agreed to. A House built, and Garden planted for him. ~
Singuliuli^y f ki Sanation. Measures tnkpn to insure his
Safety. Damage done by Cnol.roarhes, on board thp Ships.
A Thief detected and punished. Fireworks exhibited Ani-
mals left with Omai. His Family. Weapons. Inscriptions
on his House. His Behaviour on the Ships leaving the Island.

Summary View of his Conduct and Character. Account

of the two New Zealand Youths 85

CHAP. VII.

Arrival at Ulietea. Astronomical Observations. A Marine
deserts, and is delivered up. Intelligence from Omai. In-
structions to Captain Clerke. Another Desertion of a Mid-
shipman and a Seaman. Three of the Chief Persons of the

Island confined on that Account A Design to seize Captains

Cook and Clerke, discovered. The two Deserters brought
back, and the Prisoners released. The Ships sail. Refresh-
ments received at Ulietea. Present and former State of that
Island. Account of its dethroned King, and of the late Re-
gent of Huaheine - - - - 104

CONTENTS. Vll-

CHAP. VIII.

Arrival at Bolabola. Interview with Opoony. Reasons for
purchasing Monsieur Bougainville's Anchor. Departure from
the Society Islands. Particulars about Bolabola. History of

the Conquest of Otaha and Ulietea High Reputation of the

Bolabola Men. Animals left there, and at Ulietea. Plenti-
ful Supply of Provisions, and Manner of salting Pork on
board. Various Reflections relative to Otaheite, and the
Society Islands. Astronomical and Nautical Observations
made there - - - - Page 118

CHAP. IX.

Accounts of Otaheite still imperfect. The prevailing Winds.

Beauty of the Country Cultivation. Natural Curiosities.

The Persons of the Natives. Diseases. General Character.
- Love of Pleasure. Language. Surgery and Physic.
Articles of Food. Effects of drinking Ava. Times and Man-
ner of Eating. Connections with the Females. Circum-
cision. System of Religion. Notions about the Soul and a
future Life. Various Superstitions. Traditions about the
Creation. An Historical Legend. Honours paid to the
King. Distinction of Ranks. Punishment of Crimes.
Peculiarities of the neighbouring Islands. Names of their
Gods. Names of Islands they visit. Extent of their Navi-
gation - - - 131

CHAP. X.

Progress of the Voyage, after leaving the Society Islands. Christ-
mas Island discovered, and Station of the Ships there. Boats
eent ashore. Great Success in catching Turtle. An Eclipse
of the Sun observed. Distress of two Seamen who had lost
their Way. Inscription left in a Bottle. Account of the
Island. Its Soil. Trees and Plants. Birds. Its Size.
Form. Situation. Anchoring-ground - - 166

CHAP. XL

Some Islands discovered. Account of the Natives of Atooi, who
come off to the Ships, and their Behaviour on going onboard.
One of them killed. Precautions used to prevent Intercourse
with the Females. A Watering-place found. Reception
upon landing. Excursion into the Country. A Morai visited
and described. Graves of the Chiefs, and of the human Sacri-
fices there buried. Another Island, called Oneehow, visited.
Ceremonies performed by the Natives, who go off to the Ships-
Reasons for believing that they are Cannibals, A Party sent
ashore, who remain two Nights. Account of what passed on

Vlil CONTENTS*

landing. The Ships leave the Islands, and proceed to the
North - . . . _ Page 176

CHAP. XII.

The Situation of the Islands now discovered. Their Names.

Called the Sandwich Islands. Atooi described. The Soil

Climate Vegetable Productions Birds. Fish. Domes-
tic Animals. Persons of the Inhabitants. Their Disposition.

Dress Ornaments. Habitations. Food. Cookery.

Amusements. Manufactures Working-tools. Knowledge

of Iron accounted for. Canoes. Agriculture. Account of
one of their Chiefs. Weapons. Customs agreeing with those

of Tongataboo, and Otaheite Their Language the same.

Extent of this Nation throughout the Pacific Ocean. Reflec-
tions on the useful Situation of the Sandwich Islands - 204?

CHAP. XIII.

Observations made at the Sandwich Islands, on the Longitude,
Variation of the Compass and Tides. Prosecution of the
Voyage. Remarks on the Mildness of the Weather, as far as
the Latitude 44 North. Paucity of Sea Birds, in the Northern
Hemisphere. Small Sea Animals described. Arrival on the
Coast of America. Appearance of the Country. Unfavour-
able Winds, and boisterous Weather. Remarks on Martin
d'Aguillar's River, and Juan de Fuca's pretended Strait. An
Inlet discovered, where the Ships anchor. Behaviour of the
Natives _-... 23S

BOOK IV.

Transactions amongst the Natives of North America ; Dis-
coveries along that Coast and the Eastern Extremity of
Asia, Northward to Icy Cape ; and Return Southward to
the Sandwich Islands.

CHAP L

The Ships enter the Sound, and moor in a Harbour. Intercourse
with the Natives. Articles brought to barter. Thefts com-
mitted. The Observatories erected, and Carpenters set to
work. Jealousy of the Inhabitants of the Sound to prevent
other Tribes having Intercourse with the Ships. Stormy and
rainy Weather. Progress round the Sound. Behaviour of
the Natives at their Villages. Their Manner of drying Fish,
c. Remarkable Visit from Strangers, and introductory

CONTENTS. IX

Ceremonies. A second Visit to one of the Villages. Leave
to cut Grass, purchased. The Ships sail. Presents given
and received at parting. - Page 247

CHAP. II.

The Name of the Sound, and Directions for sailing into it. Ac-
count of the adjacent Country. Weather. Climate. Trees.
Other vegetable Productions. Quadrupeds, whose Skins were
brought for Sale. Sea Animals. Description of a Sea Otter.

Birds. Water Fowl. Fish. Shell-fish, &c Reptiles.

Insects. Stones, &c. Persons of the Inhabitants. T^heir
Colour. Common Dress and Ornaments. Occasional Dresses
and monstrous Decorations of Wooden Masks. Their general
Dispositions. Songs. Musical Instruments. Their Eager-
ness to possess Iron and other Metals - - 264

CHAP. III.

Manner of building the Houses in Nootka Sound. Inside of them
described. Furniture and Utensils. Wooden Images.
Employments of the Men. Of the Women. Food, Animal
and Vegetable. Manner of preparing it. Weapons. Manu-
factures and Mechanic Arts. Carving- and Painting. Canoes.

Implements for Fishing and Hunting. * Iron Tools. Man-
ner of procuring that Metal. Remarks on their Language,
and a Specimen of it. Astronomical and Nautical Observations
made in Nootka Sound _ . _ . 287

CHAP. IV.

A Storm after sailing from Nootka Sound. Resolution springs .a
Leak. Pretended Strait of Admiral de Fonte passed unex-
amined. Progress along the Coast of America. Beering's
Bay. Kaye's Island. Account of it. The Ships come to
Anchor. Visited by the Natives. Their Behaviour. Fond-
ness for Beads and Iron. Attempt to plunder the Discovery.
Resolution's Leak stopped. Progress up the Sound. Messrs.
Gore and Roberts sent to examine its Extent. Reasons
against a Passage to the North through it. The Ships proceed
tlown it, to the open Sea - -.-.- 313

CHAP. V.

The Inlet called Prince William's Sound. Its Extent. =- Per-
sons of the Inhabitants described. Their Dress. Incision of
their under Lip. Various other Ornaments. Their Boats.
Weapons, fishing and hunting Instruments. Utensils. Tools.

vol. vi, a

X CONTENTS.

Uses Iron is applied to.; Food. Language, and a Specimen
of it. Animals. Birds. Fish. Iron and Beads, whence
received - Page 336

CHAP. VI.

Progress along the Coast. Cape Elizabeth. Cape St. Hermo-
genes. Accounts of Beering's Voyage very defective. Point
Banks Cape Douglas. Cape Bede. Mount St. Augustin.

Hopes of finding a Passage up an Inlet. The Ships proceed
up it. Indubitable Marks of its being a River. Named Cook's
River. The Ships return down it. Various Visits from the
Natives. Lieutenant King lands, and takes possession of the
Country. His Report. The Resolution runs aground on a
Shoal. Reflections on the Discovery of Cook's River. The
considerable Tides in it accounted for - - 351

CHAP. VII.

Discoveries after leaving Cook's River. Island of St. Hermor
genes Cape Whitsunday. Cape Greville. Cape Barnabas.

Two-headed Point. Trinity Island. Beering's Foggy
Island. A beautiful Bird described. Kodiak, and the Schu-
magin Islands. A Russian Letter brought on board by a
Native. Conjectures about it. Rock Point. Halibut Island.

A Volcano Mountain. -*- Providential Escape. Arrival of
the Ships at Oonalaschka. Intercourse with the Natives there.

Another Russian Letter. Samganoodha Harbour described

370

CHAP. VIII.

Progress northward, after leaving Oonalashka. The Islands

Oonella and Acootan. Ooneemak. Shallowness of the Water

.along the Coast. Bristol Bay. Round Island. Calm Point.

Cape Newenham. Lieutenant Williamson lands, and his
Report. Bristol Bay, and its extent. The Ships obliged to
return, on account of Shoals. Natives come off to the Ships.

Death of Mr. Anderson;, his Character; and Island named

after him Point Rodney. Sledge Island, and Remarks on

landing there King's Island. Cape Prince of Wales, the

western Extreme of America. Course westward. Anchor
in a Bay on the Coast of Asia - 390

CHAP. IX.

Behaviour of the Natives, the Tschutski, on seeing the Ships.
Interview with some of them. Their Weapons. Persons.
Ornaments. Clothing. Winter and Summer Habitations.

CONTENTS. XI

The Ships cross the Strait to the Coast of America. Pro-
gress northward. Cape Mulgrave. Appearance of Fields of
Ice. Situation of Icy Cape. The Sea blocked up with Ice.

Sea-horses killed, and used as Provisions. These Animals

described. Dimensions of one of them. Cape Lisburne.
Fruitless Attempts to get through the Ice, at a Distance from
the Coast. Observations on the Formation of this Ice.
Arrival on the Coast of Asia. Cape North. The Prosecu-
tion of the Voyage deferred to the ensuing Year Page 409

CHAP. X.

Return from Cape North, along the Coast of Asia. Views of the
Country Burney's Island. Cape Serdze Kamen, the north-
ern Limit of Beering's Voyage. Pass the East Cape of Asia.

Description and Situation of it. Observations on Muller.

The Tschutski. Bay of St. Laurence. Two other Bays,
and Habitations of the Natives. Beering's Cape Tschukot-
skoi. Beering's Position of this Coast accurate. Island of
Saint Laurence. Pass to the American Coast. Cape Darby.

Bald Head. Cape Denbigh, on a Peninsula. Besborough
Island. Wood and Water procured. Visits from the Natives.

Their Persons and Habitations. Produce of the Country.

Marks that the Peninsula had formerly been surrounded by
the Sea. Lieutenant King's Report. Norton Sound. Lunar
Observations there. Staehlin's Map proved to be erroneous.

Plan of future Operations - 427

CHAP. XI.

Discoveries after leaving Norton Sound. Stuart's Isjand

Cape Stephens. Point Shallow-water. Shoals on the Ame-
rican Coast. . Clerke's Island. Gore's Island. Pinnacle
Island. Arrival at Oonalashka. Intercourse with the Natives

and Russian Traders Charts of the Russian Discoveries,

communicated by Mr. Ismyloff. . Their Errors pointed out.
Situation of the Islands visited by the Russians. Account of
their Settlement at Oonalashka. Of the Natives of the Island.

Their Persons. Dress. Ornaments. Food. Houses,
and domestic Utensils. Manufactures. Manner of pro-
ducing Fire. Canoes. Fishing and hunting Implements.
Fishes, and Sea Animals. Sea and Water Fowls, and Land

Birds. Land Animals and Vegetables Manner of burying

their Dead. Resemblance of the Natives on this Side of
America to the Greenlanders and Esquimaux. Tides. Ob-
servations for determining the Longitude of Oonalashka 147

Xli CONTENTS.

CHAP. XII.

Departure from Oonalashka, and future Views.. The Island
Amoghta. Situation of a remarkable Rock. The Strait be-
tween Oonalashka ^and Oonella repassed. Progress to the
South. Melancholy Accident on board the Discovery.
Mowee, one of the Sandwich Islands discovered. Intercourse
with the Natives. Visit from Terreeoboo. Another Island,
called Owhyhee, discovered. The Ships ply to windward to
get round it. An Eclipse of the Moon observed. The Crew
refuse to drink Sugar-cane Beer. Cordage deficient in

Strength Commendation of the Natives of Owhyhee. The

Resolution gets to windward of the Island. Her Progress
down the South-east Coast. Views of the Country, and Visits
from the Natives. The Discovery joins. Slow Progress
westward. Karakakooa Bay examined by Mr. Bligh. Vast
Concourse of the Natives. The Ships anchor in the Bay 481

A

VOYAGE

TO THE

PACIFIC OCEAN,

TO DETERMINE

THE POSITION AND EXTENT OF THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH AMERICA;

ITS DISTANCE FROM ASIA; AND THE PRACTICABILITY

OF A NORTHERN PASSAGE TO EUROPE.

PERFORMED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF

CAPTAINS COOK, CLERKE, AND GORE,

IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY,

IN THE YEARS 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, AND 1780.

VOL. II.

WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN COOK.

VOL. VI. B

A

VOYAGE

TO

THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

BOOK III.

TRANSACTIONS AT OTAHEITE, AND THE SOCIETY
ISLANDS ; AND PROSECUTION OF THE VOYAGE TO
THE COAST OF NORTH AMERICA.

CHAP. I.

AN ECLIPSE OF THE MOON OBSERVED. THE ISLAND

TOOBOUAI DISCOVERED. ITS SITUATION, EXTENT, AND

APPEARANCE. INTERCOURSE WITH ITS INHABITANTS.

THEIR. PERSONS, DRESSES, AND CANOES DESCRIBED.

ARRIVAL IN OHEITEPEHA BAY AT OTAHEITE. OMAl's

RECEPTION, AND IMPRUDENT CONDUCT. ACCOUNT OF

SPANISH SHIPS TWICE VISITING THE ISLAND. INTER-
VIEW WITH THE CHIEF OF THIS DISTRICT. THE OLLA,

OR GOD, OF BOLABOLA. A MAD PROPHET ARRIVAL IN

MATAVAI BAY.

JriAviNG, as before related*, taken our final leave
of the Friendly Islands, I now resume my narrative
of the voyage. In the evening of the 17th of July,
at eight o'clock, the body of Eaoo bore north-east
by north, distant three or four leagues. The wind
was now at east, and blew a fresh gale. With it I
stood to the south, till half an hour past six o'clock
the next morning, when a sudden squall from the

* See the conclusion of chap. ix. book ii.

B 2

I COOK S VOYAGE TO JULY,

same direction took our ship aback ; and before the
ships could be trimmed, on the other tack, the main-
sail and the top-gallant sails were much torn.

The wind kept between the south-west, and south-
east, on the 19th and 20th ; afterward it veered to
to the east, north-east, and north. The night be-
tween the 20th and 21st, an eclipse of the moon was
observed as follows ; being then in the latitude of
22 57*' south :

Apparent time, A. M.
H. M. S.

Beginning, by Mr. King, at 32 50] Mean lom ,
Mr. Bligh, at 33 25 [ ' "f"
Myself, at 33 35 J 15D 0t *'

End, by Mr. King, at 1 44 56 | ,^2 Sof"

Mr. Bligh, at 1 44 6 } *. r** '
Ti/r u- 1 1 a a -a ( Time keep.
Myself, at 1 44 ob) im o 58 !,, .

The latitude and longitude are those of the ship,
at 8 h 56 m A. M., being the time when the sun's altitude
was taken for finding the apparent time. At the be-
ginning of the eclipse, the moon was in the zenith ;
so that it was found most convenient to make use of
the sextants ; and to make the observations by the
reflected image, which was brought down to a con-
venient altitude. The same was done at the end ;
except by Mr. King, who observed with a night te-
lescope. Although the greatest difference between
our several observations is more than fifty seconds,
it, nevertheless, appeared to me, that two observers
might differ more than double that time, in both the
beginning and end. And though the times are noted
to seconds, no such accuracy was pretended to. The
odd seconds, set down above, arose by reducing the
time, as given by the watch, to apparent time.

I continued to stretch to the east south-east, with
the wind at north-east and north, without meeting
with any thing worthy of note, till seven o'clock in
the evening of the -29th ; when we had a sudden and

1777- THE TAC1FIC OCEAN. 5

very heavy squall of wind from [lie north. At this
time, we were under single-reefed top-sails, courses,
and stay-sails. Two of the latter were blown to
pieces ; and it was with difficulty that we saved the
other sails. After this squall, we observed several
lights moving about on board the Discovery; by which
we concluded that something had given way ; and,
the next morning, we saw that her main-top-mast
had been lost. Both wind and weather continued
very unsettled till noon, this day, when the latter
cleared up, and the former settled in the north-west
quarter. At this time, we were in the latitude of
2S Q 6' south, and our longitude was 198 L 23' east.
Here we saw some pintado birds, being the first since
we left the land.

On the 81st, at noon, Captain Gierke made a sig-
nal to speak with me. By the return of the boat,
which I sent on board his ship, he informed me, that
the head of the main-mast had been discovered to be
sprung, in such a manner, as to render the rigging
of another top-mast very dangerous ; and that, there-
fore, he must rig something lighter in its place. He
also informed me, that he had lost his main-top-gal-
lantyard; and that he neither had another, nor a
spar to make one, on board. The Resolution's sprit-
sail top-sail-yard, which I sent him, supplied this
want. The next day, we got up a jury top-mast, on
which he set a mizen-top-sail ; and this enabled him to
keep way with the Resolution.

The wind was fixed in the western board ; that is,
from the north, round by the west to south, and I
steered east, and north-east, without meeting with
any thing remarkable, till eleven o'clock in the morn-
ing of the 8th of August, when the land was seen,
bearing north north-east, nine or ten leagues distant.
At first, it appeared in detached hills, like so many
separate islands ; but as we drew nearer, we found
that they were all connected, and belonged to one and
the same island. I steered directly for it, with a tine

13 3

COOK'S VOYAGE TO AUG.

gale at south-east by south ; and at half-past six o'clock
in the afternoon, it extended from north by east, to
north north-east j east, distant three or four leagues.

The night was spent standing off and on ; and, at
day-break, the next morning, I steered for the north-
west, or lee-side of the island ; and, as we stood
round its south, or south-west part, we saw it every
where guarded by a reef of coral rock, extending,
in some places, a full mile from the land, and a high
surf breaking upon it. Some thought that they saw
land to the southward of this island ; but, as that
was to the windward, it was left undetermined. As
we drew near, we saw people on several parts of the
the coast, walking, or running along shore ; and, in
a little time, after we had reached the lee-side of the
island, we saw them launch two canoes, into which
above a dozen men got, and paddled toward us.

I now shortened sail, as well to give these canoes
time to come up with us, as to sound for anchorage.
At the distance of about half a mile from the reef,
we found from forty to thirty-five fathoms' water, over
a bottom of fine sand. Nearer in, the bottom was
strewed with coral rocks. The canoes having ad-
vanced to about the distance of a pistol-shot from the
ship, there stopped. Omai was employed, as he
usually had been on such occasions, to use all his
eloquence to prevail upon the men in them to come
nearer ; but no intreaties could induce them to trust
themselves within our reach. They kept eagerly
pointing to the shore with their paddles, and calling
to us to go thither j and several of their countrymen,
who stood upon the beach, held up something white,
which we considered also as an invitation to land.
We could very well have done this, as there was
good anchorage without the reef, and a break or
opening in it, from whence the canoes had come out,
which had no surf upon it, and where, if there was
not water for the ships, there was more than suffi-
cient for the boats. But I* did not think proper to

1?77 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 7

risk losing the advantage of a fair wind, for the sake
of examining an island that appeared to be of little
consequence. We stood in no need of refreshments,
It' I had been sure of meeting with them there ; and
and having already been so unexpectedly delayed in
my progress to the Society Islands, I was desirous of
avoiding every possibility of farther retardment. For
this reason, after making several unsuccessful attempts
to induce these people to come alongside, I made
sail to the north, and left them ; but not without
getting from them, during their vicinity to our ship,
the name of their island, which they called Toobouai.

It is situated in the latitude of 22 15' south ; and
in 210 37' east longitude. Its greatest extent, in
any direction, exclusive of the reef, is not above five
or six miles. On the north-west side, the reef ap-
pears in detached pieces, between which, the sea
seems to break in upon the shore. Small as the island
is, there are hills in it of a considerable elevation.
At the foot of the hills, is a narrow border of flat
land, running quite round it, edged with a white
sand beach. The hills are covered with grass, or some
other herbage, except a few steep, rocky cliffs at one
part, with patches of trees interspersed to their summits.
But the plantations are more numerous in some of
the valleys ; and the flat border is quite covered with
high, strong trees, whose different kinds we could
not discern, except some cocoa-palms, and a few of the
etoa. According to the information of the men in
the canoes, their island is stocked with hogs and
fowls ; and produces the several fruits and roots that
are found at the other islands in this part of the Pa-
cific Ocean.

We had an opportunity, from the conversation we
had with those who came off to us, of satisfying our-
selves, that the inhabitants of Toobouai speak the
Otaheite language ; a circumstance that indubitably
proves them to be of the same nation. Those of
them whom we. saw in the canoes, were a stout cop-

b 4<

8 cook's VOYAGE TO AUG.

per-coloured people, with straight black hair, which
some of them wore tied in a bunch on the crown of
the head, and others, flowing about the shoulders.
Their faces were somewhat round and full, but the
features, upon the whole, rather flat ; and their
countenances seemed to express some degree of na-
tural ferocity. They had no covering but a piece of
narrow stuff wrapped about the waist, and made to
pass between the thighs, to cover the adjoining parts;
but some of those whom we saw upon the beach,
where about a hundred persons had assembled, were
entirely clothed with a kind of white garment. We
could observe, that some of our visitors, in the canoes,
wore pearl shells, hung about the neck, as an orna-
ment. One of them kept blowing a large conch-shell,
to which a reed, near two feet long, was fixed ; at
first, with a continued tone of the same kind ; but he,
afterward, converted it into a kind of musical instru-
ment, perpetually repeating two or three notes, with
the same strength. What the blowing the conch
portended, I cannot say ; but I never found it the
messenger of peace.

Their canoes appeared to be about thirty feet long,
and two feet above the surface of the water as they
floated. The forepart projected a little, and had a
notch cut across, as if intended to represent the
mouth of some animal. The afterpart rose with a
gentle curve to the height of two or three feet,
turning gradually smaller, and, as well as the upper
part of the sides, was carved all over. The rest
of the sides, which were perpendicular, were curi-
ously incrusted with flat, white shells, disposed nearly
in concentric semicircles, with the curve upward.
One of the canoes carried seven, and the other eight,
men ; and they were managed with small paddles,
whose blades were nearly round. Each of them had
a pretty long outrigger ; and they sometimes paddled
with the two opposite sides together so close, that they
seemed to be one boat with two outriggers ; the rowers

1777* THE pacific OCEAN. 9

turning their faces occasionally to the stern, and pulling
that way, without paddling the canoes round. When
they saw us determined to leave them, they stood up
in their canoes, and repeated something very loudly
in concert ; but we could not tell whether this was
meant as a mark of their friendship or enmity. It is
certain, however, that they had no weapons with
them ; nor could we perceive, with our glasses, that
those on shore had any.

After leaving this island, from the discovery of
which future navigators may possibly derive some
advantage, I steered to the north, with a fresh gale
at E. by S., and at day-break in the morning of
of the 12th, we saw the island of Maitea. Soon
after, Otaheite made its appearance ; and at noon it
extended from S. W. by W. to W.N. W. ; the point of
Oheitepeha Bay bearing W., about four leagues dis-
tant. I steered for this bay, intending to anchor
there, in order to draw what refreshments I could
from the south-east part of the island, before I went
down to Matavai ; from the neighbourhood of which
station I expected my principal supply. We had a
fresh gale easterly, till two o'clock in the afternoon ;
when, being about a league from the bay, the wind
suddenly died away, and was succeeded by baffling,
light airs from every direction, and calms by turns.
This lasted about two hours. Then we had sudden
squalls, with rain, from the east. These carried us
before the bay, where we got a breeze from the land,
and attempted in vain to work in to gain the anchor-
ing place. So that, at last, about nine o'clock, we
were obliged to stand out, and to spend the night at
sea.

When we first drew near the island, several canoes
came off to the ship, each conducted by two or three
men ; but as they were common fellows, Omai took
no particular notice of them, nor they of him. They
did not even seem to perceive that he was one of
their countrymen, although they conversed with him

10 cook's VOYAGE TO AUG.

for some time. At length, a chief whom I had
known before, named Ootee, and Omar's brother-in-
law, who chanced to be now at this corner ofthe island,
and three or four more persons, all of whom knew
Omai before he embarked with Captain Furneaux,
came on board. Yet there was nothing either tender
or striking in their meeting. On the contrary, there
seemed to be a perfect indifference on both sides, till
Omai, having taken his brother down into the cabin,
opened the drawer where he kept his red feathers,
and gave him a few* This being presently known
amongst the rest of the natives upon deck, the face
of affairs was entirely turned, and Ootee, who would
hardly speak to Omai before, now begged that they
might be tayos *, and exchange names. Omai ac-
cepted of the honour, and confirmed it with a present
of red feathers ; and Ootee, by way of return, sent
ashore for a hog. But it was evident to every one of
us, that it was not the man, but his property they were
in love with. Had he not shown them his treasure of
red feathers, which is the commodity in greatest es-
timation at the island, I question much whether they
would have bestowed even a cocoa-nut upon him.
Such was Omai's first reception among his country-
men. I own, I never expected it would be other-
wise ; but still, I was in hopes that the valuable
cargo of presents with which the liberality of his
friends in England had loaded him, would be the
means of raising him into consequence, and of
making him respected, and even courted by the
first persons throughout the extent of the Society
Islands. This could not but have happened, had
he conducted himself with any degree of prudence ;
but instead of it, I am sorry to say, that he paid too
little regard to the repeated advice of those who
wished him well, and suffered himself to be duped by
every designing knave.

* Friends.

1777* T HE PACIFIC OCEAN. 11

From the natives who came off to us in the course
of this day, we learnt that two ships had twice been
in Oheitepeha Bay since my last visit to this island in
1774, and that they had left animals there, such as
we had on board. But, orr farther inquiry, we found
they were only hogs, dogs, goats, one bull, and the
male of some other animal, which, from the imper-
fect description now given us, we could not find out.
They told us that these ships had come from a place
called Reema ; by which we guessed that Lima, the
capital of Peru, was meant, and that these late
visitors were Spaniards. We were informed, that the
first time they came, they built a house and left four
men behind them, viz. two priests, a boy or servant,
and a fourth person called Mateema, who was much
spoken of at this time ; carrying away with them,
when they sailed, four of the natives ; that in about
ten months, the same two ships returned, bringing
back two of the islanders, the other two having died
at Lima ; and that, after a short stay, they took away
their own people ; but that the house which they had
built was left standing.

The important news of red feathers being on board
our ships, having been conveyed on shore by Omai's
friends, day had no sooner begun to break next
morning, than we were surrounded by a multitude of
canoes crowded with people, bringing hogs and
fruit to market. At first, a quantity of feathers,
not greater than what might be got from a tom-
tit, would purchase a hog of forty or fifty
pounds' weight. But as almost every body in the
ships was possessed of some of this precious article in
trade, it fell in its value above five hundred per cent.
before night. However, even then, the balance
was much in our favour ; and red feathers continued
to preserve their superiority over every other com-
modity. Some of the natives would not part with
a hog, unless they received an axe in exchange ; but
nails, and beads, and other trinkets, which, during

VZ cook's VOYAGE TO AUG.

our former voyages bad so great a run at this island,
were now so much despised, that few would deign so
much as to look at them.

There being but little wind all the morning, it
was nine o'clock before we could get to an anchor in
the bay ; where we moored with two bowers. Soon
after we had anchored, Omai's sister came on board
to see him. I was happy to observe, that, much to
the honour of them both, their meeting was marked
with expressions of the tenderest affection, easier to
be conceived than to be described.

This moving scene having closed, and the ship
being properly moored, Omai and I went ashore.
My first object was to pay a visit to a man whom my
friend represented as a very extraordinary personage
indeed, for he said that he was the god of Bolabola.
We found him seated under one of those small awn-
ings which they usually carry in their larger canoes.
He was an elderly man, and lost the use of his limbs,
so that he was carried from place to place upon a hand-
barrow. Some called him Olla or Orra, which is the
name of the god of Bolabola ; but his own proper
name was Etary. From Omai's account of this per-
son, I expected to have seen some religious ador-
ation paid to him. But, excepting some plantain
trees that lay before him, and upon the awning
under which he sat, I could observe nothing by which
he might be distinguished from their other chiefs.
Omai presented to him a tuft of red feathers, tied to
the end of a small stick ; but, after a little convers-
ation on indifferent matters with this Bolabola man,
his attention was drawn to an old woman, the sister
of his mother. She was already at his feet, and had
bedewed them plentifully with tears of joy.

I left him with the old lady in the midst of a num-
ber of people who had gathered round him, and
went to take a view of the house said to be built by
the strangers who had lately been here. I found it
standing at a small distance from the beach. The-

1777- THE TACIFrC OCEAN. 13

wooden materials of which it was composed seemed
to have been brought hither ready prepared, to be set
up occasionally, for all the planks were numbered.
It was divided into two small rooms ; and in the
inner one were, a bedstead, a table, a bench, some
old hats, and other trifles, of which the natives
seemed to be very careful, as also of the house itself,
which had suffered no hurt from the weather, a shed
having been built over it. There were scuttles all
around which served as air-holes ; and, perhaps, they
were also meant to fire from, with muskets, if ever
this should be found necessarv. At a little dis-
tance from the front stood a wooden cross, on
the transverse part of which was cut the following
inscription :

Christus *vincit.

And, on the perpendicular part (which confirmed our
conjecture, that the two ships were Spanish,)

Carolus III. imperat. 1774.

On the other side of the post, I preserved the me-
mory of the prior visits of the English, by inscrib-
ing.

Georgius fortius Rex,

Annis 176'7,
1769, 1773, 1774,^1777.

The natives pointed out to us, near the foot of the
cross, the grave of the commodore of the two ships,
who had died here, while they lay in the bay the first
time. His name, as they pronounced it, was Oreede.
Whatever the intentions of the Spaniards in visiting
this island might be, they seemed to have taken
great pains to ingratiate themselves with the inha-
bitants, who, upon every occasion, mentioned them
with the strongest expressions of esteem and vene-
ration.

14 cook's VOYAGE TO AUG.

I met with no chief of any considerable note on
this occasion, excepting the extraordinary personage
above described. Waheiadooa, he sovereign of
Tiaraboo (as this part of the island is called,) was
now absent ; and 1 afterwards found, that he was
not the same person, though of the same name with
the chief whom I had seen here during my last voy-
age ; but his brother, a boy of about ten years of age,
who had succeeded upon the death of the elder Wa-
heiadooa, about twenty months before our arrival.
We also learned, that the celebrated Oberea was dead;
but that Otoo, and all our other friends, were liv-
ing.

When I returned from viewing the house and cross
erected by the Spaniards, I found Omai holding forth
to a large company ; and it was with some difficulty
that he could be got away, to accompany me on
board ; where I had an important affair to settle.

As I knew that Otaheite and the neighbouring
islands could furnish us with a plentiful supply of
cocoa-nuts, the liquor of which is an excellent sue-
cedaneum for any artificial beverage, I was desirous
of prevailing upon my people to consent to be abridg-
ed, during our stay here, of their stated allowance of
spirits to mix with water. But as this stoppage of
a favourite article, without assigning some reason,
might have occasioned a general murmur, I thought
it most prudent to assemble the ship's company, and
to make known to them the intent of the voyage, and
and the extent of our future operations. To induce
them to undertake which with cheerfulness and per-
severance, I took notice of the rewards offered by
Parliament to such of his Majesty's subjects, as shall
first discover a communication between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, in any direction whatever, in the
northern hemisphere : and also to such as shall first
penetrate beyond the 89th degree of northern lati-
tude. 1 made no doubt, I told them, that I should
find them willing to co-operate with me in attempt-

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 15

ing, as far as might be possible, to become entitled
to one or both these rewards ; but that, to give us
the best chance of succeeding, it would be necessary
to observe the utmost economy in the expenditure
of our stores and provisions, particularly the latter,
as there was no probability of getting a supply any
where after leaving these islands. I strengthened
my argument, by reminding them, that our voyage
must last at least a year longer than had been origi-
nally supposed, by our having already lost the oppor-
tunity of getting to the North this summer. I begged
them to consider the various obstructions and difficul-
ties we might still meet with, and the aggravated
hardships they would labour under, if it should be
found necessary to put them to short allowance of
any species of provisions in a cold climate. For
these very substantial reasons, I submitted to them,
whether it would not be better to be prudent in time.,
and rather than to run the risk of having no spirits
left, when such a cordial would be most wanted, to
consent to be without their grog now, when we had
so excellent a liquor as that of cocoa-nuts to substi-
tute in its place ; but that, after all, I left the deter-
mination entirely to their own choice.

I had the satisfaction to find, that this proposal did
not remain a single moment under consideration ;
being unanimously approved of, immediately, with-
out any objection. I ordered Captain Clerke to make
the same proposal to his people ; which they also
agreed to. Accordingly, we stopped serving grog,
except on Saturday nights, when the companies of
both ships had full allowance of it, that they might
drink the healths of their female friends in England ;
lest these, amongst the pretty girls of Otaheite, should
be wholly forgotten.

The next day we began some necessary opera-
tions ; to inspect the provisions that were in the main
and forehold ; to get the casks of beef and pork, and
the coals out of the ground tier ; and to put some

If) COOK'S VOYAGE TO AUG.

ballast in their place. The caulkers were set to work
to caulk the ship, which she stood in great need of;
having, at times, made much water on our passage
from the Friendly Islands. I also put on shore the
bull, cows, horses, and sheep, and appointed two men
to look after them while grazing ; for I did not in-
tend to leave any of them at this part of the island.

During the two following days, it hardly ever
ceased raining. The natives, nevertheless, came to
us from every quarter, the news of our arrival having
rapidly spread. Waheiadooa, though at a distance,
had been informed of it ; and, in the afternoon of the
16th, a chief, named Etorea, under whose tutorage
he was, brought me two hogs as a present from him ;
and acquainted me, that he himself would be with us
the day after. And so it proved ; for I received a
message from him the next morning, notifying his
arrival, and desiring I would go ashore to meet him.
Accordingly, Omai and I prepared to pay him a for-
mal visit. On this occasion, Omai, assisted by some
of his friends, dressed himself, not after the English
fashion, nor that of Otaheite, nor that of Tongataboo,
nor in the dress of any country upon earth, but in a
strange medley of all that he was possessed of.

Thus equipped, on our landing, we first visited
Etary ; who, carried on a hand barrow, attended us
to a large house, where he was set down ; and we
seated ourselves on each side of him. I caused a
piece of Tongataboo-cloth to be spread out before
us, on which I laid the presents I intended to make.
Presently the young chief came, attended by his
mother, and several principal men, who all seated
themselves, at the other end of the cloth, facing us.
Then a man who sat by me, made a speech, consisting
of short and separate sentences ; part of which was
dictated by those about him. He was answered by
one from the opposite side, near the chief Etary
spoke next ; then Omai ; and both of them were
answered from the same quarter. These orations
were entirely about my arrival, and connections with

15

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 17

them. The person who spoke last, told me, amongst
other things, that the men of Reema, that is, the
Spaniards, had desired them not to suffer me to come
into Oheitepeha Bay, if I should return any more to
the island, for that it belonged to them ; but that
they were so far from paying any regard to this re-
quest, that he was authorised now to make a formal
surrender of the province of Tiaraboo to me, and of
every thing in it ; which marks very plainly, that these
people are no strangers to the policy of accommodat-
ing themselves to present circumstances. At length,
the young chief was directed, by his attendants, to
come and embrace me j and, by way of confirming
this treaty of friendship, we exchanged names. The
ceremony being closed, he and his friends accompa-
nied me on board to dinner.

Omai had prepared a maro, composed of red and
yellow feathers, which he intended for Otoo, the
king of the whole island ; and, considering where we
were, it was a present of very great value. I said all
that I could to persuade him not to produce it now,
wishing him to keep it on board till an opportunity
should offer of presenting it to Otoo, with his own
hands. But he had too good an opinion of the ho-
nesty and fidelity of his countrymen to take my ad-
vice. Nothing would serve him, but to carry it
ashore, on this occasion, and to give it to Waheiadooa,
to be by him forwarded to Otoo, in order to its being
added to the royal maro. He thought, by this
management, that he should oblige both chiefs;
whereas he highly disobliged the one, wiiose favour
was of the most consequence to him, without gain-
ing any reward from the other. What I had fore-
seen happened. For Waheiadooa kept the maro for
himself, and only sent to Otoo a very small piece of
feathers ; not the twentieth part of what belonged to
the magnificent present.

On the 19th, this young chief made me a present
of ten or a dozen hogs, a quantity of fruit, and some

VOL. VI. C

18 cook's VOYAGE TO AUG.

cloth. Iii the evening we played off* some fire-
works, which both astonished and entertained the
numerous spectators.

This day, some of our gentlemen, in their walks,
found, what they were pleased to call, a Roman Ca-
tholic chapel. Indeed, from their account, this was
not to be doubted ; for they described the altar and
every other constituent part of such a place of wor-
ship. However, as they mentioned, at the same time,
that two men, who had the care of it, would not suf-
fer them to go in, I thought that they might be mis-
taken, and had the curiosity to pay a visit to it my-
self. The supposed chapel proved to be a toopapaoo,
in which the remains of the late Waheiadooa lay, as
it were, in state. It was in a pretty large house,
which was inclosed with a low pallisade. The toopa-
paoo was uncommonly neat, and resembled one of
those little houses, or awnings, belonging to their
large canoes. Perhaps it had originally been em-
ployed for that purpose. It was covered, and hung
round, with cloth and mats of different colours, so as
to have a pretty effect. There was one piece of scar-
let broad-cloth, four or five yards in length, conspi-
cuous among the other ornaments ; which, no doubt,
had been a present from the Spaniards. This cloth,
and a few tassels of feathers, which our gentlemen
supposed to be silk, suggested to them the idea of a
chapel ; for whatever else was wanting to create a
resemblance, their imagination supplied ; and if they
had not previously known, that there had been Spa-
niards lately here, they could not possibly have made
the mistake. Small offerings of fruit and roots seemed
to be daily made at this shrine, as some pieces were
quite fresh. These were deposited upon a whatta,
or altar, which stood without the paliisades ; and
within these we were not permitted to enter. Two
men constantly attended, night and day, not only to
watch over the place, but also to dress and undress
the toopapaoo* For when 1 first went to survey it,

1777. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 19

the cloth and its appendages were all rolled up ; but,
at my request, the two attendants hung it out in order,
first dressing themselves in clean white robes. They
told me, that the chief had been dead twenty months.

Having taken in a fresh supply of water, and
finished all our other necessary operations, on the 22d,
I brought off the cattle and sheep, which had been
put on shore here to graze 5 and made ready for sea.

In the morning of the 2Sd, while the ships were
unmooring, Omai and I landed, to take leave of the
young chief. While we were with him, one of those
enthusiastic persons, whom they call Eatooas, from a
persuasion that they are possessed with the spirit of
the Divinity, came and stood before us. He had all
the appearance of a man not in his right senses ; and
his only dress was a large quantity of plantain leaves,
wrapped round his waist. He spoke in a low, squeak-
ing voice, so as hardly to be understood ; at least,
not by me. But Omai said, that he comprehended
him perfectly, and that he was advising Waheiadooa
not to go with me to Matavai ; an expedition which
I had never heard he intended, nor had I ever made
such a proposal to him. The Eatooa also foretold,
that the ships would not get to Matavai that day.
But in this he was mistaken ; though appearances
now rather favoured his prediction, there not being
a breath of wind in any direction. While he was
prophesying, there fell a very heavy shower of rain,
which made every one run for shelter but himself,
who seemed not to regard it. He remained squeak-
ing by us about half an hour, and then retired. No
one paid any attention to what he uttered ; though
some laughed at him. I asked the Chief, what he
was, whether an Earee, or Towtow ? and the answer
I received was, that lie was taato eno ; that is, a bad
man. And yet, notwithstanding this, and the little
notice any of the natives seemed to take of the mad
prophet, superstition has so far got the better of their
reason, that they firmly believe such persons to be

c 2

r-

20 COOK'S VOYAGE TO AUG,

possessed with the spirit of the Eatooa. Omai seemed
to be very well instructed about them. He said, that,
during thefits that came upon them, they knew nobody,
not even their most intimate acquaintances ; and that,
if any one of them happens to be a man of property,
he will very often give away every moveable he is
possessed of, if his friends do not put them out of his
reach ; and, when he recovers, will inquire what had
become of those very things, which he had, but just
before, distributed ; not seeming to have the least re-
membrance of what he had done while the fit vva-s
upon him.

As soon as I got on board, a light breeze springing
up at east, we got under sail, and steered for Matavai
Bay*; where the Resolution anchored the same
evening. But the Discovery did not get in till the
next morning ; so that half of the man's prophecy
was fulfilled.

* See a plan of this bay, in Hawkesworth's Collection, vol. ii.
p. 248.

1777. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 21

CHAP. II.

INTERVIEW WITH OTOO, XING OF THE ISLAND. IMPRU-
DENT CONDUCT OF OMAI. ExMPLOYMENTS ON SHORE.

EUROPEAN ANIMALS LANDED. PARTICULARS ABOUT A

NATIVE WHO HAD VISITED LIMA ABOUT OEDIDEE.

A REVOLT IN EIMEO. WAR WITH THAT ISLAND DETER-
MINED UPON, IN A COUNCIL OF CHIEFS. A HUMAN SA-
CRIFICE ON THAT ACCOUNT. A PARTICULAR RELATION OF

THE CEREMONIES AT THE GREAT MORAI, WHERE THE SA-
CRIFICE WAS OFFERED. -OTHER BARBAROUS CUSTOMS Of
THIS PEOPLE.

jTIlbout nine o'clock in the morning, Otoo, the king
of the whole island, attended by a great number of
canoes full of people, came from Oparre, his place
of residence, and having landed on Matavai Point,
sent a message on board, expressing his desire to see
me there. Accordingly I landed, accompanied by
Ornai, and some of the officers. We found a prodi-
gious number of people assembled on this occasion,
and in the midst of them was the king, attended by
his father, his two brothers, and three sisters. I went
up first and saluted him, being followed by Omai,
w T ho kneeled and embraced his legs. He had pre-
pared himself for this ceremony, by dressing himself
in his very best suit of clothes, and behaved with a
great deal of respect and modesty. Nevertheless,
very little notice was taken of him. Perhaps envy had
some share in producing this cold reception. He made
the chief a present of a large piece of red feathers,
and about two or three yards of gold cloth ; audi
gave him a suit of tine linen, a gold-laced hat, some
tools, and, what was of more value than all the other
articles, a quantity of red feathers, and one of the
bonnets in use at the Friendly Islands.

After the hurry of this visit was over, the king
and the whole royal family accompanied me on

c 3

22 COOK'S VOYAGE TO AUG*

board, followed by several canoes, laden with all
kind of provisions, in quantity sufficient to have served
the companies of both ships for a week. Each of
the family owned, or pretended to own, a part ; so
that I had a present from every one of them ; and
every one of them had a separate present in return
from me ; which was the great object in view. Soon
after, the king's mother, who had not been present
at the first interview, came on board, bringing with
her a quantity of provisions and cloth, which she di-
vided between me and Omai ; for, although he was
but little noticed at first by his countrymen, they
no sooner gained the knowledge of his riches, than
they began to court his friendship. I encouraged
this as much as I could : for it was my wish to fix
him with Otoo. As I intended to leave all my Euro-
pean animals at this island, I thought he would be
able to give some instruction about the management
of them, and about their use. Besides, I knew and
saw, that the farther he was from his native island,
he would be the better respected. But, unfortu-
nately, poor Omai rejected my advice, and conducted
himself in so imprudent a manner, that he soon lost
the friendship of Otoo, and of every other person of
note in Otaheite. He associated with none but va-
gabonds and strangers, whose sole views were to
plunder him ; and, if I had not interfered, they
would not have left him a single article worth the
carrying from the island. This necessarily drew
upon him the ill-will of the principal chiefs ; who
found that they could not procure, from any one in
the ships, such valuable presents as Omai bestowed
on the lowest of the people, his companions.

As soon as we had dined, a party of us acompanied
Otoo to Oparre, taking with us the poultry, with
which we were to stock the island. They consisted
of a peacock and hen (which Lord Besborough was
so kind as to send me for this purpose a few days
before I left London) ; a turkey-cock and hen ; one

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 3

gander, and three geese ; a drake, and four ducks.
All these I left at Oparre, in the possession of Otoo;
and the geese and ducks began to breed, before we
sailed. We found there, a gander, which the na-
tives told us, was the same that Captain Wallis had
given to Oberea ten years before ; several goats ; and
the Spanish bull, whom they kept tied to a tree, near
Otoo's house. I never saw a finer animal of his kind.
He was now the property of Etary, and had been
brought from Oheitepeha to this place, in order to be
shipped for Bolabola. But it passes my comprehen-
sion, how they can contrive to carry him in one of
their canoes. If we had not arrived, it would have
been of little consequence who had the property of
him, as, without a cow, he could be of no use ; and
none had been left with him. Though the natives
told us that there were cows on board the Spanish
ships, and that they took them away with them, I
cannot believe this; and should rather suppose, that
they had died in the passage from Lima. The next
day,I sent the three cows, that I had on board, to this
bull ; and the bull, which I had brought, the horse
and mare, and sheep, I put ashore at Matavai.

Having thus disposed of these passengers, I found
myself lightened of a very heavy burthen. The
trouble and vexation that attended the bringing of
this living cargo thus far, is hardly to be conceived.
But the satisfaction that I felt, in having been so for-
tunate as to fulfil his Majesty's humane design, in
sending such valuable animals, to supply the wants
of two worthy nations, sufficiently recompensed me
for the many anxious hours I had passed, before this
subordinate object of my voyage could be carried
into execution.

As I intended to make some stay here, we set up
the two observatories on Matavai Point. Adjoining
to them, tw r o tents were pitched for the reception of
a guard, and of such people as it might be necessary
to leave on shore, in different departments. At this

c 4

24* cook's voyage to aug.

station, I intrusted the command to Mr. King ; who,
at the same time, attended the observations for
ascertaining the going of the time-keeper, and other
purposes. During our stay, various necessary
operations employed the crews of both ships. The
Discovery's main-mast was carried ashore, and made
as good as ever. Our sails and water-casks were re-
paired ; the ships were caulked ; and the rigging all
overhauled. We also inspected all the bread that we
had on board in casks ; and had the satisfaction to
find, that but little of it was damaged.

On the 6th, I had a piece of ground cleared for
a garden, and planted if. with several articles ; very
few of which, I believe, the natives will ever look
after. Some melons, potatoes, and two pine-apple
plants, were in a fair way of succeeding, before we
left the place. I had brought from the Friendly
Islands several shaddock-trees. These I also planted
here ; and they can hardly fail of success, unless their
growth should be checked by the same premature
curiosity, which destroyed a vine planted by the
Spaniards at Oheitepeha. A number of the natives
got together, to taste the first fruit it bore ; but, as
the grapes were still sour, they considered it as little
better than poison, and it was unanimously deter-
mined, to tread it under foot. In that state, Omai
found it by chance, and was overjoyed at the dis-
covery. For he had a full confidence, that, if he had
but grapes, he could easily make wine. Accordingly,
he had several slips cut from off t lie tree, to carry away
with him ; and we pruned and put in order the re-
mains of it. Probably, grown wise by Omai's in-
structions, they may now sufier the fruit to grow to
perfection, and not pass so hasty a sentence upon
it again.

We had not been eight-and-forty hours at anchor
in Matavai Bay, before we were visited by our old
friends, whose names are recorded in the account of
my last voyage. Not one of them came empty-

1777. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 25

handed ; so that we had more provisions than we
knew what to do with. What was still more, we
were under no apprehensions of exhausting the island,
which presented to our eyes every mark of the most
exuberant plenty, in every article of refreshment.

Soon after our arrival here, one of the natives,
whom the Spaniards had carried with them to Lima,
paid us a visit ; but, in his external appearance, he
was not distinguishable from the rest of his country-
men. However, he had not forgot some Spanish
words which he had acquired, though he pronounced
them badly. Amongst them, the most frequent were,
si Sennor ; and, when a stranger was introduced to
him, lie did not fail to rise up and accost him, as well
as he could.

We also found here the young man whom we called
Oedidee, but whose real name is Heete-heete. I had
carried him from Ulietea in 1773, and brought him
back in 1774- ; after he had visited the Friendly
Islands, New Zealand, Easter Island, and the Mar-
queses, and been on board my ship, in that extensive
navigation, about seven months. He was, at least,
as tenacious of his good breeding, as the man who
had been at Lima; and yes, Sir, or if you please, Sir,
were as frequently repeated by him, as si Sennor, was
by the other. Heete-heete, who is a native of Bo-
labola, had arrived in Otaheite about three months
before, with no other intention, that we could learn,
than to gratify his curiosity, or, perhaps, some other
favourite passion ; which are, very often, the only
object of the pursuit of other travelling gentlemen.
It was evident, however, that he preferred the modes,
and even garb, of his countrymen, to ours. For,
though I gave him some clothes, which our Admi-
ralty Board had been pleased to send for his use,
(to which I added a chest of tools, and a few other
articles, as a present from myself,) he declined wear-
ing them, after a few days. This instance, and that
of the person who had been at Lima, may be urged

26 cook's voyage to aug.

as a proof of the strong propensity natural to man,
of returning to habits acquired at an early age, and
only interrupted by accident. And, perhaps, it may
be concluded, that even Omai, who had imbibed al-
most the whole English manners, will, in a very
short time after our leaving him, like Oedidee, and
the visitor of Lima, return to his own native gar-
ments.

In the morning of the 27th, a man came from
Oheitepeha, and told us that two Spanish ships had
anchored in that bay the night before ; and, in con-
firmation of this intelligence, he produced a piece of
coarse blue cloth, which he said he got out of one
of the ships ; and which, indeed, in appearance, was
almost quite new. He added, that Mateema was in
one of the ships ; and that they were to come down
to Matavai in a day or two. Some other circum-
stances which he mentioned, with the foregoing ones,
gave the story so much the air of truth, that I dis-
patched Lieutenant Williamson in a boat, to look
into Oheitepeha bay ; and, in the mean time, I put the
ships into a proper posture of defence. For, though
England and Spain were in peace when I left Europe,
for aught J knew, a different scene might, by this
time, have opened. However, on farther inquiry,
we had reason to think that the fellow who brought
the intelligence had imposed upon us ; and this was
put beyond all doubt, when Mr. Williamson returned
next day ; who made his report to me, that he had
been at Oheitepeha, and found that no ships were
there now, and that none had been there since we left
it. The people of this part of the island, where we
now were, indeed, told us, from the beginning, that
it was a fiction invented by those of Tiaraboo. But
what view they could have, we were at a loss to con-
ceive, unless they supposed, that the report would
have some effect in making us quit the island, and,
by that means, deprive the people of Otaheite-nooe
of the advantages they might reap from our ships

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 27

continuing there ; the inhabitants of the two parts of
the island being inveterate enemies to each other.

From the time of our arrival at Matavai, the wea-
ther had been very unsettled, with more or less rain
every day, till the 29th ; before which we were not
able to get equal altitudes of the sun for ascer-
taining the going of the time-keeper. The same
cause also retarded the caulking, and other necessary
repairs of the ships.

In the evening f this day, the natives made a
precipitate retreat, both from on board the ships, and
from our station on shore. For what reason, we
could not, at first, learn ; though, in general, we
guessed it arose from their knowing that some theft
had been committed, and apprehending punishment
on that account. At length, I understood what had
happened. One of the surgeon's mates had been in
the country to purchase curiosities, and had taken
with him four hatchets for that purpose. Having
employed one of the natives to carry them for him,
the fellow took an opportunity to run off with so va-
luable a prize. This was the cause of the sudden
flight, in which Otoo himself, and his whole family,
had joined ; and it was with difficulty that I stopped
them, after following them two or three miles. As
I had resolved to take no measures for the recovery
of the hatchets, in order to put my people upon their
guard against such negligence for the future, I found
no difficulty in bringing the natives back, and in re-
storing every thing to its usual tranquillity.

Hitherto, the attention of Otoo and his people had
been confined to us ; but, next morning, a new scene
of business opened, by the arrival of some messen-
gers from Eimeo, or (as it is much oftener called by
the natives) Morea *, with intelligence that the peo-
ple in that island were in arms ; and that Otoo's

Morea, according to Dr. Forster, is a district in Eimeo. See
his Observations , p. 217.

28 cook's VOYAGE TO AUG.

partizans there had been worsted, and obliged to re-
treat to the mountains. The quarrel between the two
islands, which commenced in 1774, as mentioned in
the account of my last voyage, had, it seems, partly sub-
sisted ever since. The formidable armament which
I saw, at that time, and described*, had sailed soon
after I then left Otaheite ; but the malcontents of
Eimeo had made so stout a resistance, that the fleet
had returned without effecting much ; and now an-
other expedition was necessary.

On the arrival of these messengers, all the chiefs,
who happened to be at Matavai, assembled at Otoo's
house, where I actually was at the time, and had the
honour to be admitted into their council. One of the
messengers opened the business of the assembly, in
a speech of considerable length. But I understood
little of it, besides its general purport, which was to
explain the situation of affairs in Eimeo; and to ex-
cite the assembled chiefs of Otaheite to arm on the
occasion. This opinion was combated by others,
who were against commencing hostilities ; and the
debate was carried on with great order ; no more than
one man speaking at a time. At last they became
very noisy, and I expected that our meeting would
have ended like a Polish diet. But the contending
great men cooled as fast as they grew warm, and
order was soon restored. At length, the party for
war prevailed ; and it was determined that a strong
force should be sent to assist their friends in Eimeo.
But this resolution was far from being unanimous.
Otoo, during the whole debate, remained silent ; ex-
cept that, now and then, he addressed a word or two
to the speakers. Those of the council, who were for
prosecuting the war, applied to me for my assistance;
and all of them wanted to know what part I would
take. Omai was sent for to be my interpreter ; but,
as he could not be found, I was obliged to speak for

* See Cook's Voyage, vol. iii. chap. 13.

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. <2Q

myself, and told them, as well as I could, that as I
was not thoroughly acquainted with the dispute, and
as the people of Eimeo had never offended me, I
could not think myself at liberty to engage in hosti-
lities against them. With this declaration they either
were, or seemed, satisfied. The assembly then
broke up ; but, before I left them, Otoo desired me
to come to him in the afternoon, and to bring Omai
with me.

Accordingly, a party of us waited upon him at the
appointed time ; and we were conducted by him to
his father, in whose presence the dispute with Eimeo
was again talked over. Being very desirous of de-
vising some method to bring about an accommoda-
tion, I sounded the old chief on that head, but we
found him deaf to any such proposal, and fully de-
termined to prosecute the war. He repeated the so-
licitations which I had already resisted, about giving
them my assistance. On our inquiring into the cause
of the war, we were told, that, some years ago, a
brother of Waheadooa, of Tieraboo, was sent to
Eimeo, at the request of Maheine, a popular chief
of that island, to be their king ; but that he had not
been there a week before Maheine, having caused
him to be killed, set up for himself, in opposition to
Tierataboonooe, his sister's son, who became the
lawful heir \ or else had been pitched upon, by the
people of Ctaheite, to succeed to the government on
the death of the other.

Towha, who is a relation of Otoo, and chief of
the district of Tettaha, a man of much weight in the
island, and who had been commander-in-chief of the
armament fitted out against Eimeo in 1774, happened
not to be at Matavai at this time ; and, consequently,
was not present at any of these consultations. It,
however, appeared that he was no stranger to what
was transacted ; and that he entered with more spirit
into the affair than any other chief; for, early in the
morning of the 1st of September, a messenger ar-

30 cook's VOYAGE to SEPT.

rived from him to acquaint Otoo, that he had killed
a man to be sacrificed to Eatooa, to implore the as-
sistance of the god against Eimeo. This act of wor-
ship was to be performed at the great Moral at At-
tahooroo ; and Otoo's presence, it seems, was abso-
lutely necessary on that solemn occasion.

That the offering of human sacrifices is part of the
religious institutions of this island, had been men-
tioned by Mons. Bougainville, on the authority of
the native whom he carried with him to France.
During my last visit to Otaheite, and while I had
opportunities of conversing with Omai on the sub-
ject, 1 had satisfied myself that there was too much
reason to admit, that such a practice, however in-
consistent with the general humanity of the people,
was here adopted. But as this was one of those ex-
traordinary facts, about which many are apt to retain
doubts, unless the relater himself has had ocular
proof to confirm what he had heard from others, I
thought this a good opportunity of obtaining, the
highest evidence of its certainty, by being present
myself at the solemnity ; and, accordingly, proposed
to Otoo that I might be allowed to accompany him.
To this he readily consented ; and we immediately
set out in my boat, with my old friend Potatou, Mr.
Anderson, and Mr. Webber ; Omai following in a
canoe.

In our way we landed upon a little island, which
lies off Tettaha, where we found Towha and his re-
tinue. After some little conversation between the
two chiefs, on the subject of the war, Towha ad-
dressed himself to me, asking my assistance. When
I excused myself, he seemed angry ; thinking it
strange that I, who had always declared myself to
be the friend of their island, would not now go and
fight against its enemies. Before we parted, he gave
to Otoo two or three red feathers, tied up in a tuft ;
and a lean, half-starved dog was put into a canoe
that was to accompany us. We then embarked again,

I

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 31

taking on board a priest who was to assist at the so-
lemnity.

As soon as we landed at Attahooroo, which was
about two o'clock in the afternoon, Otoo expressed
his desire that the seamen might be ordered to re-
main in the boat ; and that Mr. Anderson, Mr.
Webber, and myself, might take off our hats, as soon
as we should come to the moral, to which we im-
mediately proceeded, attended by a great many men
and some boys ; but not one woman. We found
four priests, and their attendants or assistants, wait-
ing for us. The dead body, or sacrifice, was in a
small canoe that lay on the beach, and partly in the
wash of the sea, fronting the moral. Two of the
priests, with some of their attendants, were sitting
by the canoe ; the others at the moral. Our company
stopped about, twenty or thirty paces from the
priests. Here Otoo placed himself; we, and a few
others, standing by him ; while the bulk of the peo-
ple remained at a greater distance.

The ceremonies now began. One of the priest's
attendants brought a young plantain tree, and laid it
down before Otoo. Another approached with a small
tuft of red feathers, twisted on some fibres of the
cocoa-nut-husk, with which he touched one of the
king's feet, and then retired with it to his com-
panions. One of the priests, seated at the moral,
lacing those w T ho were upon the beach, now began a
long prayer ; and, at certain times, sent down young
plantain-trees, which were laid upon the sacrifice.
During this prayer, a man, who stood by the offi-
ciating priest, held in his hands two bundles, seem-
ingly of cloth. In one of them, as we afterwards
found, was the royal maro ; and the other, if I may
be allowed the expression, was the ark of the Eatooa.
As soon as the prayer was ended, the priests at the
moral, with their attendants, went and sat down by
those upon the beach, carrying with them the two
bundles. Here they renewed their prayers j during

32 cook's voyage to sept*

which the plantain-trees were taken, one by one, at
different times, from off the sacrifice ; which was
partly wrapped up in cocoa leaves and small
branches. It was now taken out of the canoe, and
laid upon the beach, with the feet to the sea. The
priests placed themselves around it, some sitting and
others standing ; and one or more of them, repeated
sentences for about ten minutes. The dead body
was now uncovered, by removing the leaves and
branches, and laid in a parallel direction with the sea-
shore. One of the priests then, standing at the feet
of it, pronounced a long prayer, in which he was, at
times, joined by the others ; each holding in his hand
a tuft of red feathers. In the course of this prayer,
some hair was pulled off the head of the sacrifice,
and the left eye taken out ; both of which were pre-
sented to Otoo, wrapped up in a green leaf. He did
not, however, touch it ; but gave to the man who
presented it the tuft of feathers which he had re-
ceived from Towha. This, with the hair and eye,
was carried back to the priests. Soon after, Otoo
sent to them another piece of feathers, which he had
given me in the morning to keep in my pocket.
During some part of this last ceremony, a king-fisher
making a noise in the trees, Otoo turned to me, say-
ing, "That is the Ealooa ;" and seemed to look
upon it to be a good omen.

The body was then carried a little way with its
head towards the moral, and laid under a tree, near
which were fixed three broad thin pieces of wood,
differently but rudely carved. The bundles of cloth
were laid on a part of the moi^ai, and the tufts of red
feathers were placed at the feet of the sacrifice,
round which the priests took their stations ; and we
were now allowed to go as near as we pleased. He
who seemed to be the chief priest sat at a small dis-
tance and spoke for a quarter of an hour, but with.
different tones and gestures, so that he seemed often
to expostulate with the dead person, to whom he con-

1777- TH]: PACIFIC ocean.. S3

staratly addressed himself; and sometimes asked several
questions, seemingly with respect to the propriety
of his having been killed. At other times he made seve-
ral demands, as if the deceased either now had power
himself, or interest with the divinity to engage him
to comply with such requests. Amongst which, we
understood, he asked him to deliver Eimeo Maheine,
its chief, the hogs, women, and other things of the
island, into their hands; which was, indeed, the ex-
press intention of the sacrifice. He then chanted
a prayer, which lasted half an hour, in a whining,
melancholy tone, accompanied by two other priests ;
and in which Potatou and some others joined. In
the course of this prayer, some more hair was
plucked by a priest from the head of the corpse, and
put upon one of the bundles. After this, the chief
priest prayed alone, holding in his hand the leathers
which came from lowha. When he had finished, he
gave them to another, who prayed in like manner.
Then all the tufts of feathers were laid upon the
bundles of cloth ; which closed the ceremony at this
place.

The corpse was then carried up to the most con-
spicuous part of the moral* with the feathers, the
two bundles of cloth, and the drums ; the last of
which beat slowly. The feathers and bundles were
laid against the pile of stones, and the corpse at the
foot of them. The priests having again seated
themselves round it, renewed their prayers; while
some of the attendants dug a hole about two feet
deep, into which they threw the unhappy victim,
and covered it with earth and stones. While they
were putting him into the grave, a boy squeaked
aloud, and Omai said to me, that it was the Eatooa.
During this time, a fire having been made, the dog
before mentioned w r as produced and killed, by twist-
ing his neck and suffocating him. The hair was
singed off and the entrails taken out and thrown into
the fire, where they were left to consume. But the

vol. VI. D

34 cook's voyage to sf.pt.

heart, liver, and kidneys were only roasted, by being
laid on the stones for a few minutes ; and the body
of the dog, after being besmeared with the blood
which had been collected in a cocoa-nut shell, and
dried over the fire, was, with the liver, &c. carried
and laid down before the priests, who sat praying
round the grave. They continued their ejaculations
over the dog for some time, while two men, at inter-
vals, beat on two drums very loud ; and a boy
screamed as before, in a loud shrill voice, three dif-
ferent times. This, as we were told, was to invite
the Eatooa to feast on the banquet that they had
prepared for him. As soon as the priests had ended
their prayers, the carcase of the dog, with what be-
longed to it, were laid on a whatta, or scaffold, about
six feet high, that stood close by, on which lay the
remains of two other dogs, and of two pigs which
had lately been sacrificed, and at this time emitted
an inlolerable stench. This kept us at a greater dis-
tance than would otherwise have been required of
us. For after the victim was removed from the sea-
side toward the moral, we were allowed to approach
as near as we pleased. Indeed, after that, neither
seriousness nor attention were much observed by the
spectators. When the dog was put upon the whatta,
the priests and attendants gave a kind of shout, which
closed the ceremonies for the present. The day
being now also closed, we were conducted to a house
belonging to Potatou, where we were entertained
and lodged for the night. We had been told that
the religious rites were to be renewed in the morn-
ing ; and I would not leave the place, while any
thing remained to be seen.

Being unwilling to lose any part of the solemnity,
some of us repaired to the scene of action pretty
early, but found nothing going forward. However,
soon after, a pig was sacrificed, and laid upon the
same whatta with the others. About eight o'clock,
Otoo took us again to the moral, where the priests
and a great number of men were by this time assem-

1777* TIIE PACIFIC OCEAN, 35

bled. The two bundles occupied the place in which
we had seen them deposited the preceding evening;
the two drums stood in the front of the morai, but
somewhat nearer it than before ; and the priests were
beyond them. Otoo placed himself between the two
drums, and desired me to stand by him.

The ceremony began as usual, with bringing a
young plantain-tree, and laying it down at the king's
feet. After this a prayer was repeated by the
priests, who held in their hands several tufts of red
feathers, and also a plume of ostrich feathers, which
I had given to Otoo on my first arrival, and had
been consecrated to this use. When the priests
had made an end of the prayer, they changed
their station, placing themselves between us and
the mor^aty and one of them, the same person
who had acted the principal part the day before, be-
gan another prayer, which lasted about half an hour.
During the continuance of this, the tufts of feathers
were, one by one, carried and laid upon the ark of the
Ealooa.

Some little time after, four pigs were produced; one
of which was immediately killed, and the others were
taken to a stye hard by, probably reserved for some
future occasion of sacrifice. One of the bundles was
now untied, and it was found, as I have before ob-
served, to contain the maro, with which these people
invest their kings, and which seems to answer, in
some degree, to the European ensigns of royalty. It
was carefully taken out of the cloth in which it had
been wrapped up, and spread at full length upon the
ground before the priests. It is a girdle about five
yards long and fifteen inches broad, and, from its
name, seems to be put on in the same manner as is
the common maro, or piece of cloth used by these peo-
ple to wrap round the waist. It was ornamented
with red and yellow feathers, but mostly with the
latter, taken from a dove found upon the island. The
one end was bordered with eight pieces, each about

d 2

36 cook's voyage to sept.

the size and shape of a horse-shoe having their edges
fringed with black feathers. The other end was
forked, and the points were of different lengths. The
feathers were in square compartments, ranged in two
rows, and otherwise so disposed as to produce a pleas-
ing effect. They had been first pasted or fixed upon
some of their own country cloth, and then sewed to
the upper end of the pendant which Captain Wallis
had displayed, and left flying ashore, the first time
that he landed at Matavai. This was what they told
us ; and we had no reason to doubt it, as we could
easily trace the remains of an English pendant.
About six or eight inches square of the metro was
unornamented, there being no feathers upon that
space, except a few that had been sent by Wahea-
dooa, as already mentioned. The priests made a
long prayer relative to this part of the ceremony ;
and, if I mistook not, they called it the prayer of the
rnaro. When it was finished, the badge of royalty
was carefully folded up, put into the cloth, and de-
posited again upon the morai.

The other bundle, which I have distinguished, by
the name of the ark, was next opened at one end. But
Ave were not allowed to go near enough to examine
its mysterious contents. The information we re-
ceived was, that the Eatooa, to whom they had been
sacrificing, and whose name is Ooro, was concealed
in it ; or rather, what is supposed to represent him.
This sacred repository is made of the twisted fibres of
the husk of the cocoa-nut, shaped somewhat like a
large fid or sugar-loaf, that is, roundish, with one end
much thicker than the other. We had very often
got small ones from different people, but never knew
their use before.

By this time the pig that had been killed, was cleaned,
and the entrails taken out. These happened to have
a considerable share of those convulsive motions,
which often appear in different parts after an animal
is killed, and this was considered by the spectators as
a very favourable omen to the expedition, on account

1/77* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 3 J

of which the sacrifices had been ottered. After being
exposed for some time, that those who chose might
examine their appearances, the entrails were carried
to the priests and laid down before them. While one
of their number prayed, another inspected the en-
trails more narrowly and kept turning them gently with
a stick. When they had been sufficiently examined,
they were thrown into the fire and left to consume.
The sacrificed pig, and its liver, &c. were now put
upon the whatta, where the dog had been deposited
the day before ; and then all the feathers, except the
ostrich-plume, were inclosed with the Eatooa in the
ark ; and the solemnity finally closed.

Four double canoes lay upon the beach, before the
place of sacrifice, all the morning. On the fore-part
of each of these was fixed a small platform covered
with palm-leaves tied in mysterious knots; and this
also is called a moral. Some cocoa-nuts, plantains,
pieces of bread-fruit, fish, and other things, lay upon
each of these naval morals. We were told that they
belonged to the Eaiooa, and that they were to attend
the fleet designed to go against Eimeo.

The unhappy victim offered to the object of
their worship upon this occasion, seemed to be a
middle-aged man, and, as we were told, was a
towtow, that is, one of the lowest class of the people.
But, after all my inquiries, I could not learn that he
had been pitched upon on account of any particular
crime committed by him meriting death. It is cer-
tain, however, that they generally make choice of
such guilty persons for their sacrifice, or else of com-
mon low fellows, who stroll about from place to place
and from island to island, without having any fixed
abode, or any visible way of getting an honest liveli-
hood, of which description of men enough are to be
met with at these islands. Having had an oppor-
tunity of examining the appearance of the body of the
poor sufferer now offered up, I could observe that it
was bloody about the head and face, and a good deal

d 3

38 cook's voyage to sept.

bruised upon the right temple ; which marked the
manner of his being killed. And we were told, that
he had been privately knocked on the head with a
stone.

Those who are devoted to suffer, in order to per-
form this bloody act df worship, are never apprized of
their fate till the blow is given that puts an end to
their existence. Whenever any one of the great chiefs
thinks a human sacrifice necessary on any particular
emergency, he pitches upon the victim. Some of
his trusty servants are then sent, who fall upon him
suddenly, and put him to death with a club or by
stoning him. The king is next acquainted with it,
whose presence at the solemn rites that follow is, as
I was told, absolutely necessary ; and, indeed, on
the present occasion, we could observe that Otoo
bore a principal part. The solemnity itself is called
Poore Eree, or chief's prayer ; and the victim who
is offered up Taata-taboo, or consecrated man. This
is the only instance where we have heard the word
taboo used at this island, where it seems to have the
same mysterious signification as at Tonga, though it
is there applied to all cases where things are not to
be touched. But at Otaheite, the word raa serves
the same purpose, and is full as extensive in its
meaning.

The moral (which, undoubtedly, is a place of wor-
ship, sacrifice, and burial, at the same time), where
the sacrifice was now offered, is that where the
supreme chief of the whole island is always buried,
and is appropriated to his family and some of
the principal people. It differs little from the com-
mon ones, except in extent. Its principal part is a
large oblong, pile of stones, lying loosely upon each
other, about twelve or fourteen feet high, contracted
towards the top, with a square area on each side
loosely paved with pebble stones, under which the
bones of the chiefs are buried. At a little distance
from the end nearest the sea, is the place where the

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. S ( J

sacrifices are offered ; which, for a considerable ex-
tent* is also loosely paved. There is here a very
large scaffold or whatta, on which the offerings of
fruits and other vegetables are laid. But the animals
are deposited, on a smaller one already mentioned,
and the human sacrifices are buried under different
parts of the pavement. There are several other re-
lics which ignorant superstition had scattered about
this place, such as small stones raised in different
parts of the pavement, some with bits of cloth tied
round them, others covered with it ; and, upon the
side of the large pile which fronts the area, are placed
a great many pieces of carved wood, which are sup-
posed to be sometimes the residence of their divin-
ities, and, consequently, held sacred. But one place,
more particular than the rest, is a heap of stones at
one end of the large whatta, before which the sacri-
fice was offered, with a kind of platform at one side.
On this are laid the skulls of all the human sacrifices,
which are taken up after they have been several
months under ground. Just above them are placed
a great number of the pieces of wood ; and it was also
here where the maro, and the other bundle supposed
to contain the god Ooro (and which I call the ark),
were laid during the ceremony ; a circumstance
which denotes its agreement with the altar of other
nations.

It is much to be regretted, that a practice so
horrid in its own nature and so destructive of that in-
violable right of self-preservation, which every one is
born with, should be found still existing ; and (such
is the power of superstition to counteract the first
principles of humanity !) existing amongst a people
in many other respects emerged from the brutal
manners of savage life. What is still worse, it is
probable that these bloody rites of worship are
prevalent throughout all the wide extended islands
of the Pacific Ocean. The similarity of customs and
language, which our late voyages have enabled us to

d 4

40 cook's voyage to sevt.

trace between the most distant of these islands,
makes it not unlikely that some of the most import-
ant articles of their religious institutions should
agree. And, indeed, we have the most authentic
information that human sacrifices continue to be
offered at the Friendly Islands. When I described
the Natche at To?ige-taboo 9 I mentioned that, on the
approaching sequel of that festival, we had been told
that ten men were to be sacrificed. This may give
us an idea of the extent of this religious massacre in
that island. And though we should suppose that
never more than one person is sacrificed, on any
single occasion at Otaheite, it is more than probable
that these occasions happen so frequently, as to make
a shocking waste of the human race ; for I counted
no less than forty-nine skulls of former victims lying
before the moral, where we saw one more added to
the number. And as none of those skulls had as yet
suffered any considerable change from the weather,
it may hence be inferred, that no great length of time
had elapsed, since, at least, this considerable number
of unhappy wretches had been offered upon this altar
of blood.

The custom, though no consideration can make
it cease to be abominable, might be thought less
detrimental, in some respects, if it served to impress
any awe for the divinity or reverence for religion, upon
the minds of the multitude. But this is so far from
being the case, that though a great number of people
had assembled at the moral on this occasion, they
did not seem to show any proper reverence for what
was doing or saying during the celebration of the
rites. And Omai happening to arrive after they had
begun, many of the spectators flocked round him,
and were engaged the remainder of the time in
making him relate some of his adventures, which
they listened to with great attention, regardless of
the solemn offices performing by their priests. In-
deed, the priests themselves, -except the one who

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 41

chiefly repeated the prayers, either from their being
familiarized to such objects, or from want of confi-
dence in the efficacy of their institutions, observed
very little of that solemnity, which is necessary to
give to religious performances their due weight.
Their dress was only an ordinary one ; they con-
versed together without scruple ; and the onlyattempt
made by them to preserve any appearance of decency,
was by exerting their authority to prevent the people
from coming upon the very spot where the ceremo-
nies were performed, and to suffer us, as strangers,
to advance a little forward. They were, however,
very candid in their answers to any questions that
were put to them concerning the institution. And
particularly, on being asked what the intention of it
was? thev said that it was an old custom, and was
agreeable to their god, who delighted in, or, in other
words, cam'e and fed upon the sacrifices ; in conse-
quence of which, he complied with their petitions.
Upon its being objected that he could not feed on
these, as he was neither seen to do it, nor were the
bodies of the animals quickly consumed ; and that, as
to the human victim, they prevented his feeding on
him, by burying him. But to all this they answered,
that he came in the night, but invisibly, and fed only
on the soul or immaterial part, which, according to
their doctrine, remains about the place of sacrifice,
until the body of the victim be entirely wasted by
putrefaction.

It were much to be wished that this deluded
people may learn to entertain the same horror of
murdering their fellow-creatures, in order to furnish
such an invisible banquet to their god, as they now
have of feeding, corporeally, on human flesh them-
selves. And, yet, we have great reason to believe, that
there was a time when they were cannibals. We were
told (and, indeed, partly saw it), that it is a necessary
ceremony, when a poor wretch is sacrificed, for the
priest to take out the left eye. This he presents to the

42 cook's voyage to SEPT.

king, holding it to his mouth, which he desires him
to open ; but, instead of putting it in, immediately
withdraws it. This they call " eating the man," or,
" food for the chief;" and, perhaps, we may observe
here some traces of former times, when the dead
body was really feasted upon.

But not to insist upon this ; it is certain, that hu-
man sacrifices are not the only barbarous custom we
iind still prevailing amongst this benevolent, humane
people. For, besides cutting out the jaw-bones of
their enemies slain in battle, which they carry about
as trophies, they, in some measure, offer their dead
bodies as a sacrifice to the Eatooa. Soon after a
battle, in which they have been victors, they collect
all the dead that have fallen into their hands, and
bring them to the morai, where, with a great deal of
ceremony, they dig a hole, and bury them all in it,
as so many offerings to the gods ; but then: skulls are
never after taken up.

Their own great chiefs, that fall in battle, are treated
in a different manner. We were informed, that their
late king Tootaha, Tubourai-tamaide, and another
chief, who fell with them in the battle, fought with
those of Tiaraboo, and were brought to this moral, at
Attahooroo. There their bowels were cut out by the
priests, before the great altar, and the bodies after-
wards buried in three different places, which were
pointed out to us, in the great pile of stones, that com-
pose the most conspicuous part of this moral. And
their common men, who also fell in this battle, were
all buried in one hole, at the foot of the pile. This,
Omai, who was present, told me was done the day
after the battle, with much pomp and ceremony, and
in the midst of a great concourse of people, as a
thanksgiving-offering to the Eatooa, for the victory
they had obtained ; while the vanquished had taken
refuge in the mountains. There they remained a
week, or ten days, till the fury of the victors was
over, and a treaty set on foot, by which it was

3

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 45

agreed, that Otoo should be declared king of the
whole island ; and the solemnity of investing him
with the 7?iaro t was performed at the same moral, with
great pomp, in the presence of all the principal men
of the country.

H cook's voyage to SEPT.

CHAP. III.

CONFERENCE WITH TOWHA. HEEVAS DESCRIBED. OMAI

AND OEDIDEE GIVE DINNERS. FIREWORKS EXHIBITED.

A REMARKABLE PRESENT OF CLOTH. MANNER OF PRE-
SERVING THE BODY OF A DEAD CHIEF. ANOTHER HU-
MAN SACRIFICE. RIDING ON HORSEBACK. OTOo's AT-
TENTION TO SUPPLY PROVISIONS AND PREVENT THEFTS.

ANIMALS GIVEN TO HIM. ETARV, AND THE DEPUTIES

OF A CHIEF HAVE AUDIENCES. A MOCK-FIGHT OF TWO

WAR CANOES. NAVAL STRENGTH OF THESE ISLANDS.

MANNER OF CONDUCTING A WAR.

1 he close of the very singular scene exhibited at
the morale which I have faithfully described in the
last chapter, leaving us no other business in Atta-
hooroo, we embarked about noon, in order to return
to Matavai ; and, in our way, visited Tow ha, who
had remained on the little island, where we met him
the day before. Some conversation passed between
Otoo and him, on the present posture of public af-
fairs ; and then the latter solicited me, once more, to
join them in their war against Eimeo. By my positive
refusal I entirely lost the good graces of this chief.

Before we parted, he asked us, if the solemnity, at
which we had been present, answered our expect-
ations ; what opinion we had of its efficacy ; and
whether we performed such acts of worship in our
own country ? During the celebration of the horrid
ceremony, we had preserved a profound silence; but,
as soon as it was closed, had made no scruple in ex-
pressing our sentiments very freely about it, to Otoo,
and those who attended him ; of course, therefore, I
did not conceal my detestation of it, in this convers-
ation with Towha. Besides the cruelty of the bloody
custom, I strongly urged the unreasonableness of it ;
telling the chiefj that such a sacrifice, far from mak-
ing the Eatooa propitious to their nation, as they ig-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 45

norantly believed, would be the means of drawing
down his vengeance ; and that, from this very cir-
cumstance, I took upon me to judge, that their
intended expedition against Maheine would be un-
successful. This was venturing pretty far upon con-
jecture; but still, I thought, that there was little
danger of being mistaken. For I found, that there
were three parties in the island, with regard to this
war ; one extremely violent for it, another perfectly
indifferent about the matter ; and the third openly
declaring themselves friends to Maheine, and his
cause. Under these circumstances of disunion dis-
tracting their councils, it was not likely that such a
plan of military operations would be settled, as could
insure even a probability of success. In conveying
our sentiments to Towha, on the subject of the late
sacrifice, Omai was made use of as our interpreter ;
and he entered into our arguments with so much spirit,
that the chief seemed to be in great wrath ; especi-
ally when he was told, that if he had put a man to
death in England, as he had done here, his rank
would not have protected him from being hanged for
it. Upon this, he exclaimed, Maeno ! maeno ! [vile!
vile !] and would not hear another word. During
this debate, many of the natives were present, chiefly
the attendants and servants of Towha himself; and
when Omai began to explain the punishment that
would be inflicted in England upon the greatest
man, if he killed the meanest servant, they seemed
to listen with great attention ; and were, probably,
of a different opinion from that of their master, on
this subject.

After leaving Towha, we proceeded to Oparre,
where Otoo pressed us to spend the night. We landed
in the evening ; and, on our road to his house,
had an opportunity of observing in what manner these
people amuse themselves, in their private heevas.
About a hundred of them were found sitting in a
house ; and in the midst of them were two women,

iS COOK'S VOYAGE TO SEPT.

with an old man behind each of them, beating
very gently upon a drum ; and the women, at inter-
vals, singing in a softer manner, than I ever heard
at their other diversions. The assembly listened with
great attention ; and were, seemingly, almost ab-
sorbed in the pleasure the music gave them ; for few
took any notice of us, and the performers never once
stopped. It was almost dark before we reached
Otoo's house, where we were entertained with one
of their public heevas, or plays, in which his three
sisters appeared as the principal characters. This
was what they call a heeva rati, which is of such a
nature, that nobody is to enter the house or area,
where it is exhibited. When the royal sisters are
the performers, this is always the case. Their dress,
on this occasion, was truly picturesque and elegant ;
and they acquitted themselves, in their parts, in a
very distinguished manner ; though some comic in-
terludes, performed by four men, seemed to yield
greater pleasure to the audience, which was numer-
ous. The next morning we proceeded to Matavai,
leaving Otoo at Oparre ; but his mother, sisters, and
and several other women, attended me on board, and
Otoo himself followed me soon after.

While Otoo and I were absent from the ships, they
had been sparingly supplied with fruit, and had few
visitors. After our return, we again overflowed with
provisions, and with company.

On the 14th, a party of us dined ashore with
Omai, who gave excellent fare, consisting of fish,
fowls, pork, and puddings. After dinner, I attended
Otoo, who had been one of the party, back to his
house, where 1 found all his servants very busy, get-
ting a quantity of provisions ready for me. Amongst
other articles, there was a large hog, which they
killed in my presence. The entrails were divided
into eleven portions, in such a manner that each of
them contained a bit of every thing. These portions
were distributed to the servants, and some dressed

1777- THK pacific OCEAN. 47

theirs in the same oven with the hog, while others
carried off, undressed, what had come to their share.
There was also a large pudding, the whole process in
making which I saw. It was composed of bread-
fruit, ripe plantains, taro, and palm or pandanus
nuts, each rasped, scraped, or beat up fine, and baked
by itself. A quantity of juice, expressed from cocoa-
nut kernels, was put into a large tray, or wooden
vessel. The other articles, hot from the oven, were
deposited in this vessel ; and a few hot stones were
also put in, to make the contents simmer. Three or
four men made use of sticks to stir the several ingre-
dients, till they were incorporated one with another,
and the juice of the cocoa-nut was turned to oil ; so
that the whole mass, at last, became of the consist-
ency of a hasty-pudding. Some of these puddings
are excellent ; and few that we make in England
equal them. I seldom, or never dined without one,
when I could get it , which was not always the case.
Otoo's hog being baked, and the pudding, which I
have described, being made, they, together with two
living hogs, and a quantity of bread-fruit and cocoa-
nuts were put into a canoe, and sent on board my
ship, followed by myself, and all the royal family.

The following evening, a young ram of the Cape
breed, that had been lambed, and, with great care,
brought up on board the ship, was killed by a dog.
Incidents are of more or less consequence, as con-
nected with situation. In our present situation, de-
sirous as I was to propagate this useful race amongst
these islands, the loss of the ram was a serious mis-
fortune ; as it was the only one I had of that breed ;
and I had only one of the English breed left.

In the evening of the 7th, we played off some fire-
works before a great concourse of people. Some
were highly entertained with the exhibition ; but by
far the greater number of spectators were terribly
frightened ; insomuch that it was with difficulty we
could prevail upon them to keep together to see the

48 cook's voyage to skpt.

end of the show. A table-rocket was the last. It
flew off the table, and dispersed the whole crowd in
a moment ; even the most resolute among them fled
with precipitation.

The next day a party of us dined with our former
ship-mate, Oedidee, on fish and pork. The hog
weighed about thirty pounds ; and it may be worth
mentioning, that it was alive, dressed, and brought
upon the table, within the hour. We had but just
dined, when Otoo came, and asked me if my belly
was full ? On my answering in the affirmative, he
said, " Then come along with me." I accordingly
went with him to his father's, where I found some
people employed in dressing two girls with a pro-
digious quantity of fine cloth, after a very singular
fashion. The one end of each piece of cloth, of
which there was a good many, was held up over the
heads of the girls, while the remainder was wrapped
round their bodies, under the arm-pits. Then the
upper ends were let fall, and hung down in folds to
the ground, over the other, so as to bear some re-
semblance to a circular hoop-petticoat. Afterward,
round the outside of all, were wrapped several pieces
of differently coloured cloth, which considerably in-
creased the size ; so that it was not less than five or
six yards in circuit, and the weight of this singular
attire was as much as the poor girls could support.
To each were hung two tetanies, or breast-plates, by
way of enriching the whole, and giving it a pictur-
esque appearance. Thus equipped, they were con-
ducted on board the ship, together with several hogs,
and a quantity of fruit, which, with the cloth, was a
present to me from Otoo's father. Persons, of either
sex, dressed in this manner, are called atee ; but, I
believe, it is never practised, except when large pre-
sents of cloth are to be made. At least, I never saw it
practised upon any other occasion ; nor, indeed, had
I ever such a present before ; but both Captain Gierke
and I had cloth given to us afterward, thus wrapped

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 4-9

round the bearers. The next day, I had a present
of five hogs, and some fruit, from Otoo ; and one
hog, and some fruit, from each of his sisters. Nor
were other provisions wanting. For two or three days,
great quantities of mackerel had been caught by the
natives, within the reef, in seines ; some of which
they brought to the ships and tents, and sold.

Otoo was not more attentive to supply our wants,
by a succession of presents, than he was to contri-
bute to our amusement, by a succession of diversions.
A party of us having gone down to Oparre, on the
10th, he treated us with what may be called a play.
His three sisters were the actresses ; and the dresses
they appeared in were new and elegant ; that is,
more so than we had usually met with at any of these
islands. But the principal object I had in view, this
day, in going to Oparre, was to take a view of an
embalmed corpse, which some of our gentlemen had
happened to meet with at that place, near the resi-
dence of Otoo. On enquiry, I found it to be the re-
mains of Tee, a chief well known to me, when I was
at this island, during my last voyage. It was lying
in a toopapaoo, more elegantly constructed than their
common ones, and in all respects similar to that lately
seen by us at Oheitepeha, in which the remains of
Waheadooa are deposited, embalmed in the same
manner. When we arrived at the place, the body
was under cover, and wrapped up in cloth, within
the toopapaoo ; but, at my desire, the man who had
the care of it brought it out, and laid it upon a kind
of bier, in such a manner, that we had as full a view of
it as we could wish ; but we were not allowed to go
within the pales that inclosed the toopapaoo. After
he had thus exhibited the corpse, he hung the place
with mats and cloth, so disposed as to produce a very
pretty effect. We found the body not only entire in
every part ; but, what surprized us much more, was,
that putrefaction seemed scarcely to be begun, as
there was not the least disagreeable smell proceeding

VOL. VI. E

50 cook's voyage to SEPT.

from it, though the climate is one of the hottest, and
Tee had been dead above four months. The only
remarkable alteration that had happened, was a
shrinking of the muscular parts of the eyes ; but the
hair and nails were in their original state, and still
adhered firmly; and the several joints were quite
pliable, or in that kind of relaxed state which hap-
pens to persons who faint suddenly. Such were Mr.
Anderson's remarks to me, who also told me, that,
on his enquiring into the method of effecting this pre-
servation of their dead bodies, he had been informed
that soon after their death, they are disembowelled,
by drawing the intestines, and other viscera, out at
the anus ; and the whole cavity is then filled or stuffed
with cloth, introduced through the same part ; that
when any moisture appeared on the skin, it was care-
fully dried up, and the bodies afterward rubbed all
over with a large quantity of perfumed cocoa-nut
oil ; which, being frequently repeated, preserved
them a great many months ; but that, at last, they
gradually moulder away. This was the information
Mr. Anderson received ; for my own part, I could
not learn any more about their mode of operation
than what Omai told me, who said, that they made
use of the juice of a plant which grows amongst the
mountains ; of cocoa-nut oil; and of frequent wash-
ing with sea- water. I was also told that the bodies of
all their great men, who died a natural death, are pre-
served in this manner ; and that they expose them to
public view for a considerable time after. At first,
they are laid out every day, when it does not rain ;
afterward, the intervals become greater and greater ;
and, at last, they are seldom to be seen.

In the evening, we returned from Oparre, where
we left Otoo, and all the royal family ; and I saw
none of them till the 12th, when all but the chief him-
self paid me a visit. He, as they told me, was gone
to Attahooroo, to assist, this day, at another human
sacrifice, which the chief of Tiaraboo had sent

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 51

thither to be offered up at the moral. This second in-
stance, within the course of a few days, was too me-
lancholy a proof how numerous the victims of this
bloody superstition are amongst this humane people.
I would have been present at this sacrifice, too, had I
known of it in time; for now it was too late. From
the very same cause, I missed being present at a pub-
lic transaction which had passed at Oparre the pre-
ceding day, when Otoo, with all the solemnities
observed on such occasions, restored to the friends and
followers of the late king Tootaha the lands and
possessions which had been withheld from them ever
since his death. Probably the new sacrifice was the
concluding ceremony of what may be called the re-
versal of attainder.

The following evening, Otoo returned from exer-
cising this most disagreeable of all his duties as sove-
reign ; and, the next day, being now honoured with
his company, Captain Gierke and I, mounted on
horseback, took a ride round the plain of Matavai, to
the very great surprize of a great train of people who
attended on the occasion, gazing upon us with as
much astonishment as if we had been centaurs. Omai,
indeed, had, once or twice before this, attempted to
get on horseback ; but he had as often been thrown
off, before he could contrive to seat himself ; so that
this was the first time they had seen any body ride a
horse. What Captain Clerke and I began, was, after
this, repeated every day, while we staid, by one or
another of our people ; and yet the curiosity of the
natives continued still unabated. They were exceed-
ingly delighted with these animals, after they had
seen the use that was made of them ; and, as far as I
could judge, they conveyed to them a better idea of
the greatness of other nations than all the other no-
velties put together that their European visiters
had carried amongst them. Both the horse and mare
were in good case, and looked extremely well.

The next day, Etary, or Olla, the god of Bolabola,

e 2

52 COOK S VOYAGE TO SEPT.

who had, for several days past, been in the neigh-
bourhood of Matavai, removed to Oparre, attended
by several sailing canoes. We were told, that Otoo
did not approve of his being so near our station,
where his people could more easily invade our pro-
perty. I must do Otoo the justice to say, that he
took every method prudence could suggest to pre-
vent thefts and robberies ; and it was more owing to
his regulations than to our circumspection that so
few were committed. He had taken care to erect a
little house or two on the other side of the river, be-
hind our post, and two others close to our tents, on
the bank between the river and the sea. In all these
places some of his own people constantly kept watch ;
and his father generally resided on Matavai point ;
so that we were, in a manner, surrounded by them.
Thus stationed, they not only guarded us in the night
from thieves, but could observe every thing that
passed in the day ; and were ready to collect contri-
butions from such girls as had private connections
with our people, which was generally done every
morning. So that the measures adopted by him to
secure our safety, at the same time served the more
essential purpose of enlarging his own profits.

Otoo informing me that his presence was necessary
at Oparre, where he was to give audience to the great
personage from Bolabola ; and asking me to accom-
pany him, I readily consented, in hopes of meeting
with something worth our notice. Accordingly, I
went with him, in the morning of the 16th, attended
by Mr. Anderson. Nothing, however, occurred on
this occasion, that was either interesting or curious.
"We saw Etary and his followers present some coarse
cloth and hogs to Otoo ; and each article was deli-
vered with some ceremony, and a set speech. After
this, they, and some otheir chiefs, held a consult-
ation about the expedition to Eimeo. Etary at first
seemed to disapprove of it, but at last his objec-
tions were over-ruled. Indeed, it appeared, next

1777' THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 53

day, that it was too late to deliberate about this mea-
sure ; and that Towha, Potatou, and another chief,
had already gone upon the expedition with the fleet
of Attahooroo. For a messenger arrived in the even-
ing with intelligence that they had reached Eimeo,
and that there had been some skirmishes, without
much loss or advantage on either side.

In the morning of the 18th, Mr. Anderson, myself,
and Omai, went again with Otoo to Oparre, and
took with us the sheep which I intended to leave
upon the island, consisting of an English ram and ewe,
and three Cape ewes ; all which I gave to Otoo. As
all the three cows had taken the bull, I thought I
might venture to divide them, and carry some to
Ulietea. With this view, I had them brought be-
fore us, and proposed to Etary, that if he would
leave his bull with Otoo, he should have mine*
and one of the three cows ; adding, that I would
carry them for him to Ulietea ; for I was afraid to
remove the Spanish bull, lest some accident should
happen to him, as he was a bulky spirited beast. To
this proposal of mine, Etary at first made some
objections, but at last agreed to it, partly through
the persuasion of Omai. However, just as the cattle
were putting into the boat, one of Etary's followers
valiantly opposed any exchange whatever being made.
Finding this, and suspecting that Etary had only con-
sented to the proposed arrangement, for the present
moment, to please me, and that after I was gone
he might take away his bull, and then Otoo would
not have one, I thought it best to drop the idea of
an exchange, as it could not be made with the mu-
tual consent of both parties, and finally determined
to leave them all with Otoo, strictly enjoining him
never to suffer them to be removed from Oparre, not
even the Spanish bull, nor any of the sheep, till he
should get a stock of young ones ; which he might
then dispose of to his friends, and send to the neigh-
bouring islands.

e 3

54* cook's voyage to sept.

This being settled, we left Etary and his party to
ruminate upon their folly, and attended Otoo to
another place hard by, where we found the servants of
a chief, whose name I forgot to ask, waiting with a
hog, a pig, and a dog, as a present from their mas-
ter to the sovereign. These were delivered with
the usual ceremonies, and with an harangue in form,
in which the speaker, in his master's name, enquired
after the health of Otoo, and of all the principal
people about him. This compliment was echoed back
in the name of Otoo, by one of his ministers ; and
then the dispute with Eimeo was discussed, with
many arguments for and against it. The deputies
of'this chief were for prosecuting the war with vigour,
and advised Otoo to offer a human sacrifice. On
the other hand, a chief who was in constant attend-
ance on Otoo's person opposed it, seemingly, with
great strength of argument. This confirmed me in
the opinion, that Otoo himself never entered heartily
into the spirit of this war. He now received re-
peated messages from Towha, strongly soliciting
him to hasten to his assistance. We were told that his
fleet was in a manner surrounded by that of Ma-
heine ; but that neither the one nor the other durst
hazard an engagement.

After dining with Otoo, we returned to Matavai,
leaving him at Oparre. This day, and also the 19th,
we were very sparingly supplied with fruit. Otoo hear-
ing of this, he and his brother, who had attached him-
self to Captain Gierke, came fro'm Oparre between
nine and ten o'clock in the evening, with a large sup-
ply for both ships. This marked his humane atten-
tion more strongly than any thing he had hitherto
done for us. The next day, all the royal family
came with presents, so that our wants were not only
relieved, but we had more provisions than we could
consume.

Having got all our water on board, the ships
being caulked, the rigging overhauled, and every

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 55

thing put in order, I began to think of leaving the
island, that I might have sufficient time to spare for
visiting others in this neighbourhood. With this
view, we removed from the shore our observatories
and instruments, and bent the sails. Early the next
morning, Otoo came on board to acquaint me, that
all the war canoes of Matavai, and of the three
other districts adjoining, were going to Oparre, to
join those belonging to that part of the island ; and
that there would be a general review there. Soon
after, the squadron of Matavai was all in motion ;
and, after parading a while about the bay, assembled
ashore near the middle of it. I now went in my boat
to take a view of them.

Of those with stages on which they right, or what
they call their war-canoes, there were about sixty,
with near as many more of a smaller size. I was
ready to have attended them to Oparre ; but, soon
after, a resolution was taken by the chiefs, that they
should not move till the next day. I looked upon
this to be a fortunate delay, as it afforded me a good
opportunity to get some insight into their manner of
fighting. With this view, I expressed my wish to Otoo
that he would order some of them to go through the ne-
cessary manoeuvres. Two were, accordingly, order-
ed out into the bay, in one of which Otoo, Mr. King,
and myself embarked, and Omai went on board the
other. When we had got sufficient sea-room, we faced
and advanced upon each other, and retreated by
turns, as quick as our rowers could paddle. During
this, the warriors on the stages flourished their wea-
pons, and playeH a hundred antic tricks, which could
answer no other end, in my judgment, than to work
up their passions, and prepare them for fighting.
Otoo stood by the side of our stage, and gave the
necessary orders when to advance and when to
retreat. In this, great judgment and a quick eye
combined together seemed requisite, to seize every
advantage that might offer, and to avoid giving any

e 4

56 cook's voyage to sept.

advantage to the adversary. At last, after advancing
and retreating from each other at least a dozen times,
the two canoes closed head to head, or stage to stage ;
and, after a short conflict, the troops on our stage
were supposed to be all killed, and we were boarded
by Omai and his associates. At that very instant,
Otoo and all our paddlers leaped overboard, as if re-
duced to the necessity of endeavouring to save their
lives by swimming.

IfOmai's information is to be depended upon, their
naval engagements are not always conducted in this
manner. He told me, that they sometimes begin
with lashing the two vessels together, head to head,
and then fight till all the warriors are killed on one side
or the other. But this close combat, I apprehend, is
never practised but when they are determined to
conquer or die. Indeed, one or the other must hap-
pen ; for all agree that they never give quarter, un-
less it be to reserve their prisoners for a more cruel
death the next day.

The power and strength of these islands lie entirely
in their navies. I never heard of a general engage-
ment on land ; and all their decisive battles are
fought on the water. If the time and place of con-
flict are fixed upon by both parties, the preceding
day and night are spent in diversions and feast-
ing. Toward morning they launch the canoes,
put every thing in order, and, with the day,
begin the battle, the fate of which generally de-
cides the dispute. The vanquished save themselves
by a precipitate flight ; and such as reach the shore
fly with their friends to the mountains ; for the vic-
tors, while their fury lasts, spare neither the aged,
women, nor children. The next day they assemble
at the morai, to return thanks to the Eatooa for the
victory, and to offer up the slain as sacrifices, and
the prisoners also, if they have any. After this, a
treaty is set on foot, and the conquerors for the
most part obtain their own terms, by which parti-

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 57

cular districts of land, and sometimes whole islands,
change their owners. Omai told us that he was
once taken a prisoner by the men of Bolabola, and car-
ried to that island, where he and some others would
have been put to death the next day if they had not
found means to escape in the night.

As soon as this mock fight was over, Omai put on
his suit of armour, mounted a stage in one of the
canoes, and was paddled all along the shore of the
bay; so that every one had a full view of him. His
coat of mail did not draw the attention of his country-
men so much as might have been expected. Some of
them, indeed, had seen a part of it before ; and there
were others, again, who had taken such a dislike to
Omai, from his imprudent conduct at this place, that
they would hardly look at any thing, however sin-
gular, that was exhibited by him.

58 cook's voyage to sept.

CHAP. IV.

THE DAY OF SAILING FIXED. PEACE MADE WITH EIMEO.

DEBATES ABOUT IT, AND OTOO's CONDUCT BLAMED.

A SOLEMNITY AT THE MORAI ON THE OCCASION, DESCRIBED

BY MR. KING. OBSERVATIONS UPON IT. INSTANCE OF

OTOO'S ART. OMAI'S WaR-CANOE, AND REMARKS UPON

HIS BEHAVIOUR. OTOO's PRESENT, AND MESSAGE TO THE

KING OF GREAT BRITAIN. REFLECTIONS ON OUR MANNER

OF TRAFFIC, AND ON THE GOOD TREATMENT WE MET WITH

AT OTAHEITE. ACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION OF THE

SPANIARDS. THEIR FICTIONS TO DEPRECIATE THE ENG-
LISH. WISHES EXPRESSED THAT NO SETTLEMENT MAY BE

MADE. OMAl's JEALOUSY OF ANOTHER TRAVELLER.

JuLarly in the morning of the 22d, Otoo and his
father came on board, to know when I proposed sail-
ing. For, having been informed that there was a
good harbour at Eimeo, I had told them that I should
visit that island on my way to Huaheine ; and they
were desirous of taking a passage with me, and of
their fleet sailing at the time to reinforce Towha.
As I was ready to take my departure, I left it to
them to name the day, and the Wednesday following
was fixed upon, when I was to take on board Otoo,
his father, mother, and, in short, the whole family.
These points being settled, I proposed setting out
immediately for Oparre, where all the fleet, fitted out,
for the expedition, was to assemble this day, and to
be reviewed.

I had but just time to get into my boat, when
news was brought, that Towha had concluded a
treaty with Maheine, and had returned with his
fleet to Attahooroo. This unexpected event made all
further proceedings in the military way quite unneces-
sary, and the war-canoes, instead of rendezvousing at
Oparre, were ordered home to their respective dis-

1777' THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 59

tricts. This alteration, however, did not hinder me
from following Otoo to Oparre, accompanied by
Mr. King and Omai. Soon after our arrival, and
while dinner was preparing, a messenger arrived from
Eimeo, and related the conditions of the peace, or
rather of the truce, it being only for a limited time.
The terms were disadvantageous to Otaheite ; and
much blame was thrown upon Otoo, whose delay in
sending reinforcements had obliged Towha to sub-
mit to a disgraceful accommodation. It was even
currently reported, that Towha, resenting his not
being supported, had declared, that as soon as I
could leave the island he would join his forces to
those of Tiaraboo, and attack Otoo at Matavai or
Oparre. This called upon me to declare, in the most
public manner, that I was determined to espouse the
interest of my friend against any such combination ;
and that whoever presumed to attack him, should
feel the weight of my heavy displeasure, when I
returned again to their island. My declaration pro-
bably had the desired effect ; and if Towha had any
such hostile intention at first, we soon heard no more
of the report. Whappai, Otoo's father, highly dis-
approved of the peace, and blamed Towha very much
for concluding it. This sensible old man wisely
judged, that my going down with them to Eimeo
must have been of singular service to their cause,
though I should take no other part whatever in the
quarrel. And it was upon this that he built his argu-
ments, and maintained that Otoo had acted properly
by waiting for me, though this had prevented his
giving assistance to Towha so soon as he expected.

Our debates at Oparre, on this subject, were hardly
ended, before a messenger arrived from Towha, de-
siring Otoo's attendance the next day at the moral
in Attahooroo, to give thanks to the gods for the
peace he had concluded $ at least such was Omai's
account to me of the object of this solemnity. I
was asked to go ; but being much out of order was

60 cook's voyage to SEPT.

obliged to decline it. Desirous, however, of knowing
what ceremonies might be observed on so memorable
an occasion, I sent Mr. King and Omai,and returned
on board my ship, attended by Otoo's mother,
his three sisters, and eight more women. At first I
thought that this numerous train of females came
into my boat with no other view than to get a passage
to Matavai. But when we arrived at the ship, they
told me, they intended passing the night on board,
for the express purpose of undertaking the cure of
the disorder I complained of; which was a pain of
the rheumatic kind, extending from the hip to the
foot. I accepted the friendly offer, had a bed spread
for them upon the cabin floor, and submitted myself
to their directions. I was desired to lay myself down
amongst them. Then, as many of them as could get
round me, began to squeeze me with both hands,
from head to foot, but more particularly on the parts
where the pain was lodged, till they made my bones
crack, and my flesh became a perfect mummy. In
short, after undergoing this discipline about a quarter
of an hour, I was glad to get away from them. How-
ever, the operation gave me immediate relief, which
encouraged me to submit to another rubbing-down
before I went to bed ; and it was so effectual, that I
found myself pretty easy all the night after. My fe-
male physicians repeated their prescription the next
morning, before they went ashore, and again, in the
evening, when they returned on board ; after which,
I found the pains entirely removed ; and the cure
being perfected, they took their leave of me the
following morning. This they call romee ; an oper-
ation which, in my opinion, far exceeds the flesh-
brush, or any thing of the kind that we make use of
externally. It is universally practised amongst these
islanders ; being sometimes performed by the men,
but more generally by the women. If, at any time,
one appears languid and tired, and sits down by any
one of them, they immediately begin to practise the

4

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 61

romee upon his legs ; and I have always found it to
have an exceeding good effect. *

In the morning of the 25th, Otoo, Mr. King, and
Omai, returned from Attahooroo ; and Mr. King gave
me the following account of what he had seen :

" Soon after you left me, a second messenger came
from Towha, to Otoo, with a plantain-tree. It was
sunset when we embarked in a canoe and left Oparre :
about nine o'clock we landed at Tettaha, at that ex-
tremity which joins to Attahooroo. Before we landed,
the people called to us from the shore, probably to
tell us that Towha was there. The meeting of Otoo
and this chief I expected would afford some inci-
dent worthy of observation. Otoo and his attend-
ants went and seated themselves on the bench, close
to the canoe in which Towha was. He was then
asleep ; but his servants having awaked him, and
mentioning Otoo's name, immediately a plantain-tree
and a dog were laid at Otoo's feet ; and many of
Towha's people came and talked with him, as I con-
ceived, about their expedition to Eimeo. After I
had, for some time, remained seated close to Otoo,
Towha neither stirring from his canoe, nor holding
any conversation with us, I went to him. He asked
me if Toote was angry with him. 1 answered, No :
that he was his taio ; and that he had ordered
me to go to Attahooroo to tell him so. Omai now
had a long conversation with this chief; but I could
gather no information of any kind from him. On
my returning to Otoo, he seemed desirous that I
should go to eat, and then to sleep. Accordingly,
Omai and I left him. On questioning Omai, he said,
the reason of Towha's not stirring from his canoe
was his being lame ; but that, presently, Otoo and he
would converse together in private. This seemed
true; for, in a little time, those we left with Otoo

* See Captain Wallis's account of the same operation performed
on himself, and his first lieutenant, in Haivkesxvorth's Collection,
vol. i. p. 463. Lond. edit.

62 cook's voyage to SEPT.

came to us ; and, about ten minutes after, Otoo
himself arrived, and we all went to sleep in his
canoe.

" The next morning, the ava was in great plenty.
One man drank so much that he lost his senses. I
should have supposed him to be in a fit, from the con-
vulsions that agitated him. Two men held him, and
kept plucking off his hair by the roots. I left this
spectacle to see another more affecting. This was
the meeting of Towha and his wife, and a young girl,
whom I understood to be his daughter. After the
ceremony of cutting their heads, and discharging a
tolerable quantity of blood and tears, they washed,
embraced the chief, and seemed unconcerned. But
the young girl's sufferings were not yet come to an
end. Terridiri * arrived ; and she went, with great
composure, to repeat the same ceremonies to him,
which he had just performed on meeting her father.
Towha had brought a large war-canoe from Eimeo.
I enquired if he had killed the people belonging to
her ; and was told, that there was no man in her when
she was captured.

" We left Tettaha, about ten or eleven o'clock, and
landed, close to the moral of Attahooroo, a little
after noon. There lay three canoes, hauled upon
the beach, opposite the moral, with three hogs ex-
posed in each : their sheds, or awnings, had some-
thing under them which I could not discern. We
expected the solemnity to be performed the same
afternoon j but as neither Towha nor Potatou had
joined us, nothing was done.

" A chief from Eimeo came with a small pig, and a
plaintain-tree, and placed them at Otoo's feet. They
talked some time together ; and the Eimeo chief
often repeating the words, Warry, warry, " false,"
I supposed that Otoo was relating to him what he
had heard, and that the other denied it.

* Terridiri is Oberea'sson. See an account of the royal family
of Otaheite in Hatvkestvorth's Collection, vol. ii. p. 154*.

1?77^ THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 63

" The next day (Wednesday), Towha and Potatou,
with about eight large canoes, arrived, and landed
near the moral. Many plantain-trees were brought,
on the part of different chiefs, to Otoo. Towha did
not stir from his canoe. The ceremony began by the
principal priest bringing out the maro, wrapped up,
and a bundle shaped like a large sugar-loaf. These
were placed at the head of what I understood to be a
grave. Then three priests came and sat down opposite,
that is, at the other end of the grave ; bringing with
them a plantain-tree, the branch of some other tree,
and the sheath of the flower of the cocoa-nut tree.

" The priests, with these things in their hands, se-
parately repeated sentences ; and, at intervals, two,
and sometimes all three, sung a melancholy ditty,
little attended to by the people. This praying and
singing continued for an hour. Then, after a short
prayer, the principal priest uncoverd the maro ; and
Otoo rose up, and wrapped it about him, holding, at
thesame time, in his hand, a cap or bonnet, composed
of the red feathers of the tail of the tropic bird, mixed
with other feathers of a dark colour. He stood in
the middle space, facing the three priests, who con-
tinued their prayers for about ten minutes ; when a
man, starting from the crowd, said something which
ended with the word heiva ! and the crowd echoed
back to him, three times, Earee! This, as I had been
told before, was the principal part of the solemnity.

" The company now moved to the opposite side of
the great pile of stones, where is what they call the
king's moral; which is not unlike a large grave.
Here the same ceremony was performed over again,
and ended in three cheers. The maro was now wrap-
ped up, and encreased in its splendour by the addition
of a small piece of red feathers, which one of the
priests gave Otoo when he had it on, and which he
stuck into it.

" From this place the people went to a large hut,
close by the moral, where they seated themselves
in much greater order than is usual among them. A

64 cook's voyage to SEPT.

man of Tiaraboo then made an oration, which lasted
about ten minutes. He was followed by an Atta-
hooroo man ; afterward Potatou spoke with much
greater fluency and grace than any of them ; for,
in general, they spoke in short, broken sentences,
with a motion of the hand that was rather awkward.
Tooteo, Otoo's orator, spoke next, and after him
a man from Eimeo. Two or three more speeches
were made ; but not much attended to. Omai told
me, that the speeches declared that they should not
fight, but all be friends. As many of the speakers
expressed themselves with warmth, possibly there
were some recriminations and protestations of their
good intentions. In the midst of their speaking, a
man of Attahooroo got up, with a sling fastened to
his waist, and a large stone placed upon his shoulder.
After parading near a quarter of an hour in the open
space, repeating something in a singing tone, he
threw the stone down. This stone, and a plan-
tain-tree that lay at Otoo's feet, were, after the
speeches ended, carried to the moral ; and one of the
priests, and Otoo with him, said something upon the
occasion.

" On our return to Oparre, the sea-breeze having
set in, we were obliged to land, and had a pleasant
walk through almost the whole extent of Tettaha to
Oparre. A tree, with two bundles of dried leaves
suspended upon it, marked the boundary of the two
districts. The man who had performed the cere-
mony of the stone and sling came with us. With
him Otoo's father had a long conversation. He
seemed very angry. I understood he was enraged
at the part Towha had taken in the Eimeo business."

From what I can judge of this solemnity, as thus
described by Mr. King, it had not been wholly a
thanksgiving, as Omai told us, but rather a confirm-
ation of the treaty, or perhaps both. The grave,
which Mr. King speaks of, seems to be the very spot
where the celebration of the rites began, when the

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN* 65

human sacrifice, at which I was present, was offered,
and before which the victim was laid, after being re-
moved from the sea side. It is at this part of the
moral, also, that they first invest their kings with
the maro. Omai, who had been present when Otoo
was made king, described to me the whole ceremony,
when we were here ; and I find it to be almost the
same, as this that Mr. King has now described, though
we understood it to be upon a very different occasion.
The plantain -tree, so often mentioned, is always the
first thing introduced, not only in all their religious
ceremonies, but in all their debates, whether of a
public or private nature. It is also used on other occa-
sions; perhaps many more than we know of. While
Towha was at Eimeo, one or more messengers came
from him to Otoo every day. The messenger always
came with a young plantain-tree in his hand, which
he laid down at Otoo's feet, before he spoke a word;
then seated himself before him, and related what he
was charged with. I have seen two men in such
high dispute that I expected they would proceed to
blows ; yet, on one laying a plantain-tree before the
other, they have both become cool, and carried on
the argument without farther animosity. In short,
it is, upon all occasions, the olive-branch of these
people.

The war with Eimeo, and the solemn rites which
were the consequence of it, being thus finally closed,
all our friends paid us a visit on the 26th ; and, as
they knew that we were upon the point of sailing,
brought with them more hogs than w T e could take off
their hands. For, having no salt left, to preserve
any, we wanted no more than for present use.

The next day, I accompanied Otoo to Oparre ;
and, before I left it, I looked at the cattle and poul-
try, which I had consigned to my friend's care, at
that place. Every thing was in a promising way ; and
properly attended unto. Two of the geese and two
of the ducks were sitting ; but the pea and turkey

VOL. VI. F

66 cook's voyage to sept.

hens had not begun to lay. I got from Otoo four
goats ; two of which 1 intended to leave at Ulietea,
where none had as yet been introduced ; and the
other two, I proposed to reserve for the use of any
other islands I might meet with in my passage to the
north.

A circumstance which I shall now mention of
Otoo, will shew that these people are capable of
much address and art to gain their purposes.
Amongst other things which, at different times, I had
given to this chief, was a spying-glass. After hav-
ing it in his possession two or three days, tired of its
novelty, and probably finding it of no use to him, he
carried it privately to Captain Clerke, and told him,
that, as he had been his very good friend, he had
got a present for him, which he knew would be agree-
able. " But, says Otoo, you must not let Toote know
it ; because he wants it, and I would not let him have
it." He then put the glass into Captain Clerke's
hands ; at the same time, assuring him, that he came
honestly by it. Captain Clerke at first declined ac-
cepting it ; but Otoo insisted upon it, and left it
with him. Some days after, he put Captain Clerke
in mind of the glass ; who, though he did not want
it, was yet desirous of obliging Otoo ; and thinking,
that a few axes would be of more use at this island,
produced four to give him in return. Otoo no sooner
saw this, than he said, " Toote offered me five for it."
" Well, says Captain Clerke, if that be the case, your
friendship for me shall not make you a loser, and vou
shall have six axes." These he accepted ; but desired
again, that I might not be told what he had done.

Our friend Omai got one good thing at this island
for the many good things he gave away. This was
a very fine double sailing canoe, completely equipped,
and fit for the sea. Some time before, I had made
up for him, a suit of English colours ; but he thought
these too valuable to be used at this time ; and patched
up a parcel of colours, such as flags and pendants,

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ()1

to the number of ten or a dozen, which he spread on
different parts of this vessel, all at the same time ;
and drew together as many people to look at her, as
a man-of-war would, dressed, in a European port.
These streamers of Omai were a mixture of English,
French, Spanish, and Dutch, which were all the
European colours that he had seen. When I was
last at this island, I gave to Otoo an English jack
and pendant, and to Towha a pendant ; which I now
found they had preserved with the greatest care.

Omai had also provided himself with a good stock
of cloth and cocoa-nut oil, which are not only in
greater plenty, but much better at Otaheite than at
any of the Society islands ; insomuch, that they are
articles of trade. Omai would not have behaved so
inconsistently, and so much unlike himself, as he did,
in many instances, but for his sister and brother-in-
law, who, together with a few more of their acquaint-
ance, engrossed him entirely to themselves, with no
other view than to strip him of every thing he had
got. And they would, undoubtedly, have succeeded
in their scheme, if I had not put a stop to it in time,
by taking the most useful articles of his property into
my possession. But even this would not have saved
Omai from ruin, if I had suffered these relations of
his to have gone with, or to have followed us to, his
intended place of settlement, Huaheine. This they
had intended ; but I disappointed their farther views
of plunder, by forbidding them to shew themselves
in that island, while I remained in the neighbourhood;
and they knew me too well not to comply.

On the 28th, Otoo came on board, and informed
me, that he had got a canoe, which he desired I would
take with me, and carry home, as a present from him
to the Earee rahie no Pretane ; it being the only
thing, he said, that he could send worth his Majesty's
acceptance. I was not a little pleased with Otoo for
this mark of his gratitude. It was a thought entirely
his own, not one of us having given him the least

F 2

68 cook's voyage to sept.

hint about it ; and it shewed that he fully understood
to whom he was indebted for the most valuable pre-
sents that he had received. At first, I thought that
this canoe had been a model of one of their vessels
of war ; but I soon found that it was a small ivahah,
about sixteen feet long. It was double, and seemed
to have been built for the purpose ; and was deco-
rated with all those pieces of carved work, which
they usually fix upon their canoes. As it was too
large for me to take on board, I could only thank
him for his good intentions ; but it would have pleased
him much better, if his present could have been
accepted.

We were detained here some days longer than I
expected, by light breezes from the west, and calms
by turns ; so that we could not get out of the bay.
During this time, the ships were crowded with our
friends, and surrounded by a multitude of canoes ;
for not one would leave the place till we were gone.
At length, at three o'clock in the afternoon of the
29th, the wind came at east, and we weighed anchor.

As soon as the ships were under sail, at the request
of Otoo, and to gratify the curiosity of his people, I
fired seven guns, loaded with shot ; after which, all
our friends, except him, and two or three more, left
us with such marks of affection and grief, as suffi-
ciently shewed how much they regretted our de-
parture. Otoo being desirous of seeing the ship
sail, I made a stretch out to sea, and then in again ;
when he also bid us farewell, and went ashore in his
canoe.

The frequent visits we have lately paid to this
island, seem to have created a full persuasion, that
the intercourse will not be discontinued. It was
strictly enjoined to me by Otoo, to request, in his
name, the Earee rahie no Pretane, to send him, by
the next ships, red feathers, and the birds that pro-
duce them ; axes ; half a dozen muskets, with pow-
der and shot ; and, by no means, to forget horses.

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 09

I have occasionally mentioned my receiving con-
siderable presents from Otoo, and the rest of the fa-
mily, without specifying what returns I made. It is
customary for these people, when they make a pre-
sent, to let us know what they expect in return ; and
we find it necessary to gratify them ; so that what
we get by way of present, comes dearer than what
we get by barter. But as we were sometimes pressed
by occasional scarcity, we could have recourse to our
friends for a present, or supply, when we could not
get our wants relieved by any other method ; and
therefore, upon the whole, this way of traffic was
full as advantageous to us as to the natives. For the
most part, I paid for each separate article as I re-
ceived it, except in my intercourse with Otoo. His
presents generally came so fast upon me, that no
account was kept between us. Whatever he asked
for, that I could spare, he had whenever he asked
for it ; and I always found him moderate in his de-
mands.

If I could have prevailed upon Omai to fix him-
self at Otaheite, I should not have left it so soon as I
did ; for there was not a probability of our being
better or cheaper supplied with refreshments at any
other place, than we continued to be here, even at
the time of our leaving it. Besides, such a cordial
friendship and confidence subsisted between us and
the inhabitants, as could hardly be expected any
where else ; and, it was a little extraordinary, that
this friendly intercourse had never once been sus-
pended by any untoward accident; nor had there
been a theft committed that deserves to be mentioned.
Not that I believe their morals, in this respect, to be
much mended ; but am rather of opinion, that their
regularity of conduct was owing to the fear the chiefs
were under of interrupting a traffic which they
might consider as the means of securing to them-
selves a more considerable share of our commodities
than could have been got by plunder or pilfering.

F 3"

70 cook's VOYAGE TO SErT.

Indeed, this point I settled at the first interview with
their chiefs, after my arrival. For, observing the
great plenty that was in the island, and the eagerness
of the natives to possess our various articles of trade,
I resolved to make the most of these two favourable
circumstances, and explained myself, in the most de-
cisive terms, that I would not suffer them to rob us,
as they had done upon many former occasions. In
this Omai was of great use, as I instructed him to
point out to them the good consequences of their
honest conduct ; and the fatal mischiefs they must
expect to suffer by deviating from it.

It is not always in the power of the chiefs to pre-
vent robberies ; they are frequently robbed them-
selves ; and complain of it as a great evil. Otoo left
the most valuable things he had from me in my pos-
session, till the day before we sailed ; and the reason
he gave for it was, that they were no where so safe.
Since the bringing in of new riches, the inducements
to pilfering must have increased. The chiefs, sensi-
ble of this, are now extremely desirous of chests.
They seemed to set much value upon a few the
Spaniards had left amongst them ; and they were
continually asking us for some. I had one made for
Otoo, the dimensions of which, according to his own
directions, were eight feet in length, five in breadth,
and about three in depth. Locks and bolts were not
a sufficient security ; but it must be large enough for
two people to sleep upon, by way of guarding it in
the night.

It will appear a little extraordinary, that we, who
had a smattering of their language, and Omai, be-
sides, for an interpreter, could never get any clear
account of the time when the Spaniards arrived, how
long they stayed, and when they departed. The
more we inquired into this matter, the more we were
convinced of the inability of most of these people to
remember, or note the time, when past events hap-
pened j especially if it exceeded ten or twenty months.

4

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 7*

It, however, appeared, by the date of the inscrip-
tion upon the cross, and by the information we re-
ceived from the most intelligent of the natives, that
two ships arrived at Oheitepeha in 1774, soon after
I left Matavai, which was in May, the same year.
They brought with them the house and live-stock
before mentioned. Some said, that, after landing
these things, and some men, they sailed in quest of
me, and returned in about ten days. But I have
some doubt of the truth of this, as they were never
seen, either at Huaheine, or at Ulietea. The live-
stock they left here, consisted of one bull, some
goats, hogs, and dogs, and the male of some other
animal ; which we afterwards found to be a ram, and,
at this time, was at Bolabola, whither the bull was
also to have been transported.

The hogs are of a large kind ; have already greatly
improved the breed originally found by us upon the
island ; and, at the time of our late arrival, were
very numerous; Goats are, also, in tolerable plenty ;
there being hardly a chief of any note that has not
got some. As to the dogs that the Spaniards put
ashore, which are of two or three sorts, I think they
would have done the island a great deal more service,
if they had hanged them all, instead of leaving them
upon it. It was to one of them that my young ram
fell a victim.

When these ships left the islands, four Spaniards
remained behind. Two were priests, one a servant,
and the fourth made himself very popular among the
natives, who distinguish him by the name of Matee-
ma. He seems to have been a person who had studied
their language ; or, at least, to have spoken it so as
to be understood ; and to have taken uncommon
pains to impress the minds of the islanders with the
most exalted ideas of the greatness of the Spanish
nation, and to make them think meanly of the Eng-
lish. He even went so far as to assure them, that
we no longer existed as an independent nation \ that

F 4f

72 COOK'S VOYAGE TO SEPT'

Pretmie was only a small island, which they, the
Spaniards, had entirely destroyed ; and for me, that
they had met with me at sea, and, with a few shot,
had sent my ship, and every soul in her, to the bot-
tom ; so that my visiting Otaheite, at this time, was,
of course, very unexpected. All this, and many
other improbable falsehoods, did this Spaniard make
these people believe. If Spain had no other views
in this expedition, but to depreciate the English,
they had better have kept their ships at home;
for my returning again to Otaheite was considered
as a complete confutation of all that Mateema had
said.

With what design the priests stayed, we can only
guess. If it was to convert the natives to the catho-
lic faith, they have not succeeded in any one instance.
But it does not appear that they ever attempted it - 9
for, if the natives are to be believed, they never con-
versed with them, either on this, or on any other
subject. The priests resided constantly in the house
at Oheitepeha ; but Mateema roved about, visiting
most parts of the island. At length, after he and
his companions had staid ten months, two ships came
to Oheitepeha, took them on board, and sailed again
in five days. This hasty departure shews, that, what-
ever design the Spaniards might have had upon this
island, they had now laid it aside. And yet, as I
was informed by Otoo, and many others, before they
went away, they would have the natives believe that
they still meant to return, and to bring with them
houses, all kinds of animals, and men and women, who
were to settle, live, and die on the island. Otoo, when
he told me this, added, that if the Spaniards should
return, he would not let them come to Matavai Fort,
which, he said, was our's. It was easy to see that
the idea pleased him ; little thinking, that the com-
pletion of it would at once deprive him of his
kingdom, and the people of their liberties. This
shews with what facility a settlement might be made

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ?3

at Otaheite ; which, grateful as I am for repeated
good offices, 1 hope will never happen. Our occa-
sional visits may, in some respects, have benefited its
inhabitants; but a permanent establishment amongst
them, conducted as most European establishments
amongst Indian nations have unfortunately been,
would, I fear, give them just cause to lament, that
our ships had ever found them out. Indeed, it is
very unlikely, that any measure of this kind should
ever be seriously thought of, as it can neither serve
the purposes of public ambition, nor of private ava-
rice ; and, without such inducements, I may pro-
nounce, that it will never be undertaken.

I have already mentioned the visit that I had from
one of the two natives of this island, who had been
carried by the Spaniards to Lima. I never saw him af-
terward ; which I rather wondered at, as I had received
him with uncommon civility. I believe, however,
that Omai had kept him at a distance from me, by
some rough usage ; jealous that there should be an-
other traveller upon the island who might vie with
himself. Our touching at Teneriffe was a fortunate
circumstance for Omai ; as he prided himself in
having visited a place belonging to Spain, as well as
this man. I did not meet with the other, who had
returned from Lima; but Captain Gierke, who had
seen him, spoke of him as a low fellow, and as a little
out of his senses. His own countrymen, I found,
agreed in the same account of him. In short, these
two adventurers seemed to be held in no esteem.
They had not, indeed, been so fortunate as to re-
turn home with such valuable acquisitions of property
as we had bestowed upon Omai ; and with the ad-
vantages he reaped from his voyage to England, it
must be his own fault if he should sink into the same
state of insignificance.

7* cook's VOYAGE TO SEPT.

CHAP. V.

ARRIVAL AT EIMEO. TWO HARBOURS THERE, AND AN

ACCOUNT OF THEM. VISIT FROM MAHEINE, CHIEF OF

THE ISLAND. HIS PERSON DESCRIBED. A GOAT STOLEN,

AND SENT BACK WITH THE THIEF. ANOTHER GOAT STOLEN,

AND SECRETED. MEASURES TAKEN ON THE OCCASION.

EXPEDITION CROSS THE ISLAND. HOUSES AND CANOES

BURNT. THE GOAT DELIVERED UP, AND PEACE RESTORED.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ISLAND, &C.

As I did not give up my design of touching at
Eimeo, at day-break, in the morning of the 30th,
after leaving Otaheite, I stood for the north end of
the island ; the harbour, which I wished to examine,
being at that part of it. Omai, in his canoe, having
arrived there long before us, had taken some neces-
sary measures to show us the place. However, we
were not without pilots, having several men of Ota-
heite on board, and not a few women. Not caring
to trust entirely to these guides, I sent two boats to
examine the harbour, and, on their making the signal
for safe anchorage, we stood in with the ships, and
anchored close up to the head of the inlet, in ten
fathoms water, over a bottom of soft mud, and
moored with a hawser fast to the shore.

This harbour, which is called Taloo, is situated
upon the north side of the island, in the district of
Oboonohoo, or Poonohoo. It runs in south, or
south by east, between the hills, above two miles.
For security and goodness of its bottom, it is not
inferior to any harbour that I have met with at any of
the islands in this ocean ; and it has this advantage
over most of them, that a ship can sail in and out
with the reigning trade-wind ; so that the access
and recess are equally easy. There are several rivu-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 75

lets that fall into it. The one at the head is so con-
siderable as to admit boats to go a quarter of a mile
up, where we found the water perfectly fresh. Its
banks are covered with the pooroo tree, as it is called
by the natives, which makes good firing, and which
they set no value upon ; so that wood and water are
to be got here with great facility.

On the same side of the island, and about two
miles to the eastward, is the harbour of Parowroah,
much larger within than that of Taloo ; but the
entrance, or opening in the reef^ (for the whole
island is surrounded with a reef of coral rock) is con-
siderably narrower, and lies to leeward of the harbour.
These two defects are so striking, that the har-
bour of Taloo must always have a decided preference.
It is a little extraordinary, that I should have been
three times at Otaheite before, and have once sent a
boat to Eimeo, and yet not know till now that there
was a harbour in it ; on the contrary, I always
understood there was not ; whereas, there are not
only the two above mentioned, but one or two more
on the south side of the island ; but these last are
not so considerable as the two we have just described,
and of which a sketch has been made for the use of
those who may follow us in such a voyage.

We had no sooner anchored than the ships were
crowded with the inhabitants, whom curiosity alone
brought on board ; for they had nothing with
them for the purposes of barter. But, the next
morning, this deficiency was supplied ; several ca-
noes then arriving from more distant parts, which
brought with them abundance of bread-fruit, cocoa-
nuts, and a few hogs. These they exchanged for
hatchets, nails, and beads, for red feathers were
not so much sought after here as at Otaheite.
The ship being a good deal pestered with rats, I
hauled her within thirty yards of the shore, as
near as the depth of water would allow, and made
a path for them to get to the land, by fastening haw-

76 cook's voyage to oct.

sers to the trees. It is said that this experiment
has sometimes succeeded ; but, I believe, we got
clear of very few, if any, of the numerous tribe that
haunted us.

In the morning of the 2d, Maheine, the chief
of the island, paid me a visit. He approached the
ship with great caution, and it required some per-
suasion to get him on board. Probably, he was
under some apprehensions of mishief from us, as
friends of the Otaheiteans ; these people not being
able to comprehend how we can be friends with any
one, without adopting, at the same time, his cause
against his enemies. Maheine was accompanied by
his wife, who, as I was informed, is sister to Oamo
of Otaheite, of whose death we had an account
while we were at this island. I made presents to
both of them, of such things as they seemed to set
the highest value upon ; and after a stay of about
half an hour, they went away. Not long after, they
returned with a large hog, which they meant as a
return for my present ; but I made them another
present to the full value of it. After this, they paid
a visit to Captain Clerke.

This chief \ who, with a few followers, has made
himself in a manner independent of Otaheite, is
between forty and fifty years old. He is bald-headed,
which is rather an uncommon appearance in these
islands at that age. He wore a kind of turban, and
seemed ashamed to shew his head. But whether they
themselves considered this deficiency of hair as a
mark of disgrace, or whether they entertained a no-
tion of our considering it as such, I cannot say. We
judged that the latter supposition was the truth, from
this circumstance, that they had seen us shave the
head of one of their people, whom we had caught
stealing. They therefore concluded that this was
the punishment usually inflicted by us upon all
thieves ; and one or two of our gentlemen, whose

1?77 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 77

heads were not over-burthened with hair, we could
observe, lay under violent suspicions of being letos.

In the evening, Omai and I mounted on horse-
back, and took a ride along the shore to the east-
ward. Our train was not very numerous, as Omai
had forbid the natives to follow us ; and many com-
plied, the fear of giving offence getting the better of
their curiosity. Towha had stationed his fleet in this
harbour ; and though the war lasted but a few days,
the marks of its devastation were every where to be
seen. The trees were stripped of their fruit ; and
all the houses in the neighbourhood had been pulled
down or burnt.

Having employed two or three days in getting up
all our spirit-casks to tar their heads, which we found
necessary to save them from the efforts of a small in-
sect to destroy them, we hauled the ship off' into the
stream on the 6th, in the morning, intending to put
to sea the next day ; but an accident happened that
prevented it, and gave me a good deal of trouble.
We had sent our goats ashore in the day time to
graze, with two men to look after them ; notwith-
standing which precaution, the natives had contrived
to steal one of them this evening. The loss of this
goat would have been of little consequence, if it had
not interfered with my views of stocking other islands
with these animals ; but this being the case, it be-
came necessary to recover it, if possible. The next
morning we got intelligence, that it had been carried
to Maheine, the chief, who was at this time at Paro-
wroah harbour. Two old men offered to conduct
any of my people whom I might think proper to send
to him, to bring back the goat. Accordingly, I
dispatched them in a boat, charged with a threaten-
ing message to Maheine, if the goat was not imme-
diately given up to me, and also the thief.

It was only the day before, that this chief had re-
quested me to give him two goats. But, as I could
not spare them, unless at the expence of other

78 cook's voyage to oct.

islands that might never have another opportunity to
get any, and had, besides, heard that there were
already two upon this island, I did not gratify him.
However, to shew my inclination to assist his views
in this respect, I desired Tidooa, an Otaheite chief
who was present, to beg Otoo, in my name, to send
two of these animals to Maheine ; and, by way of
insuring a compliance with this request, I sent to
Otoo by this chiefj a large piece of red feathers,
equal to the value of the two goats that I required.
I expected that this arrangement would have been
satisfactory to Maheine and all the other chiefs of
the island ; but the event showed that I was mis-
taken.

Not thinking that any one would dare to steal a
second, at the very time I was taking measures to
recover the first, the goats were put ashore again
this morning ; and in the evening a boat was sent to
bring them on board. As our people were getting
them into the boat, one was carried off undiscovered.
It being immediately missed, I made no doubt of
recovering it without much trouble, as there had
not been time to carry it to any considerable dis-
tance. Ten or twelve of the natives set out soon
after, different ways, to bring it back or to look
for it ; for not one of them would own that it
was stolen, but all tried to persuade us that it had
strayed into the woods ; and, indeed, I thought so
myself. I was convinced to the contrary, however,
when I found that none of those who went in pur-
suit of it returned ; so that their only view was to
amuse me, till their prize was beyond my reach ; and,
night coming on, put a stop to all further search.
About this time the boat returned with the other goat,
bringing also one of the men who had stolen it ; the
first instance of the kind that I had met with amongst
these islands.

The next morning, I found that most of the inhab-
itants in the neighbourhood had moved off, carry-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 79

ing with them a corpse which lay on a toopapaoo oppo-
site the ship \ and that Maheine himself had retired
to the most distant part of the island. It seemed
now no longer doubtful, that a plan had been laid
to steal what I had refused to give ; and that, though
they had restored one, they were resolved to keep the
other ; which was a she-goat and big with kid. I was
equally fixed in my resolution that they should not
keep it. I therefore applied to the two old men who
had been instrumental in getting back the first. They
told me, that this had been carried to Watea, a dis-
trict on the south side of the island, by Hamoa, the
chief of that place ; but that, if I would send any body
for it, it would be delivered up. They offered to
conduct some of my people cross the island ; but on
my learning from them that a boat might go and re-
turn the same day, I sent one, with two petty officers,
Mr. Roberts and Mr. Shuttleworth ; one to remain
with the boat, in case she could not get to the place,
while the other should go with the guides, and one
or two of our people.

Late in the evening the boat returned, and the
officers informed me, that after proceeding as far in
the boat as rocks and shoals would permit, Mr. Shut-
tleworth with two marines and one of the guides
landed and travelled to Watea, to the house of Hamoa,
where the people of the place amused them for some
time, by telling them that the goat would soon be
brought, and pretended they had sent for it. It,
however, never came, and the approach of night
obliged Mr. Shuttleworth to return to the boat with-
out it.

I was now T very sorry that I had proceeded so far,
as I could not retreat with any tolerable credit, and
without giving encouragement to the people of the
other islands we had yet to visit, to rob us with im-
punity. I asked Omai and the two old men what
methods I should next take ; and they, without hesi-
tation, advised me to go with a party of men into the

80 cook's VOYAGE TO OCT.

country, and shoot everv soul I should meet with.
This bloody counsel I could not follow ; but I re-
solved to march a party of men cross the island ;
and at day-break the next morning, set out with
thirty-five of my people, accompanied by one of the
old men, bv Omai, and three or four of his attend-
ants. At the same time, I ordered Lieutenant Wil-
liamson with three armed boats round the western
part of the island to meet us.

I had no sooner landed with my party, than the
few natives who still remained in the neighbour-
hood fled before us. The first man that we met
with upon our march, ran some risk of his life ; for
Omai, the moment he saw him, asked me if he
should shoot him ; so fully was he persuaded that I
was going to carry his advice into execution. I im-
mediately ordered both him and our guide to make
it known, that I did not intend to hurt, much less to
kill, a single native. These glad tidings flew before
us like lightning, and stopped the flight of the inhab-
itants ; so that no one quitted his house or employ-
ment afterward.

As we began to ascend the ridge of hills over which
lay our road, we got intelligence that the goat had
been carried that way before us ; and, as we under-
stood, could not as yet have passed the hills ; so that
we marched up in great silence, in hopes of surpriz-
ing the party who were bearing off the prize. But
when we had got to the uppermost plantation on side
of the ridge, the people there told us, that what we
were in search of had, indeed, been kept there the
first night, but had been carried the next morning to
Watea by Hamoa. We then crossed the ridge with-
out making any further enquiry, till we came within
sight of Watea, where some people showed us
Hamoa's house, and told us that the goat was there,
so that I made no doubt of getting it immediately
upon my arrival. But when I reached the house, to
my very great surprize, the few people we met with

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 81

denied that they had ever seen it, or knew any thing
about it ; even Hamoa himself came and made the
same declaration.

On our first coming to the place, I observed several
men running to and fro in the vvoods, with clubs
and bundles of darts in their hands ; and Omai,
who followed them, had some stones thrown at him,
so that it seemed as if they had intended to oppose any
step I should take by force ; but, on seeing my party
was too strong, had dropped the design. I was con-
firmed in this notion, by observing that all their
houses were empty. After getting a few of the
people of the place together, I desired Omai to expos-
tulate with them on the absurdity of the conduct they
were pursuing ; and to tell them that, from the testi-
mony of many on whom I could depend, I was well
assured, that the goat was in their possession, and,
therefore, insisted upon its being delivered up, other-
wise I would burn their houses and canoes. But
notwithstanding all that I or Omai could say, they con-
tinued to deny their having any knowledge of it. The
consequence was, that I set fire to six or eight houses,
which were presently consumed, with two or three
war-canoes that lay contiguous to them. This done, I
marched off to join the boats, which were about seven
or eight miles from us ; and, in our way, we burnt
six more war-canoes, without any one attempting
to oppose us ; on the contrary, many assisted, though
probably, more out of fear than good-will. In one
place, Omai, who had advanced a little before, came
back with information that a great many men were
getting together to attack us. We made ready to
receive them, but instead of enemies we found peti-
tioners with plantain-trees in their hands, which they
laid down at my feet, and begged that 1 would spare
a canoe that lay close by, which I readily complied
with.

At length, about four in the afternoon, we got to
the boats, that were waiting at Wharrarade, the dis-

VOL. VI. g

<S2 cook's VOYAGE TO OCT.

trict belonging to Tiarataboonoue ; but this chief, as
well as all the principal people of the place, had fled to
the hills; though I touched not a single thing that
was their property, as they were the friends of Otoo.
After resting ourselves here about an hour, we set
out for the ships, where we arrived about eight o'clock
in the evening. At that time, no account of the
goat had been received ; so that the operations of this
day had not produced the desired effect.

Early next morning, I dispatched one of Omai's
men to Maheine, with this peremptory message, that
if he persisted in his refusal, I would not leave him
a single canoe upon the island, and that he might ex-
pect a continuation of hostilities as long as the stolen
animal remained in his possession. And, that the
messenger might see that I was in earnest, before he
left me I sent the carpenter to break up three or
four canoes that lay ashore at the head of the harbour.
The plank was carried on board, as materials for
building a house for Omai, at the place where he in-
tended to settle. I afterward went, properly accom-
panied, to the next harbour, where we broke up three
or four more canoes, and burnt an equal number ;
and then returned on board about seven in the even-
ing. On my arrival I found that the goat had been
brought back about half an hour before ; and, on
enquiry, it appeared that it had come from the very
place where I had been told the day before, by the
inhabitants, that they knew nothing of it. But in
consequence of the message I sent to the chief in
the morning, it was judged prudent to trifle with me
no longer.

Thus ended this troublesome and rather unfortu-
nate business ; which could not be more regretted on
the part of the natives, than it was on mine. And
it grieved me to reflect, that, after refusing the pres-
sing solicitations of my friends at Otaheite, to favour
their invasion of this island, I should so soon And
myself reduced to the necessity of engaging in hos-

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 83

tilities against its inhabitants, which, perhaps, did
them more mischief than they had suffered from.
Towha's expedition.

The next morning our intercourse with the na-
tives was renewed ; and several canoes brought to
the ships bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts to barter ; from
whence it was natural for me to draw this conclusion,
that they were conscious it was their own fault, if I
had treated them with severity ; and that the cause
of my displeasure being removed, they had a full
confidence that no further mischief would ensue.
About nine o'clock we weighed, with a breeze down
the harbour ; but it proved so faint and variable, that
it was noon before we got out to sea, when I steered
for Huaheine, attended by Omai in his canoe. He
did not depend entirely upon his own judgment, but
had got on board a pilot. I observed, that they
shaped as direct a course for the island as I could do.

At Eimeo we abundantly supplied the ships with
fire-wood. We had not taken in any at Otaheite,
where the procuring this article would have been very
inconvenient ; there not being a tree at Matavai, but
what is useful to the inhabitants. We also got here
good store of refreshments, both in hogs and vege-
tables ; that is, bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts; little
else being in season. I do not know that there is any
difference between the produce of this island and of
Otaheite ; but there is a very striking difference in
their women, that I can by no means account for.
Those of Eimeo are of low stature, have a dark hue,
and, in general, forbidding features. W we met
with a line woman amongst them, we were sure,
upon enquiry, to find that she had come from some
other island.

The general appearance of Eimeo is very different
from that of Otaheite. The latter rising in one
steep hilly body, has little low land, except some
deep valleys ; and the flat border that surrounds the
greatest part of it, toward the sea. Eimeo, on the

G 2

84 cook's voyage to oct.

contrary, has hills running in different directions,
which are very steep and rugged, leaving, in the in-
terspaces, very large valleys, and gently-rising grounds
about their sides. These hills, though of a rocky
disposition, are in general covered almost to their
tops with trees ; but the lower parts, on the sides,
frequently only with fern. At the bottom of the
harbour where we lay, the ground rises gently to
the foot of the hills which run across nearly in the
middle of the island ; but its flat border, on each
side, at a very small distance from the sea, becomes
quite steep. This gives it a romantic cast, which
renders it a prospect superior to any thing we saw at
Otaheite. The soil, about the low grounds, is a
yellowish and pretty stiff mould ; but, upon the
lower hills, it is blacker and more loose ; and the
stone that composes the hills is, when broken, of a
blueish colour, but not very compact texture, with
some particles of glimmer interspersed. These par-
ticulars seem worthy of observation. Perhaps the
reader will think differently of my judgment, when
I add, that, near the station of our ships, were two
large stones, or rather rocks, concerning which the
natives have some superstitious notions. They con-
sider them as Eatooas, or divinities ; saying that
they are brother and sister, and that they came, by
some supernatural means, from Ulietea.

^

c

|

v

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 85

CHAP. VI.

ARRIVAL AT HUAHEINE. COUNCIL OF THE CHIEFS. OMAl S

OFFERINGS, AND SPEECH TO THE CHIEFS. HIS ESTAB-
LISHMENT IN THIS ISLAND AGREED TO. A HOUSE BUILT,

AND GARDEN PLANTED FOR HIM. SINGULARITY OF HIS

SITUATION MEASURES TAKEN TO INSURE HIS SAFETY.

DAMAGE DONE BY COCK-ROACHES, ON BOARD THE SHIPS.
A THIEF DETECTED AND PUNISHED. FIRE-WORKS EX-
HIBITED. ANIMALS LEFT WITH OMAI. HIS FAMILY.

WEAPONS. INSCRIPTIONS ON HIS HOUSE. HIS BEHA-
VIOUR ON THE SHIP'S LEAVING THE ISLAND. SUMMARY

VIEW OF HIS CONDUCT AND CHARACTER. ACCOUNT OF
THE TWO NEW ZEALAND YOUTHS.

Having left Eimeo, with a gentle breeze and fine
weather, at day-break the next morning we saw
Huaheine, extending from south-west by west, half
west, to west by north. At noon we anchored at the
north entrance of Owharre harbour*, which is on the
w r est side of the island. The whole afternoon was
spent in warping the ships into a proper birth, and
mooring. Omai entered the harbour just before us,
in his canoe, but did not land. Nor did he take much
notice of any of his countrymen, though many
crowded to see him ; but far more of them came off
to the ships, insomuch that we could hardly work on
account of their numbers. Our passengers presently
acquainted them with what we had done at Eimeo,
and multiplied the number of houses and canoes that
we had destroyed, by ten at least. I was not sorry
for this exaggerated account ; as I saw that it made
a great impression upon all who heard it ; so that I
had hopes it would induce the inhabitants of this island

* See a plan of this harbour in Hawkesworth's Collection, vol.
ii. p. 248.

G 8

86 cook's voyage to oct.

to behave better to us than they had done during my
former visit?.

While ] was at Otaheite, I had learned that my
old friend Oree was no longer the chief of Huaheine ;
and that, at this time, he resided at Ulietea. Indeed,
he never had been more than regent during the mi-
nority of Taireetareea, the present Earee rahie ; but
he did not give up the regency till he was forced.
His two sons, Opoony and Towha, were the first
who paid me a visit, coming on board before the ship
was well in the harbour, and bringing a present with
them.

Our arrival brought all the principal people of the
island to our ships on the next morning, being the
18th. This was just what I wished, as it was high
time to think of settling Omai ; and the presence of
these chiefs, I guessed, would enable me to do it in
the most satisfactory manner. He now seemed to
have an inclination to establish himself at Ulietea ;
and if he and I could have agreed about the mode
of bringing that plan to bear, I should have had no
objection to adopt it. His father had been dispos-
sessed by the men of Bolabola, when they conquered
Ulietea, of some land in that island ; and I made no
doubt of being able to get it restored to the son in an
amicable manner. For that purpose it was necessary
that he should be upon good terms with those who
now were masters of the island; but he was too great
a patriot to listen to any such thing ; and was vain
enough to suppose that I would reinstate him in his
forfeited lands by force. This made it impossible to
fix him at Ulietea, and pointed out to me Huaheine
as the proper place. I therefore resolved to avail
myself of the presence of the chief men of the island,
and to make this proposal to them.

After the hurry of the morning was over, wc got
ready to pay a formal visit to Taireetareea, meaning
then to introduce his business. Omai dressed himself
very properly on the occasion ; and prepared a hand-

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 87

some present for the chief himself and another for
his Eatooa. Indeed, after he had got clear of the
gang that surrounded him at Otaheite, he behaved
with such prudence as to gain respect. Our landing
drew most of our visitors from the ships ; and they,
as well as those that were on shore, assembled in a
large house. The concourse of people, on this oc-
casion, was very great ; and amongst them, there
appeared to be a greater proportion of personal men
and women than we had ever seen in one assembly
at any of these new islands. Not only the bulk of
the people seemed in general much stouter and
fairer than those of Otaheite, but there was also a
much greater number of men who appeared to be
of consequence, in proportion to the extent of the
island ; most of whom had exactly the corpulent ap-
pearance of the chiefs of Wateeo. We waited some
some time for Taireetareea, as I would do nothing
till \\\e Earee rahie came; but when he appeared, I
found that his presence might have been dispensed
with, as he was not above eight or ten years of age.
Omai, who stood at a little distance from this circle
of great men, began with making his offering to the
gods, consisting of red feathers, cloth, &c. Then
followed another ottering, which was to be given to
the gods by the chief; and, after that, several other
small pieces and tufts of red feathers were presented.
Each article was laid before one of the company, who,
I understood, was a priest, and was delivered with a
set speech or prayer, spoken by one of Omai's friends,
who sat by him, but mostly dictated by himself. In
these prayers, he did not forget his friends in Eng-
land, nor those who had brought him safe back. The
Earee rahie no Fretane, Lord Sandwich, Toote,
Tatee *, were mentioned in every one of them. When
Oinai's offerings and prayers were finished, the priest
took each article, in the same order in which it had

* Cook and Clcrke.
G 4

88 cook's voyage to oct.

been laid before him, and after repeating a prayer,
sent it to the moral ; which, as Omai told us, was at
a great distance, otherwise the offerings would have
been made there.

These religious ceremonies having been performed,
Omai sat down by me, and we entered upon business,
by giving the young chief my present, and receiving
his in return ; and, all things considered, they were
liberal enough on both sides. Some arrangements
were next agreed upon, as to the manner of carrying
on the intercourse betwixt us ; and I pointed out the
mischievous consequences that would attend their
robbing us, as they had done during my former visits.
Omai's establishment was then proposed to the as-
sembled chiefs.

He acquainted them, " That he had been carried
by us into our country, where he was well received
by the great king and his Earees, and treated with
every mark of regard and affection, while he staid
amongst us ; that he had been brought back again,
enriched by our liberality with a variety of articles,
which would prove very useful to his countrymen ;
and that, besides the two horses which were to re-
main with him, several other new and valuable ani-
mals had been left at Otaheite, which would soon
multiply, and furnish a sufficient number for the use
of all the islands in the neighbourhood. He then
signified to them, that it was my earnest request, in
return for all my friendly offices, that they would give
him a piece of land, to build a house upon, and to
raise provisions for himself and servants ; adding,
that, if this could not be obtained for him at Hua-
heine, either by gift or by purchase, I was deter-
mined to carry him to Ulietea, and fix him there."

Perhaps I have here made a better speech for my
friend, than he actually delivered ; but these were
the topics I dictated to him. I observed, that what
he concluded with, about carrying him to Ulietea,
seemed to meet with the approbation of all the chiefs ;

6

1'777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 89

and I instantly saw the reason. Omai had, as I have
already mentioned, vainly flattered himself, that I
meant to use force in restoring him to his father's
lands in Ulietea, and he had talked idly, and without
any authority from me, on this subject, to some of
the present assembly ; who dreamed of nothing less
than a hostile invasion of Ulietea, and of being as-
sisted by me to drive the Bolabola men out of that
island. It was of consequence, therefore, that I
should undeceive them ; and in order to this, I signi-
fied, in the most peremptory manner, that I neither
would assist them in such an enterprize, nor suffer it
to be put in execution, while I was in their seas ; and
that, if Omai fixed himself in Ulietea, he must be
introduced as a friend, and not forced upon the Bola-
bola men as their conqueror.

This declaration crave a new turn to the sentiments
of the council. One of the chiefs immediately ex-
pressed himself to this effect : " That the whole island
of Huaheine, and every thing in it, were mine ; and
that, therefore, I might give what portion of it I
pleased to my friend." Omai, who like the rest of
his countrymen, seldom sees things beyond the pre-
sent moment, was greatly pleased to hear this; think-
ing, no doubt, that I should be very liberal, and give
him enough. But to offer what it would have been
improper to accept, I considered as offering nothing
at all ; and, therefore, I now desired, that they would
not only assign the particular spot, but also the exact
quantity of land which they would allot for the set-
tlement. Upon this, some chiefs, who had already
left the assembly, were sent for ; and after a short
consultation among themselves, my request was grant-
ed by general consent ; and the ground immediately
pitched upon, adjoining to the house where our meet-
ing was held. The extent, along the shore of the
harbour, was about two hundred yards ; and its
depth, to the foot of the hill, somewhat more ; but

90 cook's VOYAGE TO OCT.

a proportional part of the hill was included in the
grant.

This business being settled to the satisfaction of all
parties, I set up a tent ashore, established a post, and
erected the observatories. The carpenters of both
ships were also set to work, to build a small house for
Omai, in which he might secure the European com-
modities that were his property. At the same time,
some hands were employed in making a garden for
his use, planting shaddocks, vines, pine-apples, me-
lons, and the seeds of several other vegetable arti-
cles ; all of which I had the satisfaction of observ-
ing to be in a flourishing state before I left the island.

Omai now began seriously to attend to his own
affairs, and repented heartily of his ill-judged prodi-
gality while at Otaheite. He found at Huaheine, a
brother, a sister, and a brother-in-law ; the sister be-
ing married. But these did not plunder him, as he
had lately been by his other relations. I was sorry,
however, to discover, that, though they were too
honest to do him any injury, they were of too little
consequence in the island to do him any positive good.
They had neither authority nor influence to protect
his person or his property ; and, in that helpless situ-
ation, I had reason to apprehend, that he ran great
risk of being stripped of every thing he had got
from us, as soon as he should cease to have us within
his reach, to enforce the good behaviour of his
countrymen, by an immediate appeal to our irresist-
ible power.

A man who is richer than his neighbours is sure
to be envied by numbers who wish to see him brought
down to their own level. But in countries where
civilization, law, and religion, impose their restraints,
the rich have a reasonable ground of security. And,
besides, there being, in all such communities, a diffu-
sion of property, no single individual need fear, that
the efforts of all the poorer sort can ever be united
to injure him, exclusively of others who are equally

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 91

the objects of envy. It was very different with Omai.
He was to live amongst those who are strangers, in a
great measure, to any other principle of action be-
sides the immediate impulse of their natural feelings.
But what was his principal danger, he was to be
placed in the very singular situation, of being the
only rich man in the community to which he was to
belong ; and having, by a fortunate connection with
us, got into his possession an accumulated quantity
of a species of treasure which none of his country-
men could create by any art or industry of their
own : while all coveted a share of this envied wealth,
it was natural to apprehend, that all would be ready
to join in attempting to strip its sole proprietor.

To prevent this, if possible, I desired him to make
a proper distribution of some of his moveables to
two or three of the principal chiefs ; who, being
thus gratified themselves, might be induced to take
him under their patronage, and protect him from
the injuries of others. He promised to follow my
advice ; and I heard, with satisfaction, before I
sailed, that this very prudent step had been taken.
Not trusting, however, entirely to the operation of
gratitude, I had recourse to the more forcible motive
of intimidation. With this view, I took every oppor-
tunity of notifying to the inhabitants, that it was my
intention to return to their island again, after being
absent the usual time ; and that if I did not find
Omai in the same state of security in which J was
now to leave him, all those whom 1 should then dis-
cover to have been his enemies, might expect to feel
the weight of my resentment. This threatening de-
claration will probably have no inconsiderable effect ;
for our successive visits of late years have taught
these people to believe, that our ships are to return
at certain periods ; and while they continue to be
impressed with such a notion, which I thought it a
fair stratagem to confirm, Omai has some prospect

92 cook's VOYAGE TO OCT.

of being permitted to thrive upon his new plant-
ation.

While we lay in this harbour, we carried ashore
the bread, remaining in the bread-room, to clear it
of vermin. The number of cock-roaches that in-
fested the ship at this time is incredible. The
damage they did us was very considerable ; and every
method devised by us to destroy them proved ineffec-
tual. These animals, which, at first, were a nuisance,
like all other insects, had now become a real pest ;
and so destructive, that few things were free from
their ravages. If food of any kind was exposed only
for a few minutes, it was covered with them ; and
they soon pierced it full of holes resembling a honey-
comb. They were particularly destructive to birds,
which had been stuffed and preserved as curiosities ;
and, what was worse, were uncommonly fond of ink ;
so that the writing on the labels, fastened to differ-
ent articles, was quite eaten out ; and the only thing
that preserved books from them, was the closeness
of the binding, which prevented these devourers get-
tingbetween the leaves. According to Mr. Anderson's
observations, they were of two sorts, the blatta orien-
talis and germa?iica. The first of these had been
carried home in the ship from her former voyage,
where they withstood the severity of the hard winter
in 1776, though she was in dock all the time. The
others had only made their appearance since our leav-
ing New Zealand ; but had increased so fast, that
they now not only did all the mischief mentioned
above, but had even got amongst the rigging ; so that
when a sail was loosened, thousands of them fell upon
the decks. The orientates, though in infinite num-
bers, scarcely came out but in the night, when they
made every thing in the cabins seem as if in motion,
from the particular noise in crawling about. And,
besides their disagreeable appearance, they did great
mischief to our bread, which was so bespattered with

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 98

their excrement, that it would have been badly re-
lished by delicate feeders.

The intercourse of trade and friendly offices was
carried on between us and the natives without beins:
disturbed by any one accident till the evening of the
22d, when a man found means to get into Mr. Bay-
ly's observatory, and to carry off a sextant unobserved.
As soon as I was made acquainted with the theft, I
went ashore, and got Omai to apply to the chiefs, to
procure restitution. He did so ; but they took no
steps toward it, being more attentive to a heeva that
was then acting, till I ordered the performers of the
exhibition to desist. They were now convinced, that
I was in earnest, and began to make some enquiry
after the thief, who was sitting in the midst of them
quite unconcerned, inasmuch that I was in great
doubt of his being the guilty person ; especially as
he denied it. Omai, however, assuring me that he
was the man, I sent him on board the ship, and there
confined him. This raised a general ferment amongst
the assembled natives ; and the whole body fled, in
spite of all my endeavours to stop them. Having
employed Omai to examine the prisoner, with some
difficulty he was brought to confess where he had
laid the sextant ; but, as it was now dark, he could
not find it till day-light the next morning, when it
was brought back unhurt. After this, the natives
recovered from their fright, and began to gather
about us as usual. And as to the thief) he appearing to
be a hardened scoundrel, I punished him more se-
verely than I had done any culprit before. Besides
having his head and beard shaved, I ordered both his
ears to be cut off, and then dismissed him.

This, however, did not deter him from giving us
farther trouble ; for, in the night between the 24th
and 25th, a general alarm was spread, occasioned, as
was said, by one of our goats being stolen by this
very man. On examination, we found that all was safe
in that quarter. Probably, the goats were so well

{H cook's VOYAGE TO OCT.

guarded, that he could not put his design in execu-
tion. But his hostilities had succeeded against an-
other object ; and it appeared, that he had destroyed
and carried off several vines and cabbage-plants in
Omai's grounds ; and he publicly threatened to kill
him, and to burn his house, as soon as we should leave
the island. To prevent the fellow's doing me and
Omai any more mischief, I had him seized and con-
fined on board the ship, with a view of carrying him
off the island ; and it seemed to give general satisfac-
tion to the chiefs, that I meant thus to dispose of
him. He was from Bolabola ; but there were too
many of the natives here ready to assist him in any
of his designs, whenever he should think of execut-
ing them. I had always met with more troublesome
people in Huaheine, than in any other of the neigh-
bouring islands ; and it was only fear and the want
of opportunities that induced them to behave better
now. Anarchy seemed to prevail amongst them. Their
nominal sovereign, the Earee rahie, as I have before
observed, was but a child ; and I did not find, that
there was any one man, or set of men, who managed
the government for him ; so that, whenever any mis-
understanding happened between us, I never knew,
with sufficient precision, w 7 here to make application,
in order to bring about an accommodation, or to
procure redress. The young chief's mother would,
indeed, sometimes exert herself; but I did not per-
ceive that she had greater authority than many
others.

Omai's house being nearly finished, many of his
moveables were carried ashore on the 26th. Amongst
a variety of other useless articles, was a box of toys,
which, when exposed to public view, seemed greatly
to please the gazing multitude. But as to his pots,
kettles, dishes, plates, drinking-mugs, glasses, and
the whole train of our domestic accommodations,
hardly any one of his countrymen would so much as
look at them. Omai himself now began to think that

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. Q5

they were of no manner of use to him ; that a baked
hog was more savoury food than a boiled one ; that a
plantain-leaf made as good a dish or plate as pewter;
and that a cocoa-nut shell was as convenient a goblet
as a black-jack. And, therefore, he very wisely dis-
posed of as many of these articles of English furni-
ture for the kitchen and pantry, as he could find
purchasers for, amongst the people of the ships ; re-
ceiving from them, in return, hatchets, and other iron
tools, which had a more intrinsic value in this part of
the world, and added more to his distinguishing su-
periority over those with whom he was to pass the
remainder of his days.

In the long list of the presents bestowed upon him
in England, fire-works had not been forgot. Some
of these we exhibited in the evening of the 28th, be-
fore a great concourse of people, who beheld them
with a mixture of pleasure and fear. What remained,
after the evening's entertainment, were put in order,
and left with Omai, agreeably to their original destin-
ation. Perhaps we need not lament it as a serious mis-
fortune, that the far greater share of this part of his
cargo had been already expended in exhibitions at
other islands, or rendered useless by being kept so long.

Between midnight and four in the morning of the
30th, the Bolabola man, whom I had in confinement,
found means to make his escape out of the ship. He
carried with him the shackle of the bilboo-bolt that
was about his leg, which was taken from him, as soon
as he got on shore, by one of the chiefs, and given to
Omai ; who came on board very early in the morn-
ing, to acquaint me that his mortal enemy was again
let loose upon him. Upon enquiry, it appeared,
that not only the sentry, placed over the prisoner,
but the whole watch upon the quarter-deck where
he was confined, had laid themselves down to sleep.
He seized the opportunity to take the key of the
irons out of the binnacle -drawer, where he had
seen it put, and set himself at liberty. This es-

QG cook's VOYAGE TO OCT.

cape convinced me, that my people had been very
remiss in their night-duty ; which made it necessary
to punish those who were now in fault, and to estab-
lish some new regulations to prevent the like
negligence for the future. I was not a little pleased
to hear afterward, that the fellow who escaped, had
transported himself to Ulietea ; in this, seconding
my views of putting him a second time in irons.

As soon as Omai was settled in his new habit-
ation, I began to think of leaving the island ; and got
every thing off from the shore this evening, except
the horse and mare, and a goat big with kid ; which
were left in the possession of our friend, with whom
we were now finally to part. I also gave him a boar
and two sows of the English breed ; and he had got
a sow or two of his own. The horse covered the
mare while we were at Otaheite ; so that I consider
the introduction of a breed of horses into these
islands, as likely to have succeeded by this Valuable
present.

The history of Omai will, perhaps, interest a very
numerous class of readers, more than any other oc-
currence of a voyage, the objects of which do not,
in general, promise much entertainment. Every
circumstance, therefore, which may serve to con-
vey a satisfactory account of the exact situation in
which he was left will be thought worth preserving ;
and the following particulars are added, to complete
the view of his domestic establishment. He had picked
up at Otatheite four or five Toutous ; the two New
Zealand youths remained with him ; and his brother,
and some others, joined him at Huaheine ; so that
his family consisted already of eight or ten persons;
if that can be called a family, to which not a single
female as yet belonged ; nor, I doubt, was likely to
belong, unless its master became less volatile. At
present, Omai did not seem at all disposed to take
unto himself a wife.

The house which we erected for him, was twenty-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 97

four feet by eighteen ; and ten feet high. It was
composed of boards, the spoils of our military oper-
ations at Eimeo ; and, in building it, as few nails as
possible, were used, that there might be no induce-
ment, from the love of iron, to pull it down. It was
settled, that immediately after our departure, he
should begin to build a large house after the fashion
of his country ; one end of which was to be brought
over that which we had erected, so as to enclose it
intirely for greater security. In this work, some of
the chiefs promised to assist him ; and, if the intend-
ed building should cover the ground which he marked
out, it will be as large as most upon the island.

His European weapons consisted of a musket, bay-
onet, and cartouch-box ; a fowling-piece ; two pair
of pistols ; and two or three swords or cutlasses. The
possession of these made him quite happy ; which
was my only view in giving him such presents. For
I was always of opinion, that he would have been
happier without fire-arms, and other European wea-
pons, than with them ; as such implements of war,
in the hands of one, whose prudent use of them
I had some grounds for mistrusting, would rather
encrease his dangers than establish his superiority.
After he had got on shore every thing that belonged
to him, and was settled in his house, he had most of
the officers of both ships, two or three times, to din-
ner ; and his table was always well supplied with the
very best provisions that the island produced.

Before I sailed, I had the following inscription cut
upon the outside of his house :

Georgius Tertius, Rex, 2 Novembris, 1777*
^j- > Resolution, Jac. Cook, Pr.
aves ^ Discovery, Car. Gierke, Pr.

On the second of November, at four in the after-
noon, I took the advantage of a breeze, which then
sprung up at east, and sailed out of the harbour.

VOL. VI. H

98 cook's voyage to nov.

Most of our friends remained on board till the ships
were under sail ; when, to gratify their curiosity, I
ordered five guns to be fired. They then all took
their leave, except Omai, who remained till we were
at sea. We had come to sail by a hawser fastened
to the shore. In casting the ship, it parted, being
cut by the rocks, and the outer end was left behind;
as those who cast it off, did not perceive that it was
broken ; so that it became necessary to send a boat
to bring it on board. In this boat, Omai went ashore,
after taking a very affectionate farewell of all the of-
ficers. He sustained himself with a manly resolution,
till he came to me. Then his utmost efforts to conceal
his tears failed ; and Mr. King, who went in the boat,
told me, that he wept all the time in going ashore.

It was no small satisfaction to reflect, that we had
brought him safe back to the very spot from which
he was taken. And yet, such is the strange nature
of human affairs, that it is probable we left him in a
less desirable situation, than he was in before his con-
nexion with us. I do not by this mean, that, because he
has tasted the sweets of civilised life, he must be-
come more miserable from being obliged to abandon
all thoughts of continuing them. I confine myself to
this single disagreeable circumstance, that the advan-
tages he received from us, have placed him in a more
hazardous situation, with respect to his personal
safety. Omai, from being much caressed in England,
lost sight of his original condition ; and never con-
sidered in what manner his acquisitions, either of
knowledge or of riches, would be estimated by his
countrymen at his return ; which were the only
things he could have to recommend him to them now,
more than before, and on which he could build either
his future greatness or happiness. He seemed even
to have mistaken their genius in this respect ; and,
in some measure, to have forgotten their customs ;
otherwise he must have known the extreme difficulty
there would be in getting himself admitted as a per-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 99

son of rank, where there is, perhaps, no instance of
a man's being raised from an inferior station by the
greatest merit. Rank seems to be the very found-
ation of all distinction here, and, of its attendant,
power ; and so pertinaciously, or rather blindly ad-
hered to, that, unless a person has some degree of it,
he will certainly be despised and hated, if he assumes
the appearance of exercising any authority. This
was really the case, in some measure, with Omai ;
though his countrymen were pretty cautious of ex-
pressing their sentiments while we remained among
them. Had he made a proper use of the presents
he brought with him from England, this, with the
knowledge he had acquired by travelling so far,
might have enabled him to form the most useful con-
nections ; but we have given too many instances, in
the course of our narrative, of his childish inattention
to this obvious means of advancing his interest. His
schemes seemed to be of a higher, though ridiculous
nature ; indeed, I might say, meaner ; for reyenge,
rather than a desire of becoming great, appeared
to actuate him from the beginning. This, however,
may be excused, if we consider that it is common to
his countrymen. His father was, doubtless, a man of
considerable property in Ulietea, when that island was
conquered by those of JBolabola, and, with many
others, sought refuge in Huaheine, where he died,
and left Omai with some other children, who by
that means became totally dependent. In this situ-
ation he was taken up by Captain Furneaux, and car-
ried to England. Whether he really expected, from
his treatment there, that any assistance would be
given him against the enemies of his father and his
country, or whether he imagined that his own personal
courage and superiority of knowledge would be suf-
ficient to dispossess the conquerors of Ulietea, is
uncertain ; but, from the beginning of the voyage,
this was his constant theme. He would not listen to
our remonstrances on so wild a determination, but

h 2

100 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV.

flew into a passion, if more moderate and reasonable
counsels were proposed for his advantage. Nay, so
infatuated and attached to his favourite scheme was
he, that he affected to believe these people would
certainly quit the conquered island, as soon as they
should hear of his arrival at Otaheite. As we ad-
vanced, however, on our voyage, he became more
sensible of his error ; and, by the time we reached
the Friendly Islands, had even such apprehensions
of his reception at home, that, as I have mentioned in
my journal, he would fain have staid behind at
Tongataboo, under Feenou's protection. At these
islands he squandered away much of his European
treasure very unnecessarily ; and he was equally im-
prudent, as I also took notice of above, at Tiaraboo,
where he could have no view of making friends, as
lie had not anv intention of remaining there. At
Matavai, he continued the same inconsiderate beha-
viour, till I absolutely put a stop to his profusion -?
and he formed such improper connections there, that
Otoo, who was at first much disposed to countenance
him, afterward openly expressed his dislike of him,
on account of his conduct. It was not, however, too
late to recover his favour ; and he might have set-
tled to great advantage in Otaheite, as he had formerly
lived several years there, and was now a good deal
noticed by Towha, whose valuable present of a very
large double canoe we have seen above. The objec-
tion to admitting him to some rank would have also
been much lessened, if he had fixed at Otaheite ; as a
native will always find it more difficult to accomplish
such a change of state amongst his countrymen, than a
stranger, who naturally claims respect. But Omai
remained undetermined to the last, and would not,
I believe, have adopted my plan of settlement in
Huaheine, if 1 had not so explicitly refused to em-
ploy force in restoring him to his father's possessions.
Whether the remains of his European wealth, which*
after all his improvident waste, was still considerable*

1?77' THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 101

will be more prudently administered by him, or whe-
ther the steps I took, as already explained, to insure
him protection in Huaheine, shall have proved effec-
tual, must be left to the decision of future navigators
of this ocean, with whom it cannot but be a principal
object of curiosity to trace the future fortunes of our
traveller. At present, I can only conjecture, that his
greatest danger will arise from the very impolitic de-
clarations of his antipathy to the inhabitants of Bola-
bola ; for these people, from a principle of jealousy,
will, no doubt, endeavour to render him obnoxious to
those of Huaheine; as they are at peace with that island
at present, and may easily effect their designs, many of
them living there. This is a circumstance which, of
all others, he might the most easily have avoided ;
for they were not only free from any aversion to
him, but the person mentioned before, whom we
found at Tiaraboo as an ambassador, priest, or god,
absolutely offered to reinstate him in the property
that was formerly his father's. But he refused this
peremptorily ; and, to the very last, continued de-
termined to take the first opportunity that offered of
satisfying his revenge in battle. To this, I guess,
he is not a little spurred by the coat of mail he
brought from England ; clothed in which, and in
possession of some fire-arms, he fancies that he shall
be invincible.

Whatever faults belonged to Omai's character,
they were more than overbalanced by his great good
nature and docile disposition. During the whole
time he was with me, I very seldom had reason to
be seriously displeased with his general conduct.
His grateful heart always retained the highest sense
of the favours he had received in England; nor will
he ever forget those who honoured him with their pro-
tection and friendship, during his stay there. He
had a tolerable share of understanding, but wanted
application and perseverance to exert it ; so that bis
knowledge of things was very general, and, in many

h 3

102 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV.

instances, imperfect. He was not a man of much
observation. There were many useful arts, as well
as elegant amusements, amongst the people of the
Friendly Islands, which he might have conveyed to
his own, where they probably would have been rea-
dily adopted, as being so much in their own way.
But I never found that he used the least endeavour
to make himself master of any one. This kind of
indifference is, indeed, the characteristic foible of
his nation. Europeans have visited them, at times,
for these ten years past ; yet we could not discover
the slightest trace of any attempt to profit by this
intercourse ; nor have they hitherto copied after
us in any one thing. We are not, therefore, to ex-
pect that Omai will be able to introduce many of our
arts and customs among them, or much improve
those to which they have been long habituated. I
am confident, however, that he will endeavour to
bring to perfection the various fruits and vegetables
we planted, which will be no small acquisition.
But the greatest benefit these islands are likely to re-
ceive from Omai's travels, will be in the animals that
have been left upon them, which, probably, they
never would have got, had he not come to England.
When these multiply, of which I think there is little
doubt, Otaheite and the Society Islands will equal,
if not exceed, any place in the known world for
provisions.

Omai's return, and the substantial proofs he brought
back with him of our liberality, encouraged many to
offer themselves as volunteers to attend me to Pre-
tane. I took every opportunity of expressing my de-
termination to reject all such applications. But,
notwithstanding this, Omai, who was very ambi-
tious of remaining the only great traveller, being
afraid lest I might be prevailed upon to put others in
a situation of rivalling him, frequently put me in
mind, that Lord Sandwich had told him no others of
his countrymen were to come to England.

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 103

If there had been the most distant probability
any ship being again sent to New Zealand, I would
have brought the two youths of that country home
with me, as both of them were very desirous of
continuing with us. Tiarooa, the eldest, was an
exceedingly well disposed young man, with strong
natural sense, and capable of receiving any instruc-
tion. He seemed to be fully sensible of the infe-
riority of his own country to these islands, and
resigned himself, though perhaps with reluctance, to
end his days in ease and plenty in Huaheine. But
the other was so strongly attached to us, that he was
taken out of the ship, and carried ashore by force.
He was a witty, smart boy ; and on that account
much noticed on boards

h 4

104 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV.

CHAP. VII.

ARRIVAL AT ULIETEA. ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS. A

MARINE DESERTS, AND IS DELIVERED UP. INTELLIGENCE

FROM OMAI. INSTRUCTIONS TO CAPTAIN CLERKE.

ANOTHER DESERTION OF A MIDSHIPMAN AND A SEAMAN.
THREE OF THE CHIEF PERSONS OF THE ISLAND CON-
FINED ON THAT ACCOUNT. A DESIGN TO SEIZE CAP-
TAINS COOK AND CLERKE DISCOVERED. THE TWO DE-
SERTERS BROUGHT BACK, AND THE PRISONERS RELEASED.

THE SHIPS SAIL. REFRESHMENTS RECEIVED AT ULIETEA.

PRESENT AND FORMER STATE OF THAT ISLAND. -

ACCOUNT OF ITS DETHRONED KING, AND OF THE LATE
REGENT OF HUAHEINE.

1 he boat which carried Omai ashore never to join
us again, having returned to the ship with the re-
mainder of the hawser, we hoisted her in, and imme-
diately stood over for Ulietea, where I intended to
touch next. At ten o'clock at night, we brought to
till four the next morning, when we made sail round
the south end of the island for the harbour of Ohama-
neno.* We met with calms and light airs of wind
from different directions, by turns, so that at noon we
were still a league from the entrance of the harbour.
While we were thus detained, my old friend Oreo,
chief of the island, with his son, and Pootoe, his son-
in-law, came off to visit us.

Being resolved to push for the harbour, I ordered
all the boats to be hoisted out, and sent them a-head
to tow, being assisted by a slight breeze from the
southward. This breeze failed too soon, and being
succeeded by one from the east, which blew right
out of the harbour, we were obliged to come to an

* See a plan of this harbour, in Hawkesworth's Collection, vol.ii.
p. 248.

15

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 105

anchor, at its entrance, at two o'clock, and to warp
in, which employed ns till night set in. As soon as
we were within the harbour, the ships were surround-
ed with canoes filled with people, who brought hogs
and fruit to barter with us for our commodities ; so
that, wherever we went, we found plenty.

Next morning, being the 4th, 1 moored the ship,
head and stern, close to the north shore, at the head
of the harbour ; hauled up the cables on deck ; and
opened one of the ballast-ports. From this a slight
stage was made to the land, being at the distance of
about twenty feet, with a view to get clear of some
of the rats that continued to infest us. The Disco-
very moored alongside the south shore for the same
purpose. While this work was going forward, I re-
turned Oreo's visit. The present I made him, on
the occasion, consisted of a linen gown, a shirt, a
red-feathered cap from Tongataboo, and other things
of less value. I then brought him, and some of his
friends, on board to dinner.

On the 6th, we set up the observatories, and got
the necessarv instruments on shore. The two follow-

r

ing days, we observed the sun's azimuths, both on
board and ashore, with all the compasses, in order to
find the variation ; and in the night of the latter, we
observed an occultation of s Capricorni, by the moon's
dark limb. Mr. Bayly and I agreed in fixing the time
of its happening at six minutes and fifty-four seconds
and a half past ten o'clock. Mr. King made it half
a second sooner. Mr. Bayly observed with the achro-
matic telescope belonging to the Board of. Longi-
tude ; Mr. King, with the reflector belonging to the
board ; and I made use of my own reflector, of
eighteen inches. There was also an immersion of *
Capricorni behind the moon's dark limb, some time
before % but it was observed by Mr. Bayly alone. I
attempted to trace it, with a small achromatic ; but
found its. magnifying power not sufficient.

Nothing worthy of note happened, till the night

106 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV.

between the V2ih and 13th, when John Harrison, a
marine, who was sentinel at the observatory, desert-
ed ; carrying with him his musket and accoutrements.
Having in the morning got intelligence which way
he had moved off, a party was sent after him ; but
they returned in the evening, after an ineffectual en-
quiry and search. The next day, I applied to the
chief to interest himself in this matter. He pro-
mised to send a party of his men after him, and gave
me hopes that he should be brought back the same
day. But this did not happen ; and I had reason to
suspect that no steps had been taken by him. We
had, at this time, a great number of the natives
about the ships, and some thefts were committed ;
the consequence of which being dreaded by them,
very few visitors came near us the next morning.
The chief himself joined in the alarm, and he and
his whole family fled. 1 thought this a good oppor-
tunity to oblige them to deliver up the deserter ; and
having got intelligence that he was at a place called
Hamoa, on the other side of the island, I went thi-
ther with two armed boats, accompanied by one of
the natives ; and, in our way, we found the chief,
who also embarked with me. I landed about a mile
and a half from the place, with a few people, and
marched quickly up to it, lest the sight of the boats
should give the alarm, and allow the man time to
escape to the mountains. But this precaution was
unnecessary ; for the natives there had got inform-
ation of my coming, and were prepared to deliver
him up.

I found Harrison, with the musket lying before
him, sitting down between two women, who, the
moment that I entered the house, rose up to plead in
his behalf. As it was highly proper to discourage
such proceedings, I frowned upon them, and bid
them begone. Upon this they burst into tears, and
walked off. Paha, the chief of the district, now
came with a plantain tree, and a sucking pig, which

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 107

he would have presented to me, as a peace-offering.
I rejected it, and ordered him out of my sight ; and
having embarked with the deserter on board the
first boat that arrived, returned to the ships. After
this, harmony was again restored. The fellow had
nothing to say in his defence, but that the natives
had enticed him away ; and this might in part be true,
as it was certain that Paha, and also the two women
above mentioned, had been at the ship the day be-
fore he deserted. As it appeared that he had re-
mained upon his post till within a few minutes of the
time when he was to have been relieved, the punish-
ment that I inflicted upon him was not very severe.

Though we had separated from Omai, we were still
near enough to have intelligence of his proceeding - 9
and I had desired to hear from him. Accordingly,
about a fortnight after our arrival at Ulietea, he sent
two of his people in a canoe ; who brought me the
satisfactory intelligence, that he remained undisturbed
by the people of the island, and that every thing
went well with him, except that his goat had died in
kidding. He accompanied this intelligence with a
request, that I would send him another goat, and
two axes. Being happy to have this additional op-
portunity of serving him, the messengers were sent
back to Huaheine, on the 18th, with the axes, and
two kids, male and female, which were spared for
him out of the Discovery.

The next day, I delivered to captain Clerke in-
structions how to proceed, in case of being separated
from me, after leaving these islands ; and it may not
be improper to give them a place here.

By Captain James Cook, Commander of his Majesty 9 s

Sloop the Resolution.

" WHEREAS the passage from the Society Islands
to the northern coast of America, is of considerable

108 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV.

length, both in distance and in time, and as a part
of it must be performed in the very depth of winter,
when gales of wind and bad weather must be ex-
pected, and may, possibly, occasion a separation,
you are to take all imaginable care to prevent this.
But if, notwithstanding all our endeavours to keep
company, you should be separated from me, you are
first to look for me where you last saw me. Not
seeing me in five days, you are to proceed (as directed
by the instructions of their lordships, a copy of which
you have already received) for the coast of New
Albion ; endeavouring to fall in with it in the lati-
tude of 45.

" In that latitude, and at a convenient distance from
the land, you are to cruize for me ten days. Not
seeing me in that time, you are to put into the first
convenient port, in or to the north of that latitude,
to recruit your wood and water, and to procure re-
freshments.

" During your stay in port, you are constantly to
keep a good look-out for me. It will be necessary,
therefore, to make choice of a station, situated as
near the sea-coast as is possible, the better to enable
you to see me, when I shall appear in the offing.

" If I do not join you before the 1st of next April,
you are to put to sea, and proceed northward to the
latitude 56 ; in which latitude, and at a convenient
distance from the coast, never exceeding fifteen
leagues, you are to cruize for me till the 10th of
May.

" Not seeing me in that time, you are to proceed
northward, and endeavour to find a passage into the
Atlantic Ocean, through Hudson's or Baffin's Bays,
as directed by the above mentioned instructions.

" But if you should fail in finding a passage through
either of the said bays, or by any other way, as the
season of the year may render it unsafe for you to
remain in high latitudes, you are to repair to the
harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul, in Kamtschatka*

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 10Q

in order to refresh your people, and to pass the
winter.

" But, nevertheless, if you find that you cannot
procure the necessary refreshments at the said port,
you are at liberty to go where you shall judge most pro-
per ; taking -care, before you depart, to leave with
the governor an account of your intended destination,
to be delivered to me upon my arrival: And in the
spring of the ensuing year, 1779, you are to repair
back to the above mentioned port, endeavouring to
be there by the 10th of May, or sooner.

" If, on your arrival, you receive no orders from,
or account of me, so as to justify your pursuing any
other measures than what are pointed out in the be-
fore-mentioned instructions, your future proceedings
are to be governed by them.

" You are also to comply with such parts of said
instructions, as have not been executed, and are not
contrary to these orders. And in case of your ina-
bility, by sickness or otherwise, to carry these, and
the instructions of their lordships, into execution,
you are to be careful to leave them with the next
officer in command, who is hereby required to exe-
cute them in the best manner he can.

" Given under my hand, on board the Resolution,
at Ulietea, the 18th day of November, 1777.

J. COOK."

" To Captain Charles Clerke, Commander* of
his Majesty 9 s Sloop the Discovery."

While we lay moored to the shore, we heeled, and
scrubbed both sides of the bottoms of the ships. At
the same time, we fixed some tin-plates under the
binds ; first taking off the old sheathing, and putting
in a piece unfilled, over which the plates were nailed.
These plates I had from the ingenious Mr. Pelham,
secretary to the commissioners for victualling his
Majesty's navy ; with a view of trying whether tin

110 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV,

would answer the same end as copper, on the bottoms
of ships.

On the 24th, in the morning, I was informed that
a midshipman and a seaman, both belonging to the
Discovery, were missing. Soon after, we learnt
from the natives, that they went away in a canoe the
preceding evening, and were, at this time, at the
other end of the island. As the midshipman was
known to have expressed a desire to remain at these
islands, it seemed pretty certain, that he and his
companion had gone off with this intention ; and
captain Clerke set out in quest of them with two
armed boats, and a party of marines. His expedi-
tion proved fruitless ; for lie returned in the evening,
without having got any certain intelligence where
they were. From the conduct of the natives, cap-
tain Clerke seemed to think, that they intended to
conceal the deserters ; and, with that view, had
amused him with ialse information the whole day,
and directed him to search for them in places where
they were not to be found. The captain judged
right ; for the next morning we were told, that our
runaways were at Otaha. As these two were not the
only persons in the ships who wished to end their
days at these favourite islands, in order to put a stop
to any further desertion, it was necessary to get them
back at all events ; and that the natives might be
convinced that I was in earnest, I resolved to go af-
ter them myself; having observed, from repeated in-
stances, that they seldom offered to deceive me with
false information.

Accordingly, I set out, the next morning, with
two armed boats ; being accompanied by the chief
himself. I proceeded, as he directed, without stop-
ping any where, till we came to the middle of the east
side of Otaha. There we put ashore ; a*nd Oreo dis-
patched a man before us, with orders to seize the de-
serters, and keep them till we sould arrive with the
boats. But when we got to the place where we ex-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. Ill

pected to find them, we were told, that they had
quitted this island, and gone over to Bolabola the
day before. I did not think proper to follow them
thither, but returned to the ships ; fully determined,
however, to have recourse to a measure, which, I
guessed, would oblige the natives to bring them
back.

In the night, Mr. Bayly, Mr. King, and myself
observed an immersion of Jupiter's third satellite. It
happened by the observation of

Mr. Bayly, at 2* 37 m 540

Mr. King, at 2 37 24 in the morning.

Myself, at 2 37 44 3

My. Bayly and Mr. King observed, with Dollond's
three and a half feet achromatic telescope, and with
the greatest magnifying power. I observed, with a
two-feet Gregorian reflector, made by Bird.

Soon after day-break, the chief, his son, daughter,
and son-in-law, came on board the Resolution. The
three last I resolved to detain, till the two deserters
should be brought back. With this view, captain
Clerke invited them to go on board his ship ; and as
soon as they arrived there, confined them in his cabin.
The chief was with me when the news reached him.
He immediately acquainted me with it, supposing
that this step had been taken without my knowledge,
and consequently without my approbation. I in-
stantly undeceived him ; and then he began to have
apprehensions as to his own situation, and his looks
expressed the utmost perturbation of mind. But I
soon made him easy as to this, by telling him, that
he was at liberty to leave the ship whenever he pleased,
and to take such measures as he should judge best
calculated to get our two men back ; that, if he suc-
ceeded, his friends on board the Discovery should be
delivered up ; if not, that I was determined to carry
them away with me. 1 added,that his own conduct, as

11& COOK'S VOYAGE TO NOV.

well as that of many of his people, in not only as-
sisting these two men to escape, but in being, even
at this very time, assiduous in enticing others to fol-
low them, would justify any step I could take to put
a stop to such proceedings.

This explanation of the motives upon which I acted,
and which we found means to make Oreo and his people,
who were present, fully comprehend, seemed to recover
them, in a great measure, from that general conster-
nation into which they were at first thrown. But, if
relieved from apprehensions about their own safety,
they continued under the deepest concern for those
who were prisoners. Many of them went under the
Discovery's stern in canoes, to bewail their captivity,
which they did with long and loud exclamations.
Poedooa! for so the chief's daughter was called, re-
sounded from every quarter ; and the women seemed
to vie with each other in mourning her fate, with
more significant expressions of their grief than tears
and cries ; for there were many bloody heads upon
the occasion.

Oreo himself did not give way to unavailing la-
mentations, but instantly began his exertions to
recover our deserters, by dispatching a canoe to
Bolabola, with a message to Opoony, the sovereign
of that island, acquainting him with what had hap-
pened, and requesting him to seize the two fugi-
tives, and send them back. The messenger, who
was no less a man than the father of Pootoe, Oreo's
son-in-law, before he set out, came to receive my
commands. I strictly enjoined him not to return
without the deserters ; and to tell Opoony from me,
that if they had left Bolabola, he must send canoes
to bring them back ; for I suspected that they would
not long remain in one place.

The consequence, however, of the prisoners was
so great, that the natives did not think proper to
trust to the return of our people for their release ;
or, at least, their impatience was so great, that it

1777* TWE PACIFIC OCEAN. 113

hurried them to make an attempt which might have
involved them in still greater distress, had it not
been fortunately prevented. Between five and six
o'clock in the evening, I observed that all their ca-
noes in and about the harbour began to move offj as
if some sudden panic had seized them. I was
ashore, abreast of the ship at the time, and enquired
in vain to find out the cause ; till our people
called to us from the Discovery, and told us that
a party of the natives had seized Captain Gierke and
Mr. Gore, who had walked out a little way from the
ships. Struck with the boldness of this plan of retalia-
tion, which seemed to counteract me so effectually
in my own way, there was no time to deliberate. I
instantly ordered the people to arm ; and, in less
than five minutes, a strong party, under the com-
mand of Mr. King, was sent to rescue our two gen-
tlemen. At the same time, two armed boats and a
party under Mr. Williamson went after the flying
canoes, to cut off their retreat to the shore. These
several detachments were hardly out of sight, before
an account arrived, that we had been misinformed ;
upon which I sent and called them all in.

It was evident, however, from several corroborat-
ing circumstances, that the design of seizing Cap-
tain Gierke had really been in agitation amongst the
natives. Nay, they made no secret in speaking of it
the next day. But their first and great plan of oper-
tions was to have laid hold of me. It was my custom
every evening to bathe in the fresh water. Very
often I went alone, and always without arms. Ex-
pecting me to go as usual this evening, they had de-
termined to seize me, and Captain Clerke too, if he
had accompanied me. But I had, after confining
Oreo's family, thought it prudent to avoid putting
myself in their power ; and had cautioned Captain
Clerke and the officers not to go far from the ships.
In the course of the afternoon, the chief asked me,
three several times, if I would not go to the bathing-

VOL. VI. I

114 cook's voyage to tfov.

place ; and when he found, at last, that I could not
be prevailed upon, he went oft' with the rest of his
people, in spite of all I could do or say to stop him.
But as I had no suspicion at this time of their de-
sign, I imagined that some sudden fright had seized
them, which would, as usual, soon be over. Find-
ing themselves disappointed as to me, they fixed on
those who were more in their power. It was fortu-
nate for all parties, that they did not succeed ; and
not less fortunate that no mischief was done on the
occasion ; for not a musket was fired, except two
or three to stop the canoes. To that firing, per-
haps, Messrs. Gierke and Gore owed their safety * ;
for at that very instant, a party of the natives armed
with clubs were advancing toward them ; and on
hearing the report of the muskets, they dispersed.

This conspiracy, as it may be called, was first
discovered by a girl, whom one of the officers had
brought from Huaheine. She, overhearing some of
the Uiieteans say, that they would seize Captain
Gierke and Mr. Gore, ran to acquaint the first of
our people that she met with. Those who were
charged with the execution of the design threatened
to kill her, as soon as we should leave the island, for
disappointing them. Being aware of this, we con-
trived that her friends should come some days after
and take her out of the ship, to convey her to a place
of safety, where she might lie concealed, till they
should have an opportunity of sending her back to
Huaheine.

On the 27th, our observatories were taken down
and every thing we had ashore carried on board ; the
moorings of the ships were cast offi and we trans-
ported them a little way down the harbour, where

* Perhaps they owed their safety principally to Captain Clerke's
walking with a pistol in his hand, which he once fired. This cir-
cumstance is omitted both in Captain Cook's and in Mr. Ander-
son's journal ; but is here mentioned on the authority of Captain
King.

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 115

they came to an anchor again. Toward the after-
noon, the natives began to shake off their fears,
gathering round and on board the ships as usual ; and
the awkward transaction of the day before seemed to
be forgotten on both sides.

The following night, the wind blew in hard squalls
from south to east, attended with heavy showers of
rain. In one of the squalls, the cable, by which the
Resolution was riding, parted just without the hawse.
We had another anchor ready to let go, so that the
ship was presently brought up again. In the after-
noon, the wind became moderate ; and we hooked
the end of the best small bower cable, and got it
again into the hawse.

Oreo, the chief, being uneasy as well as myself,
that no account had been received from Bolabola, set
out this evening for that island, and desired me to
follow down the next day with the ships. This was
my intention ; but the wind which kept us in the
harbour, brought Oreo back from Bolabola with the
two deserters. They had reached Otaha the same
night they deserted; but finding it impossible to get
to any of the islands to the eastward (which was their
intention), for want of wind, they had proceeded to
Bolabola, and from thence to the small island Too-
baee, where they were taken by the father of
Pootoe, in consequence of the first message sent to
Opoony. As soon as they were on board, the three
prisoners were released. Thus ended an affair
which had given me much trouble and vexation.
Nor would I have exerted myself so resolutely on
the occasion, but for the reason before-mentioned,
and to save the son of a brother officer from being
lost to his country.

The wind continued constantly between the north
and west, and confined us in the harbour till eight
o'clock in the morning of the 7th of December;,
when we took the advantage of a light breeze which
then sprung up at north-east, and with the assistance

i 2

116 cook's voyage to dec.

of all the boats got out to sea, with the Discovery in
company.

During the last week, we had been visited by peo-
ple from all parts of the island, who furnished us
with a large stock of hogs and green plantains. So
that the time we lay wind-bound in the harbour was
not entirely lost ; green plantains being an excellent
substitute for bread, as they will keep good a fort-
night or three weeks. Besides this supply of pro-
visions, we also completed our wood and water.

The inhabitants of Ulietea seemed, in general,
smaller and blacker than those of the other neigh-
bouring islands, and appeared also less orderly,
which, perhaps, may be considered as the conse-
quence of their having become subject to the na-
tives of Bolabola. Oreo, their chiefs is only a sort
of deputy of the sovereign of that island ; and the
conquest seems to have lessened the number of sub-
ordinate chiefs resident among them ; so that they
are less immediately under the inspection of those
whose interest it is to enforce due obedience to
authority. Ulietea, though now reduced to this
humiliating state, was formerly, as we were told, the
most eminent of this cluster of islands ; and, pro-
bably, the first seat of government ; for they say, that
the present royal family of Otaheite is descended
from that which reigned here before the late revo-
lution. Ooroo, the dethroned monarch of Ulietea,
was still alive, when we were at Huaheine, where he
resides a royal wanderer, furnishing, in his person,
an instance of the instability of power ; but what is
more remarkable, of the respect paid by these peo-
ple to particular families, and to the customs which
have once conferred sovereignty ; for they suffer
Ooroo to preserve all the ensigns which they ap-
propriate to majesty, though he has lost his do-
minions.

We saw a similar instance of this while we were at
Ulietea. One of the occasional visitors I now had, was

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 117

my old friend Oree, the late chief of Huaheine. He still
preserved his consequence ; came always at the head
of a numerous body of attendants ; and was always
provided with such presents as were very acceptable.
This chief looked much better now than I had ever
seen him during either of my former voyages.* I
could account for his improving in health as he grew
older, only from his drinking less copiously of the ava
in his present station as a private gentleman, than
he had been accustomed to do when he was regent.

* Captain Cook had seen Oree in 1769, when he commanded
the Endeavour ; also twice during his second voyage in 1772.

i s

118 cook's voyage to dec.

CHAP. VIII.

ARRIVAL AT BOLABOLA. INTERVIEW WITH OPOONY. REA-
SONS FOR PURCHASING MONSIEUR BOUGAINVILLE'S ANCHOR.

DEPARTURE FROM THE SOCIETY ISLANDS. PARTICULARS

ABOUT BOLABOLA. HISTORY OF THE CONOUEST OF OTAHA

AND ULIETEA. HIGH REPUTATION OF THE BOLABOLA

MEN. ANIMALS LEFT THERE AND AT ULIETEA.

PLENTIFUL SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS, AND MANNER OF SALT-
ING PORK ON BOARD. VARIOUS REFLECTIONS RELATIVE

TO OTAHEITE AND THE SOCIETY ISLANDS. ASTRONOMICAL

AND NAUTICAL OBSERVATIONS MADE THERE.

J\s soon as we had got clear of the harbour, we
took leave of Ulietea, and steered for Bolabola.
The chief if not sole object I had in view by visiting
that island, was to procure from its monarch,
Opoony, one of the anchors which Monsieur de
Bougainville had lost at Otaheite. This having after-
ward been taken up by the natives there, had, as
they informed me, been sent by them as a present to
that chief. My desire to get possession of it did not
arise from our being in want of anchors ; but hav-
ing expended all the hatchets and other iron tools
which we had brought from England, in purchasing
refreshments, we were now reduced to the necessity of
creating a fresh assortment of trading articles, by
fabricating them out of the spare iron we had on
board ; and, in such conversions, and in the occa-
sional uses of the ships, great part of that had been
already expended. 1 thought that M. de Bougain-
ville's anchor would supply our want of this useful
material ; and I made no doubt that I should be able
to tempt Opoony to part with it.

Oreo, and six or eight men more from Ulietea,
took a passage with us to Bolabola. Indeed, most of
the natives in general, except the chief himself,

*5

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 119

would have gladly taken a passage with us to Eng-
land. At sunset, being the length of the south point
of Bolabola, we shortened sail, and spent the night
making short boards. At day-break, on the 8th, we
made sail for the harbour, which is on the west side
of the island. The wind was scant, so that we had
to ply up, and it was nine o'clock before we got near
enough to send away a boat to sound the entrance ;
for 1 had thoughts of running the ships in, and an-
choring for a day or two.

When the boat returned, the master who was in
her reported, that though, at the entrance of the har-
bour the bottom was rocky, there was good ground with-
in, and the depth of water twenty-seven and twenty- five
fathoms ; and that there was room to turn the ships in,
the channel being one-third of a mile broad. In conse-
quence of this report, we attempted to work the ships
in ; but the tide, as well as the wind, being against
us, after making two or three trips, I found that it
could not be done, till the tide should turn in our
favour. Upon this, I gave up the design of carrying
the ships into the harbour ; and having ordered the
boats to be got ready, I embarked in one of them,
accompanied by Oreo and his companions ; and was
rowed in for the island.

We landed where the natives directed us ; and
soon after I was introduced to Opoony, in the midst
of a great concourse of people. Having no time to
lose, as soon as the necessary formality of compli-
ments was over, 1 asked the chief to give me the
anchor, and produced the present I had prepared
for him, consisting of a linen night-gown, a shirt,
some gauze handkerchiefs, a looking-glass, some
beads, and other toys, and six axes. At the sight
of these last, there was a general outcry. I could
only guess the cause, by Gpoony's absolutely refus-
ing to receive my present, till I should get the anchor.
He ordered three men to go and deliver it to me ;
and, as I understood, I was to send, by them, what

120 cook's voyage to dec.

I thought proper in return. With these messengers,
we set out in our boats for an island, lying at the
north side of the entrance into the harbour, where
the anchor had been deposited. I found it to be
neither so large, nor so perfect, as I expected. It
had originally weighed seven hundred pounds, ac-
cording to the mark that was upon it ; but the ring,
with part of the shank, and the two points, were now
wanting. I was no longer at a loss to guess the
reason of Opoony's refusing my present. He doubt-
less thought that it so much exceeded the value of
the anchor in its present state, that I should be dis-
pleased when I saw it. Be this as it may, I took the
anchor as I found it, and sent him every article of
the present that I at first intended. Having thus
completed my negociation, I returned on board ; and
having hoisted in the boats, made sail from the island
to the north.

While the boats were hoisting in, some of the na-
tives came offj in three or four canoes, to see the
ships, as they said. They brought with them a few
cocoa-nuts, and one pig, which was the only one we
got at the island. I make no doubt, however, that,
if we bad stayed till the next day, we should have
been plentifully supplied with provisions j and, I
think, the natives would feel themselves disappointed^
when they found that we were gone. But as we had
already a very good stock both of hogs and of fruit
on board, and very little of any thing left to purchase
more, I could have no inducement to defer any
longer the prosecution of our voyage.

The harbour of Bolabola, called Oteavanooa, situ-
ated on the west side of the island, is one of the most
capacious that I ever met with ; and though we did
not enter it, it was a satisfaction to me, that I had
an opportunity of employing my people to ascertain
its being a proper place for the reception of ships.*

* See a chart of the island Bolabola in Haivkeszvorth's Collec-
tion, vol. ii. p. 249. Though we have no particular drawing of
the harbour, its situation is there distinctly represented.

1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 121

The high double-peaked mountain, which is in the
middle of* the island, appeared to be barren on the
east side ; but on the west side, has trees or bushes
on its most craggy parts. The lower grounds, all
round, towards the sea, are covered with cocoa-
palms and bread- fruit trees, like the other islands of
this ocean ; and the many little islets that surround
it on the inside of the reef, add both to the amount
of its vegetable productions, and to the number of
of its inhabitants.

But still, when we consider its very small extent, be-
ing not more than eight leagues in compass, it is rather
remarkable, that its people should have attempted,
or have been able to achieve the conquest of Ulietea
and Otaha, the former of which islands is, of itself",
at least double its size. In each of my three voyages,
we had heard much of the war that produced this
great revolution. The result of our inquiries, as to
the circumstances attending it, may amuse the reader;
and I give it as a specimen of the history of our
friends in this part of the world, as related to us *
by themselves.

Ulietea and Otaha, which adjoins it, lived long in
friendship, or, as the natives express it, were con-
sidered as two brothers, inseparable by any interested
views. They also admitted the island of Huaheine
as their friend, though not so intimate. Otaha, how-
ever, like a traitor, leagued with Bolabola, and they
resolved jointly to attack Ulietea ; whose people called
in their friends of Huaheine, to assist them against
these two powers. The men of Bolabola were en-
couraged by a priestess, or rather prophetess, who
foretold, that they should be successful ; and as
a proof of the certainty of her prediction, she desired,
that a man might be sent to the sea, at a particular
place, where, from a great depth, a stone would ascend.
He went, accordingly, in a canoe to the place men-

* For this, as for many other particulars about these people, we
are indebted to Mr. Anderson.

12*2 COOK S VOYAGE TO DEC.

tioned ; and was going to dive to see where this stone
lay, when, behold, it started up to the surface spon
taneously into his hand ! The people were astonished
at the sight ; the stone was deposited as sacred in the
house of the Eatooa ; and is still preserved at Bola-
bola, as a proof of this woman's influence with the
divinity. Their spirits being thus elevated with the
hopes of victory, the canoes of Bolabola set out to
engage those of Ulietea and Huaheine, which being
strongly fastened together with ropes, the encounter
lasted long, and would probably, notwithstanding
the prediction and the miracle, have ended in the
overthrow of the Bolabola fleet, if that of Otaha had
not, in the critical moment, arrived. This turned
the fortune of the day, and their enemies were de-
feated with great slaughter. The men of Bolabola,
prosecuting their victory, invaded Huaheine two days
after, which they knew must be weakly defended,
as most of its warriors were absent. Accordingly,
they made themselves masters of that island. But
many of its fugitives having got to Otaheite, there
told their lamentable story ; which so grieved those
of their countrymen, and of Ulietea, whom they met
with in that island, that they obtained some assistance
from them. They were equipped with only ten fight-
ing canoes ; but, though their force was so inconsider-
able, they conducted the expedition with so much
prudence, that they landed at Huaheine at night,
when dark, and falling upon the Bolabola men by
surprise killed many of them, forcing the rest to fly.
So that, by this means, they got possession of their
island again, which now remains independent, under
the government of its own chiefs. Immediately after
the defeat of the united fleets of Ulietea and Hua-
heine, a proposal was made to the Bolabola men by
their allies of Otaha, to be admitted to an equal share
of the conquests. The refusal of this broke the alli-
ance ; and in the course of the war, Otaha itself j as
well as Ulietea, was conquered \ and both now re-

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. V23

main subject to Bolabola ; the chiefs who govern
them being only deputies of Opoony, the sovereign
of that island. In the reduction of the two islands,
five battles were fought, at different places, in which
great numbers were slain on both sides.

Such was the account we received. I have more
than once remarked, how very imperfectly these
people recollect the exact dates of past events. And
with regard to this war, though it happened not many
years ago, we could only guess at the time of its com-
mencement and its conclusion, from collateral cir-
cumstances, furnished by our own observation, as the
natives could not satisfy our inquiries with any pre-
cision. The final conquest of Ulietea, which closed
the war, we know, had been made before I was there
in the Endeavour, in 1769 > but we may infer, that
peace had not been very long restored, as we could
see marks of recent hostilities * having been commit-
ted upon that island. Some additional light may be
thrown upon this inquiry, by attending to the age of
Teereetareea, the present chief of Huaheine. His
looks showed, that he was not above ten or twelve
years old ; and we were informed, that his father had
been killed at one of the battles. As to the time
when the war began, we had no better rule forjudg-
ing, than this, that the young people of about twenty
years of age, of whom we made inquiries, could
scarcely remember the first battles ; and I have al-
ready mentioned, that Omai's countrymen, whom we
found at Wateeoo, knew nothing of this war ; so that
its commencement was subsequent to their voyage.

Ever since the conquest of Ulietea and Otaha, the
Bolabola men have been considered by their neigh-
bours as invincible ; and such is the extent of their
fame, that even at Otaheite, which is almost out of
their reach, if they are not dreaded, they are at least
respected for their valour. It is said, that they never

* These are taken notice of in Hatukesivortlis Collection, vol. ii.
p. 256, &c.

124 cook's voyage to dec.

fly in battle, and that they always beat an equal num-
ber of the other islanders. But, besides these ad-
vantages, their neighbours seem to ascribe a great
deal to the superiority of their god, who, they believ-
ed, detained us at Ulietea by contrary winds, as be-
ing unwilling that we should visit an island under his
special protection.

How high the Bolabola men are now in estimation
at Otaheite, may be inferred from Monsieur de Bou-
gainville's anchor having been conveyed to them. To
the same cause we must ascribe the intention of trans-
porting to their island the Spanish bull. And they
had already got possession of a third European curi-
osity, the male of another animal, brought to Otaheite
by the Spaniards. We had been much puzzled, by
the imperfect description of the natives, to fguess
what this could be. But Captain Clerke's deserters,
when brought back from Bolabola, told me, that the
animal had been there shown to them, and that it was
a ram. It seldom happens but that some good arises
out of evil ; and if our two men had not deserted, I
should not have known this. In consequence of
their information, at the same time that I landed to
meet Opoony, I carried ashore a ewe, which we had
brought from the Cape of Good Hope ; and I hope
that, by this present, I have laid the foundation for
a breed of sheep at Bolabola. I also left at Ulietea,
under the care of Oreo, an English boar and sow,
and two goats. So that, not only Otaheite, but all
the neighbouring islands will, in a few years, have
their race of hogs considerably improved ; and, pro-
bably, be stocked with all the valuable animals which
have been transported hither by their European
visitors.

When once this comes to pass, no part of the world
will equal these islands in variety and abundance of
refreshments for navigators. Indeed, even in their
present state, I know no place that excels them,
After repeated trials, in the course of several voyages^

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 10,5

we find, when they are not disturbed by intestine
broils, but live in amity with one another, which has
been the case for some years past, that their produc-
tions are in the greatest plenty ; and, particularly,
the most valuable of all the articles, their hogs.

If we had had a larger assortment of goods, and
a sufficient quantity of salt on board, I make no
doubt that we might have salted as much pork as
would have served both ships near twelve months.
But our visiting the Friendly Islands, and our long
stay at Otaheite and the neighbourhood, quite ex-
hausted our trading commodities ; particularly our
axes, with which alone hogs, in general, were to be
purchased. And we had hardly salt enough to cure
fifteen puncheons of meat. Of these, five were
added to our stock of provisions at the Friendly
Islands, and the other ten at Otaheite. Captain
Clerke also salted a proportionable quantity for his
ship.

The process was the same that had been adopted
by me in my last voyage ; and it may be worth while
to describe it again. The hogs were killed in the
evening ; as soon as they were cleaned, they were
cut up, the bones taken out, and the meat salted
when it was hot. It was then laid in such a position
as to permit the juices to drain from it, till the next
morning, when it was again salted, packed into a
cask, and covered with pickle. Here it remained
for four or five days, or a week ; after which it was
taken out and examined, piece by piece, and if there
was any found to be in the least tainted, as sometimes
happened, it was separated from the rest, which was
repacked into another cask, headed up, and filled
with good pickle. In about eight or ten days' time,
it underwent a second examination ; but this seemed
unnecessary, as the whole was generally found to be
perfectly cured. A mixture of bay and of white
salt, answers the best ; but either of them will do
alone. Great care should be taken, that none of the

126 cook's voyage to dec

large blood vessels remain in the meat ; nor must too
great a quantity be packed together at the first salt-
ing, lest the pieces in the middle should heat, and
by that means prevent the salt from penetrating them.
This once happened to us, when we killed a larger
quantity than usual. Rainy, sultry weather, is un-
favourable for salting meat in tropical climates.

Perhaps, the frequent visits Europeans have lately
made to these islanders, may be one great induce-
ment to their keeping a large stock of hogs, as they
have had experience enough to know, that, whenever
we come, they may be sure of getting from us what
they esteem a valuable consideration for them. At
Otaheite, they expect the return of the Spaniards
every day ; and they will look for the English, two
or three years hence, not only there, but at the other
islands. It is to no purpose to tell them, that you
will not return. They think you must ; though not
of them knows, or will give himself the trouble to
inquire the reason of your coming.

I own, I cannot avoid expressing it as my real
opinion, that it would have been far better for these
poor people, never to have known our superiority in
the accommodations and arts that make life comfort-
able, than, after once knowing it, to be again left
and abandoned to their original incapacity of im-
provement. Indeed, they cannot be restored to that
happy mediocrity in which they lived before we dis-
covered them, if the intercourse between us should
be discontinued. It seems to me, that it has become,
in a manner, incumbent on the Europeans to visit
them once in three or four years, in order to supply
them with those conveniencies which we have intro-
duced among them, and have given them a predi-
lection for. The want of such occasional supplies
will, probably, be very heavily felt by them, when
it may be too late to go back to their old less perfect
contrivances, which they now despise, and have dis-
continued, since the introduction of ours. For, by

1777 ' THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 12?

the time that the iron tools, of which they are now
possessed, are worn out, they will have almost lost
the knowledge of their own. A stone hatchet is, at
present, as rare a thing amongst them, as an iron
one was eight years ago ; and a chissel of bone, or
stone, is not to be seen. Spike-nails have supplied
the place of the last ; and they are weak enough to
fancy, that they have got an inexhaustible store of
them ; for these were not now at all sought after.
Sometimes, however, nails, much smaller than a
spike, would still be taken in exchange for fruit.
Knives happened, at present, to be in great esteem
at Ulietea ; and axes and hatchets remained unri-
valled by any other of our commodities at all the
islands. With respect to articles of mere ornament,
these people are as changeable as any of the polished
nations of Europe ; so that what pleases their fancy,
while a fashion is in vogue, may be rejected, when
another whim has supplanted it. But our iron tools
are so strikingly useful, that they will, we may con-
fidently pronounce, continue to prize them highly ;
and be completely miserable, ifj neither possessing
the materials, nor trained up to the art of fabricating
them, they should cease to receive supplies of what
may now be considered as having become necessary
to their comfortable existence.

Otaheite, though not comprehended in the num-
ber of what we have called the Society Islands, be-
ing inhabited by the same race of men, agreeing in
the same leading features of character and manners*
it was fortunate that we happened to discover this
principal island before the others, as the friendly and
hospitable reception we there met with, of course,
led us to make it the principal place of resort, in our
successive visits to this part of the Pacific Ocean.
By the frequency of this intercourse, we have had
better opportunities of knowing something about it
and its inhabitants, than about the other similar, but
less considerable islands in its vicinity. Of these,

128 cook's voyage to dec.

however, we have seen enough to satisfy us, that all
that we observed and have related of Otaheite, may,
with trifling variations, be applied to them.

Too much seems to have been already known, and
published in our former relations, about some of the
modes of life that made Otaheite so agreeable an
abode to many on board our ships ; and if I could
add any finishing strokes to a picture, the outlines of
which have been already drawn with sufficient accu-
racy, I should still have hesitated to make this jour-
nal the place for exhibiting a view of licentious man-
ners, which could only serve to disgust those for
whose information 1 write. There are, however,
many parts of the domestic, political, and religious
institutions of these people, which, after all our visits
to them, are but imperfectly understood. The fore-
going narative of the incidents that happened during
our stay, will probably be thought to throw some
additional light ; and, for farther satisfaction, I refer
to Mr. Anderson's remarks.

Amidst our various subordinate employments,
while at these islands, the great objects of our duty
were always attended to. No opportunity was lost
of making astronomical and nautical observations ;
from which the following table was drawn up :

p. Latitude. Longitude. Variation of Dip of the

South. East. the Compass. Needle.

M Otaheite 1 - t ' 1 17 29 i' 210 22' 28" 5 34' East 29 12'

ta]lhri \ 16 42 * 208 S2 24 5 13 * East 28 28

tie"a ar ' } 16 * 5 * 208 25 22 6 19 East 29 5

The longitude of the three several places is de-
duced from the mean of 145 sets of observations
made on shore ; some at one place, and some at
another ; and carried on to each of the stations by
the time-keeper. As the situation of these places

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 129

was very accurately settled during my former voy-
ages, the above observations were now made chiefly
with a view of determining how far a number of lunar
observations might be depended upon, and how near
they would agree with those made upon the same
spot in 170*9, which fixed Matavai Point to be 20 1 c
27' 30''. The difference, it appears, is only of 5' 2";
and, perhaps, no other method could have produced
a more perfect agreement. Without pretending to
say which of the two computations is the nearest the
truth, the longitude of 210 %& 28", or, which is the
same thing, 20S 25' 22", will be the longitude we
shall reckon from with the time-keeper, allowing it to
be losing, on mean time, l."6g each day, as found
by the mean of all the observations made at these
islands for that purpose.

On our arrival at Otaheite, the error of the time-
keeper in longitude was,

, J Greenwich rate, 1 18' 58'
y l Tongataboo rate, 16' 40'

Some observations were also made on the tide ;
particularly at Otaheite and Ulietea > with a view of
ascertaining its greatest rise at the first place. When
we were there, in my second voyage, Mr. Wales
thought he had discovered that it rose higher than I
had observed it to do, when I first visited Otaheite in
1769. But the observations we now made, proved
that it did not ; that is, that it never rose higher than
twelve or fourteen inches at most. And it was ob-
served to be high-water nearly at noon, as well at the
quadratures, as at the full and change of the moon.

S"

VOL. VI. K

130

COOK S VOYAGE TO

DEC

To verify this, the following observations were
made at Ulietea :

Day of

the

Water

at stand,

Mean time
of

Perpendicular
rise.

Month.

i

rom

to

High Water.

Inches.

No. 6.

11*

1 15 m

12 h 20 m

ll h

48 m

5, 5

7.

11

40

1

00

12

20

5, 2

8.

11

35

12

50

12

12

5,

9.

11

40

1

16

12

28

5, 5

10.

11

25

1

10

12

18

6,5

11.

12

00

1

40

12

20

5,

12.

11

00

1

05

12

02

5,7

13.

9

30

11

40

10

35

8,

14.

11

10

12

50

12

00

8,

15.

9

20

11

30

10

25

9, 2

16.

10

00

12

00

11

00

9,0

17.

10

45

12

15

10

30

8, 5

18.

10

25

12

10

11

18

9,0

19.

11

00

1

00

12

00

8,

SO.

11

30

2

00

12

45

7,0

SI.

11

00

1

00

12

00

8,

22.

11

30

1

07

12

18

8,

28.

12

00

1

30

12

45

6,5

24.

11

30

1

40

12

35

5, 5

25.

11

40

1

50

12

45

4,7

26.

11

00

1

30

12

15

5, 2

Having now finished all that occurs to me, with
regard to these islands, which make so conspicuous a
figure in the list of our discoveries, the reader will
permit me to suspend the prosecution of my Journal,
while he pursues the following chapter, for which 1
am indebted to Mr. Anderson.

1777- THR pacific OCEAN, 131

CHAP. IX.

ACCOUNTS OF OTAHEITE STILL IMPERFECT. THE PREVAILING

WINDS. BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY. CULTIVATION.

NATURAL CURIOSITIES. -THE PERSONS OF THE NATIVES.
DISEASES. GENERAL CHARACTER. LOVE OF PLEA-
SURE. LANGUAGE. SURGERY AND PHYSIC. ARTICLES

OF FOOD. EFFECTS OF DRINKING AVA. TIMES AND

MANNER OF EATING. CONNECTIONS WITH THE FEMALES.

CIRCUMCISION. SYSTEM OF RELIGION. NOTIONS ABOUT

THE SOUL AND A FUTURE LIFE. VARIOUS SUPERSTITIONS.

TRADITIONS ABOUT THE CREATION. AN HISTORICAL

LEGEND. HONOURS PAID TO THE KING. DISTINCTION

OF RANKS. PUNISHMENT OF CRIMES. PECULIARITIES

OF THE NEIGHBOURING ISLANDS. NAMES OF THEIR GODS.

NAMES OF ISLANDS THEY VISIT. EXTENT OF THEIR

NAVIGATION.

I o what has been said of Otaheite, in the ac-
counts of the successive voyages of Captain Wall is,
Monsieur de Bougainville, and Captain Cook, it would
at first sight, seem superfluous to add any thing ; as
it might be supposed, that little could be now
produced, but a repetition of what has been told
before. I am, however, far from being of that
opinion ; and will venture to affirm, though a Very
accurate description of the country, and of the most
obvious customs of its inhabitants, has been already
given, especially by Captain Cook, that much still
remains untouched ; that, in some instances, mis-
takes have been made, which later and repeated ob-
servation has been able to rectify ; and that, even
now, we are strangers to many of the most important
institutions that prevail amongst these people. The
truth is, our visits, though frecpjent, have been but
transient ; many of us had no inclination to make in-
quiries ; more of us were Unable to direct our iri-

k 2

132 cook's voyage to D EC

quiries properly ; and we all laboured, though not to
the same degree, under the disadvantages attending
an imperfect knowledge of the language of those
from whom alone we could receive any information.
The Spaniards had it more in their power to sur-
mount this bar to instruction; some of them having
resided at Otaheite much longer than anv other
European visitors. As, with their superior advan-
tages, they could not but have had an opportunity of
obtaining the fullest information on most subjects re-
lating to this island, their account of it would, pro-
bably, convey more authentic and accurate intelli-
gence than, with our best endeavours, any of us
could possibly obtain. But as I look upon it to be
very uncertain, if not very unlikely, that we shall
ever have any communication from that quarter, I
have here put together what additional intelligence
about Otaheite and its neighbouring islands I was
able to procure, either from Omai while on board the
ship, or by conversing with the other natives while
we remained amongst them. -

The wind, for the greatest part of the year, blows
from between east south-east, and east north-east.
This is the true trade wind, or what the natives call
Maaraee ; and it sometimes blows with considerable
force. When this is the case, the weather is often
cloudy, with showers of rain ; but when the wind is
more moderate, it is clear, settled, and serene. If
the wind should veer farther to the southward,
and become south-east, or south south-east, it then
blows more gently, with a smooth sea, and is called
Maoai. In those months, when the sun is nearly
vertical, that is, in December and January, the winds
and weather are both very variable ; but it frequently
blows from west north-west, or north-west. This
wind is what they call Toerou ; and is generally at-
tended by dark, cloudy weather, and frequently by
rain. It sometimes blows strong, though generally
moderate ; but seldom lasts longer than five or six

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 133

days without interruption ; and is the only wind in
which the people of the islands to leeward come to
this, in their canoes. If it happens to be still more
northerly, it blows with less strength, and has the
different appellation of Erapotaia ; which they feign
to be the wife of the Toerou; who, according to their
mythology, is a male.

The wind from south-west, and west south-west, is
still more frequent than the former; and though it is,
in general, gentle, and interrupted by calms, or
breezes from the eastward, yet it sometimes blows in
brisk squalls. The weather attending it is commonly
dark, cloudy, and rainy, with a close, hot air ; and
often accompanied by a great deal of lightning and
thunder. It is called Etoa, and often succeeds the
Toerou ; as does also the Farooa, which is still more
southerly, and, from its violence, blows down houses
and trees, especially the cocoa-palms, from their
loftiness ; but it is only of short duration.

The natives seem not to have a very accurate know-
ledge of these changes, and yet pretend to have
drawn some general conclusions from their effects ;
for they say when the sea has a hollow sound, and
dashes slowly on the shore, or rather on the reef
without, that it portends good weather ; but, if it
has a sharp sound, and the waves succeed each other
fast, that the reverse will happen.

Perhaps there is scarcely a spot in the universe
that affords a more luxuriant prospect than the south-
east part of Otaheite. The hills are high and steep ;
and, in many places, craggy. But they are covered
to the very summits with trees and shrubs, in such a
manner, that the spectator can scarcely help thinking
that the very rocks possess the property of producing
and supporting their verdant clothing. The flat land
which bounds those hills toward the sea, and the
interjacent valleys, also teem with various productions
that grow with the most exuberant vigour ; and at
once fill the mind of the beholder with the idea
that no place upon earth can outdo this in the

k S

134 cook's voyage to dec.

strength and beauty of vegetation. Nature has been
no less liberal in distributing rivulets, which are
found in every valley ; and as they approach the sea,
often divide into two or three branches, fertilizing
the flat lands through which they run. The habit-
ations of the natives are scattered, without order,
upon the flats ; and many of them appearing toward
the shore, presented a delightful scene, viewed from
our ships ; especially as the sea, within the reefi
which bounds the coast, is perfectly still, and affords
a safe navigation at all times for the inhabitants,
who are often seen paddling in their canoes indolently
along, in passing from place to place, or in going to
fish. On viewing these charming scenes, I have
often regretted my inability to transmit to those who
have had no opportunity of seeing them, such a de-
scription as might, in some measure, convey an im-
pression similar to what must be felt by every one
who has been fortunate enough to be upon the spot.

It is, doubtless, the natural fertility of the coun-
try, combined with the mildness and serenity of the
climate, that renders the natives so careless in their
cultivation, that, in many places, though overflowing
with the richest productions, the smallest traces of
it cannot be observed. The cloth plant, which is
raised by seeds brought from the mountains, and the
ava, or intoxicating pepper, which they defend from
the sun when very young, by covering them with
leaves of the bread-fruit-tree, are almost the only
things to which they seem to pay any attention ; and
these they keep very clean.

1 have inquired very carefully into their manner
of cultivating the bread-fruit-tree ; but was always
answered, that they never planted it. This, indeed,
must be evident to every one who will examine the
places where the young trees come up. It will be
always observed, that they spring from the roots of
the old ones, which run along near the surface of the
ground. So that the bread-fruit-trees mav be reck-

1777. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 135

oned those that would naturally cover the plains, even
supposing that the island was not inhabited ; in the
same manner that the white-barked trees, found at
Van Diemen's Land, constitute the forests there.
And from this we may observe, that the inhabitant
of Otaheite, instead of being obliged to plant his
bread, will rather be under a necessity of preventing
its progress ; which I suppose is sometimes done,
to give room for trees of another sort, to afford him
some variety in his food.

The chief of these are the cocoa-nut and plantain ;
the first of which can give no trouble, after it has
raised itself a foot or two above the ground ; but the
plantain requires a little more care. For, after it is
planted, it shoots up, and, in about three months,
begins to bear fruit ; during which time it gives
young shoots, which supply a succession of fruit.
For the old stocks are cut down, as the fruit is taken
off

The products of the island, however, are not so
remarkable for their variety, as great abundance ;
and curiosities of any kind are not numerous.
Amongst these we may reckon a pond or lake of
fresh water, at the top of one of the highest moun-
tains, to go to and to return from which takes three
or four days. It is remarkable for its depth, and has
eels of an enormous size in it; which are sometimes
caught by the natives, who go upon this water in
little floats of two or three wild plantain-trees
fastened together. This is esteemed one of the great-
est natural curiosities of the country ; insomuch,
that travellers, who come from the other islands, are
commonly asked, amongst the first things, by their
friends, at their return, if they have seen it. There
is also a sort of water, of which there is only one
small pond upon the island, as far distant as the lake,
and to appearance very good, with a yellow sediment
at the bottom; but it has a bad taste, and proves

k 4

i36 cook's voyage to dec.

fatal to those who drink any quantity ; or makes them
break out in blotches, if they bathe in it.

Nothing could make a stronger impression at first
sight on our arrival here, than the remarkable con-
trast between the robust make and dark colour of the
people of Tongataboo, and a sort of delicacy and
whiteness which distinguish the inhabitants of Ota-
heite. It was even some time before that difference
could preponderate in favour of the Otaheitans ; and
then only, perhaps, because we became accustomed
to them, the marks which had recommended the
others began to be forgotten. Their women, how-
ever, struck us as superior in every respect ; and
as possessing all those delicate characteristics which
distinguish them from the other sex in many coun-
tries. The beard, which the men here wear long,
and the hair, which is not cut so short as in the
fashion at Tongataboo, made also a great difference ;
and we could not help thinking, that, on every oc-
casion, they shewed a greater degree of timidity and
fickleness. The muscular appearance, so common
amongst the Friendly Islanders, and which seems a
consequence of their being accustomed to much
action, is lost here, where the superior fertility of
their country enables the inhabitants to lead a more
indolent life ; and its place is supplied by a plump-
ness and smoothness of the skin ; which, though
perhaps more consonant with our ideas of beauty, is
no real advantage ; as it seems attended with a kind
of languor in all their motions, not observable in the
others. This observation is fully verified in their
boxing and wrestling, which may be called little better
than the feeble efforts of children, if compared to
the vigour with which these exercises are performed
at the Friendly Islands.

Personal endowments being in great esteem amongst
them, they have recourse to several methods of im-
proving them, according to their notions of beauty.
In particular, it is a practice, especially amongst the

1777* THE pacific OCEAN. 137

Erreoes, or unmarried men of some consequence, to
undergo a kind of physical operation to render them
fair. This is done by remaining a month or two in
the house ; during which time they wear a great
quantity of clothes, eat nothing but bread-fruit, to
which they ascribe a remarkable property in whiten-
ing them. They also speak as if their corpulence
and colour, at other times, depended upon their food ;
as they are obliged, from the change of seasons, to
use different sorts at different times.

Their common diet is made up of at least nine-
tenths of vegetable food ; and, I believe, more par-
ticularly, the mahee, or fermented bread-fruit, which
enters almost every meal, has a remarkable effect
upon them, preventing a costive habit, and producing
a very sensible coolness about them, which could not
be perceived in us who fed on animal food. And it
is, perhaps, owing to this temperate course of life
that they have so few diseases among them.

They only reckon five or six, which might be called
chronic, or national disorders ; amongst which are
the dropsy, and the Jefai, or indolent swellings be-
fore mentioned, as frequent at Tongataboo. But
this was before the arrival of the Europeans ; for we
have added to this short catalogue a disease which
abundantly supplies the place of all others ; and is
now almost universal. For this they seem to have no
effectual remedy. The priests, indeed, sometimes
give them a medley of simples ; but they own that it
never cures them. And yet they allow that, in a
few cases, nature, without the assistance of a phy-
sician, exterminates the poison of this fatal disease,
and a perfect recovery is produced. They say, that
if a man is infected with it, he will often communi-
cate it to others in the same house, by feeding out of
the same utensils, or handling them ; and that in this
case, they frequently die, while he. recovers ; though
we see no reason why this should happen.

Their behaviour, on all occasions, seems to indi-

1^8 cook's voyage to

DEC.

cate a great openness and generosity of disposition.
Omai, indeed, who, as their countryman, should be
supposed rather willing to conceal any of their de-
fects, has often said, that they are sometimes cruel
in punishing their enemies. According to his repre-
sentation, they torment them very deliberately ; at
one time tearing out small pieces of flesh from dif-
ferent parts ; at another, taking out the eyes ; then
cutting off the nose ; and, lastly, killing them by
opening the belly. But this only happens on parti-
cular occasions. If cheerfulness argues a conscious
innocence, one would suppose that their life is seldom
sullied by crimes. This, however, I rather impute
to their feelings, which, though lively, seem in no
case permanent ; for I never saw them, in any mis-
fortune, labour under the appearance of anxiety
after the critical moment was past. Neither does
care ever seem to wrinkle their brow. On the con-
trary, even the approach of death does not appear
to alter their usual vivacity. I have seen them, when
brought to the brink of the grave by disease, and
when preparing to go to battle ; but, in neither case,
ever observed their countenances overclouded with
melancholy or serious reflection.

Such a disposition leads them to direct all their aims
only to what can give them pleasure and ease. Their
amusements all tend to excite and continue their
amorous passions ; and their songs, of which they
are immoderately fond, answer the same purpose.
But as a constant succession of sensual enjoyments
must cloy, we found that they frequently varied them
to more refined subjects, and had much pleasure in
chanting their triumphs in war, and their occupations
in peace ; their travels to other islands, and adven-
tures there ; and the peculiar beauties, and superior
advantages of their own island over the rest, or of
different parts of it over other less favourable districts.
This marks that they receive great delight from
music ; and though they rather expressed a dislike

1777* THE pacific OCEAN. 139

to our complicated compositions, yet were they always
delighted with the more melodious sounds produced
singly on our instruments, as approaching nearer to
the simplicity of their own.

Neither are they strangers to the soothing effects
produced by particular sorts of motion ; which, in
some cases, seem to allay any perturbation of mind
with as much success as music. Of this, I met with
with a remarkable instance. For on walking one
day about Matavai Point, where our tents were
erected, T saw a man paddling in a small canoe, so
quickly, and looking about him with such eagerness
on each side, as to command all my attention. At
first I imagined he had stolen something from one of
the ships, and was pursued ; but, on waiting patiently,
saw him repeat his amusement. He went out from
the shore, till he was near the place where the swell
begins to take its rise ; and, watching its first motion
very attentively, paddled before it with great quick-
ness, till he found that it overlooked him, and had
acquired sufficient force to carry his canoe before it,
without passing underneath. He then sat motionless,
and was carried along, at the same swift rate as the
wave, till it landed him upon the beach. Then he
started out, emptied his canoe, and went in search
of another swell. I could not help concluding that
this man felt the most supreme pleasure, while he was
driven on so fast and so smoothly by the sea ; espe-
cially as, though the tents and ships were so near, he
did not seem in the least to envy, or even to take
any notice of, the crowds of his countrymen collected
to view them as objects which were rare and curious.
During my stay, two or three of the natives came
up, who seemed to share his felicity, and always
called out when there was an appearance of a fa-
vourable swell, as he sometimes missed it, by his
back being turned, and looking about for it. By
them I understood that this exercise, which is called
choroee, was frequent amongst them ; and they have

140 cook's voyage to dec.

probably more amusements of this sort, which afford
them at Jeast as much pleasure as skaiting, which is
the only one of ours, with whose effects I could com-
pare it.

The language of Otaheite, though doubtless radi-
cally the same with that of New Zealand and the
Friendly Islands, is destitute of that guttural pro-
nunciation, and of some consonants, with which
those latter dialects abound. The specimens we have
already given, are sufficient to mark wherein the va-
riation chiefly consists, and to show that, like the
manners of the inhabitants, it has become soft and
soothing. During the former voyage, I had col-
lected a copious vocabulary, which enabled me the
better to compare this dialect with that of the other
islands ; and, during this voyage, I took every op-
portunity of improving my acquaintance with it, by
conversing with Omai before we arrived, and by my
daily intercourse with the natives while we now re-
mained there. # It abounds with beautiful and figur-
ative expressions, which, were it perfectly known,
would, I have no doubt, put it upon a level with
many of the languages that are most in esteem for
their warmth and bold images. For instance, the
Otaheitans express their notions of death very em-
phatically, by saying, " That the soul goes into
darkness : or rather into night." And, if you seem
to entertain any doubt, in asking the question, " if
such a person is their mother," they immediately
reply with surprize, " Yes; the mother that bore me."
They have one expression that corresponds exactly
with the phraseology of the scriptures, where we
read of the " yearning of the bowels." They use
it on all occasions, when the passions give them un-

* See this vocabulary, at the end of the second volume of Cap-
tain Cook's second voyage. Many corrections and additions to it were
now made by this indefatigable inquirer ; but the specimens of the
language of Otaheite, already in the hands of the public, seem
sufficient for every useful purpose.

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 141

easiness ; as they constantly refer pain from grief,
anxious desire, and other affections, to the bowels,
as its seat ; where they likewise suppose all operations
of the mind are performed. Their language admits
of that inverted arrangement of words which so
much distinguishes the Latin and Greek from most
of our modern European tongues, whose imperfec-
tions require a more orderly construction, to prevent
ambiguities. It is so copious, that for tfie bread-
fruit alone, in its different states, they have above
twenty names ; as many for the iaro root ; and about
ten for the cocoa nut. Add to this, that, besides
the common dialect, they often expostulate, in a kind
of stanza or recitative, which is answered in the
same manner.

Their arts are few and simple ; yet, if we may
credit them, they perform cures in surgery which
our extensive knowledge in that branch has not, as
yet, enabled us to imitate. In simple fractures, they
bind them up with splints ; but if part of the sub-
stance of the bone be lost, they insert a piece of
wood between the fractured ends, made hollow like
the deficient part. In five or six days, the rapaoo,
or surgeon, inspects the wound, and finds the wood
partly covered with the growing flesh. In as many
more days, it is generally entirely covered ; after
which, when the patient has acquired some strength,
he bathes in the water, and recovers. We know that
wounds will heal over leaden bullets ; and sometimes,
though rarely, over other extraneous bodies. But what
makes me entertain some doubt of the truth of so ex-
traordinary skill, as in the above instance, is, that in
other cases which fell under my own observation,
they are far from being so dexterous. I have seen
the stump of an arm, which was taken off after being
shattered by a fall from a tree, that bore no marks of
skilful operation, though some allowance be made
for their defective instruments. And I met with a
man going about with a dislocated shoulder, some

142 cook's voyage to dec.

months after the accident, from their being ignorant
of a method to reduce it ; though this be considered
as one of the simplest operations of our surgery.
They know that fractures or luxations of the spine
are mortal, but not fractures of the skull ; and they
likewise know, from experience, in what parts of
the body wounds prove fatal. They have sometimes
pointed out those inflicted by spears, which, if made
in the direction they mentioned, would certainly have
been pronounced deadly by us ; and yet these people
have recovered.

Their physical knowledge seems more confined ;
and that, probably, because their diseases are fewer
than their accidents. The priests, however, adminis-
ter the juices of herbs in some cases; and women
who are troubled with after-pains, or other disorders
after child-bearing, use a remedy which one would
think needless in a hot country. They first heat
stones, as when they bake their food ; then they lay
a thick cloth over them, upon which is put a quantity
of a small plant of the mustard kind ; and these are
covered with another cloth. Upon this they seat them-
selves, and sweat plentifully, to obtain a cure. The
men have practised the same method for the venereal
lues, but find it ineffectual. They have no emetic
medicines.

Notwithstanding the extreme fertility of the island,
a famine frequently happens, in which, it is said, many
perish. Whether this be owing to the failure of some
seasons, to over population, which must sometimes
almost necessarily happen, or to wars, I have not been
able to determine ; though the truth of the fact may
be fairly inferred, from the great economy that they
observe with respect to their food, even when there is
plenty. In times of scarcity, after their bread-fruit
and yams are consumed, they have recourse to
various roots which grow without cultivation upon
the mountains. The patarra, which is found in vast
quantities, is what' they use first. It is not unlike a

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 14

.:>

very large potatoe or yam, and good when in its grow-
ing state ; but, when old, is full of hard stringy fibres.
They then eat two other roots ; one not unlike taro ;
and lastly, the ehoee. This is of two sorts ; one of
them possessing deleterious qualities, which obliges
them to slice and macerate it in water a night be-
fore they bake and eat it. In this respect, it re-
sembles the cassava root of the West Indies ; but it
forms a very insipid, moist paste, in the manner they
dress it. However, I have seen them eat it at times,
when no such scarcity reigned. Both this and the
patarra are creeping plants ; the last, with ternate
leaves.

Of animal food, a very small portion falls, at any
time, to the share of the lower class of people ; and
then it is either fish, sea eggs, or other marine pro-
ductions ; for they seldom or ever eat pork. The
Eree de hoi * alone is able to furnish pork every day ;
and inferior chiefs, according to their riches, once a
week, fortnight, or month. Sometimes they are not
even allowed that ; for, when the island is impover-
ished by war, or other causes, the chief prohibits his
subjects to kill any hogs j and this prohibition, we
were told, is in force sometimes for several months,
or even for a year or two. During that restraint,
the hogs multiply so fast, that there are instances of
their changing their domestic state, and turning wild.
When it is thought proper to take off the prohibition,
all the chiefs assemble at the king's place of abode ;
and each brings with him a present of hogs. The
king then orders some of them to be killed, on
which they feast 5 and, after that, every one returns
home with liberty to kill what he pleases for his own
use. Such a prohibition was actually in force, on
our arrival here ; at least, in all those districts of the

* Mr. Anderson invariably, in his manuscript, writes Eree de
hoi. According to Captain Cook's mode, it is Eree rahie. This
is one of the numerous instances that perpetually occur, of our
people's representing the same word differently.

144 cook's voyage to dec.

island that are immediately under the direction of
Otoo. And, lest it should have prevented our going
to Matavai after leaving Oheitepeha, he sent a message
to assure us, that it should be taken off as soon as
the ships arrived there. With respect to us, we found
it so ; but we made such a consumption of them,
that, I have no doubt, it would be laid on again as
soon as we sailed. A similar prohibition is also,
sometimes extended to fowls.

It is also amongst the better sort that the ava is
chiefly used. But this beverage is prepared some-
what differently from that which we saw so much of
at the Friendly Islands. For they pour a very small
quantity of water upon the root here ; and sometimes
roast or bake, and bruise the stalks, without chewing
it previously to its infusion. They also use the leaves
of the plant here, which are bruised, and water poured
upon them, as upon the root. Large companies do
not assemble to drink it, in that sociable way which
is practised at Tongataboo. But its pernicious effects
are more obvious here ; perhaps owing to the man-
ner of preparing it ; as we often saw instances of its
intoxicating, or rather stupifying powers. Some of
us, who had been at these islands before, were sur-
prised to find many people, who, when we saw T them
last, were remarkable tor their size and corpulency,
now almost reduced to skeletons ; and, upon inquir-
ing into the cause of this alteration, it was universally
allowed to be the use of the ava. The skins of these
people were rough, dry, and covered with scales ;
which, they say, every now and then fall off, and
their skin is, as it were, renewed. As an excuse for
a practice so destructive, they allege that it is
adopted to prevent their growing too fat ; but it evi-
dently enervates them ; and in all probability short-
ens their days. As its effects had not been so visible
during our former visits, it is not unlikely that this
article of luxury had never been so much abused as

16

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAK. 145

at this time. If it continues to be so fashionable, it
bids fair to destroy great numbers.

The times of eating, at Otaheite, are very frequent.
Their first meal, or (as it may rather be called) their
last, as they go to sleep after it, is about two o'clock
in the morning ; and the next is at eight. At eleven,
they dine, and again, as Omai expressed it, at two, and
at five ; and sup at eight. In this article of domestic
life, they have adopted some customs which are ex-
ceedingly whimsical. The women, for instance, have
not only the mortification of being obliged to eat by
themselves, and in a different part of the house from
the men ; but, by a strange kind of policy, are ex-
cluded from a share of most of the better sorts of
food. They dare not taste turtle, nor fish of the
tunny kind, which is much esteemed ; nor some par-
ticular sorts of the best plantains ; and it is very sel-
dom that even those of the first rank are suffered to
eat pork. The children of each sex also eat apart;
and the women, generally, serve up their own vic-
tuals; for they would certainly starve, before any
grown man would do them such an office. In this, as
well as in some other customs relative to their eating,
there is a mysterious conduct which we could never
thoroughly comprehend. When we enquired into the
reasons of it, we could get no other answer, but that
it is right and necessary it should be so.

In other customs respecting the females, there
seems to be no such obscurity ; especially as to their
connections with the men. If a young man and wo-
man, from mutual choice, cohabit, the man gives the
father of the girl such things as are necessary in com-
mon life ; as hogs, cloth, or canoes, in proportion
to the time they are together ; and if he thinks that
he has not been sufficiently paid for his daughter, he
makes no scruple of forcing her to leave her friend,
and to cohabit with another person, who may be
more liberal. The man, on his part, is always at
liberty to make a new choice ; but, should his con-

VOL. VI. L

146 cook's voyage to dec.

sort become pregnant, he may kill the child; and,
after that, either continue his connection with the mo-
ther, or leave her. But if he should adopt the child,
and suffer it to live, the parties are then considered
as in the married state, and they commonly live to-
gether ever after. However, it is thought no crime
in the man to join a more youthful partner to his first
wife, and to live with both. The custom of changing
their connections is, however, much more general than
this last ; and it is a thing so common, that they
speak of it with great indifference. The Erreoes are
only those of the better sort, who, from their fickle-
ness, and their possessing the means of purchasing a
succession of fresh connections, are constantly roam-
ing about ; and, from having no particular attach-
ment, seldom adopt the more settled method men-
tioned above. And so agreeable is this licentious
plan of life to their disposition, that the most beauti-
ful of both sexes thus commonly spend their youthful
days, habituated to the practice of enormities which
would disgrace the most savage tribes ; but are pecu-
liarly shocking amongst a people whose general cha-
racter, in other respects, has evident traces of the
prevalence of humane and tender feelings.* When

* That the Caroline Islands are inhabited by the same tribe or
nation, whom Captain Cook found, at such immense distances,
spread throughout the South Pacific Ocean, has been satisfactorily
established in some preceding notes- The situation of the Ladrones,
or Marianne Islands, still further north than the Carolines, but at
no great distance from them, is favourable, at first sight, to the
conjecture, that the same race also peopled that cluster ; and on
looking into Father Le Gobien's History of them, this conjecture ap-
pears to be actually confirmed by direct evidence. One of the great-
est singularities of the Otaheite manners is the existence of the so-
ciety of young men, called Erroes, of whom some account is given
in the preceding paragraph. Now we learn from Father le Gobien,
that such a society exists also amongst the inhabitants of the La-
drones. His words are, Les Urritoes sont parmi eux les jeunes gens
qui vivent avec des maitrcsscs, sans 'couloir s engager dans les liens
du marriage. That there should be young men in the Ladrones, as
well as in Otaheite, who live voith mistresses, without being inclined
to enter into the married state, would not, indeed, furnish the sha-
dow of any peculiar resemblance between them. But that the young

1/77. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 147

an Erreoc woman is delivered of a child, a piece of
cloth, dipped in water, is applied to the month and
nose, which suffocates it.

men in the Ladrones and in Otaheite, whose manners are thus li-
centious, should be considered as a distinct confraternity, called bv
a particular name ; and that this name should be the same in both
places: this singular coincidence of custom, confirmed by that, of
language, seems to furnish an irrefragable proof of the inhabitants
of both places being the same nation. We know, that it is the
general property of the Otaheite dialect, to soften the pronuncia-
tion of its words. And, it is observable, that, by the omission of one
single letter (the consonants) our Arreoys (as spelled inHawkes-
worth's Collection), or Erroes (according to Mr. Anderson's ortho-
graphy), and the Urritoes of the Ladrones, are brought to such a
similitude of sound (the only rule of comparing two unwritten lan-
guages), that we may pronounce them to be the same word, with-
out exposing ourselves to the sneers of supercilious criticism.,

One or two more such proofs, drawn from similarity of language,
in very significant words, may be assigned. Le Gobien tells us,
that the people of the Ladrones worship their dead, whom they call
Anitis. Here, again, by dropping the consonant n, we have a
word that bears a strong resemblance to that which so often occurs
in Captain Cook's Voyages, when speaking of the divinities of his
islands, whom he c'alls Eatooas. And it may be matter of curiosity
to remark, that what is called an Aniti, at the Ladrones, is, as we
learn from Cantova [Lettrcs Edifiantes Ciwieuses, torn. xv. p.
309, 310.], at the Caroline Islands, where dead chiefs are also wor-
shipped, called a Tahutup ; and that, by softening or sinking the
strong sounding letters, at the beginning and at the end of this lat-
ter word, the Ahutu of the Carolines, the Aiti of the Ladrones, and
the Eatooa of the South Pacific Islands, assume such a similarity in
pronunciation ( for we can have no other guide), as strongly marks
one common original. Once more ; we learn from Le Gobien, that
the Marianne people call their chiefs Chamorris, or Chamoris.
And, by softening the aspirate Ch into T, and the harshness of r
into / (of which the vocabularies of the different islands give us re-
peated instances), we have the Tamole of the Caroline Islands,
and the Tamolao, or Tamaha, of the Friendly ones.

If these specimens of affinity of language should be thought too
scanty, some very remarkable instances of similarity of customs and
institutions will go far to remove every doubt, l. A division into
three classes, of nobles, a middle rank, and the common people, or
servants, was found, by Captain Cook, to prevail both at the
Friendly and the Society Islands. Father Le Gobien expressly
tells us, that the same distinction prevails at the Ladrones: II y a
trots fiats, parmi Irs insulaircs, In noblesse, le moi/en. S; le menu.

L Q

148 cook's voyage to dec.

As in such a life, their women must contribute a
very large share of its happines, it is rather surprising,

2. Numberless instances occur in Captain Cook's voyage to prove
the great subjection under which the people of his islands are to
their chiefs. We learn from Le Gobien, that it is so also at the
Ladrones. La noblesse est d'unjierte incroyable, fy tient lepeuple dans
un abaisement qu'on ne ponrroit imaginer en Europe, &c. 3. The
diversions of the natives at Wateeoo, the Friendly, and the Society
Islands, have been copiously described by Captain Cook. How
similar are those which Le Gobien mentions in the following words,
as prevailing at the Ladrones? lis se divertissent a danser, courir,
sautir, hitter, pour s'exercer, fy eprouver leursforces. lis prenneni
errand plaisir a raconter les avaniures de tears ancetrcs, Sf a reciter
des vers de tears po'e'tes. 4. The principal share sustained by the
women in the entertainments at Captain Cook's islands, appears
sufficiently from a variety of instances in this work ; and we can-
not read what Le Gobien says of the practice at the Ladrones,

without tracing the strongest resemblance Dansleurs assemblies

elles se mettent douze ou treizejemmes en rond, debout, sans se re-
muer. Dans cette attitude elles chantent les vers Jubuleux de leurs
po'etes avec un agrement, 8f unc justesse qui plairoit en Europe.
L y accord de leur voix est admirable, Sf ne cede en rien a la musique
concertee. Elles out dans les mains de petits coquilles, dont elles se
servent avec beaucoup de precision. Elles soutiennent leur voix, Sf
animent leur chants, avec une action si vive, fy des gestes si expres-
sives, qu elles charment ceux qui les voient, fy qui les e?itcndent.
5. We read, in Havvkesworth's account of Captain Cook's first
vogage, vol. ii. p. 235. that garlands of the fruit of the palm-tree
and cocoa-leaves, with other things particularly consecrated to fu-
neral solemnities, are deposited about the places where they lay their
dead ; and that provisions and water are also left at a little distance.
How conformable to this is the practice at the Ladrones, as de-
scribed by Le Gobien ! Us font quelques repas autour du tombeau;
car on en eleve toujour s un sur le lieu ou le corps est enterre, oudans
le voisinage ; on le charge dejleurs, de branches de palmier s, de co-
quillages, 8$ de tout ce qu Us out de plus precieux. 6. It is the
custom at Otaheite [See Hawkesworth, vol. ii. p. 236] not to bury
the sculls of the chiefs with the rest of the bones, but to put them
into boxes made for that purpose. Here again, we find the same
strange custom prevailing at the Ladrones; for Le Gobien expressly
tells us, quits gardent les cranes en leur maisons, that they put
these sculls into little baskets (petites corbeilles) ; and that these
dead chiefs are the Anitis to whom their priests address their in-
vocations. 7. The people of Otaheite, as we learn from Captain
Cook, in his account of Tee's embalmed corpse, make use of co-
eoa-nut oil, and other ingredients, in rubbing the dead bodies.

1?77- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 149

besides the humiliating* restraints they are laid under
with regard to food, to find them often treated with
a degree of harshness, or rather brutality, which one
would scarcely suppose a man would bestow on an
object for whom he had the least affection. Nothing,
however, is more common, than to see the men beat

The people of the Ladrones, Father Le Gobien tells us, sometimes
do the same. D 'autres Jrottent les morts d'huile odoriferante. 8.
The inhabitants of Otaheite [See Hawkesworth, vol. ii. p. 239,
24*0.3 believe the immortality of the soul ; and that there are two
situations after death, somewhat analogous to our heaven and hell;
but they do not suppose, that their actions here in the least influence
their future state. And in the account given in this voyage [Vol. i.
p. 403.] of the religious opinions entertained at the Friendly
Islands, we find there exactly the same doctrine. It is very ob-
servable, how conformable to this is the belief of the inhabitants of
the Ladrones. lis soni persuades (says Le Gobien) de I'immorta-
life de Vdme. lis reconnoissent meme un Paradis fy un Erifer, dont
Us sejbrment des idees assez bizarres. Ce n est point, selon eux, la
vertu ni le crime, qui conduit dans ces lieux la ; les bonnes ou les
mauvaises actions ?i'y servent de rien. 9. One more very singular
instance of agreement shall close this long list. In Captain Cook's
account of the New Zealanders [Vol. i. p. 138.], we find, that,
according to them, the soul of the man, that is killed, and whose
flesh is devoured, is doomed to a perpetual fire ; while the souls of
all who die a natural death ascend to the habitations of the Gods.
And from Le Gobien, we learn, that this very notion is adopted
by his islanders. Si on a le malheur de mourir de mort violente,
on a V e iifer pour leur partage.

Surely such a concurrence of very characteristic conformities
cannot be the result of mere accident ; and, when combined with
the specimens of affinity of language mentioned at the beginning of
this note, it should seem, that we are fully warranted, from pre-
mises thus unexceptionable, to draw a certain conclusion, that the
inhabitants of the various islands discovered or visited by Captain
Cook, in the South Pacific Ocean, and those whom the Spaniards
found settled upon the Ladrones or Mariannes, in the northern he-
misphere, carried the same language, customs, and opinions, from
one common centre, from which they had emigrated ; and that,
therefore, they may be considered as scattered members of the
same nation.

See Pere le Gobien's Histoire des Isles Mariannes, book ii. or
the summary of it in Histoire des Navigations aux Terres Australes y
t- ii. p. 492 512, from which the materials for this note have
been extracted.

L 3

150 cook's voyage to dec.

them without mercy ; and, unless this treatment is the
effect of jealousy, which both sexes at least pretend
to be sometimes infected with, it will be difficult to
admit this as the motive, as I have seen several in-
stances where the women have preferred personal
beauty to interest; though I must own, that, even
in these cases, they seem scarcely susceptible of those
delicate sentiments that are the result of mutual af-
fection ; and, I believe, that there is less Platonic
love in Otaheite than in any other country.

Cutting or inciding the fore-skin should be men-
tioned here as a practice adopted amongst them, from
a notion of cleanliness ; and they have a reproachful
epithet in their language for those who do not ob-
serve that custom. When there are five or six lads,
pretty well grown up in a neighbourhood, the father
of one of them goes to a Tahoua, or man of know-
ledge, and lets him know. He goes with the lads to
the top of the hills, attended by a servant ; and
seating one of them properly, introduces a piece of
wood underneath the foreskin, and desires him to
look aside at something he pretends is coming. Hav-
ing thus engaged the young man's attention to ano-
ther object, he cuts through the skin upon the wood
with a shark's tooth, generally at one stroke. He
then separates, or rather turns back the divided parts ;
and, having put on a bandage, proceeds to perform
the same operation on the other lads. At the end of
five days they bathe, and the bandages being taken
off*, the matter is cleaned away. At the end of five
days more, they bathe again, and are well ; but a
thickness of the prepuce where it was cut, remain-
ing, they go again to the mountains with the Tahoua
and servant; and a fire being prepared, and some
stones heated, the Tahoua puts the prepuce between
two of them, and squeezes it gently, which removes
the thickness. They return home, having their heads
and other parts of their bodies adorned with odor-
iferous flowers ; and the Tahoua is rewarded for his

1777- THE pacific OCEAN. l5l

services by their fathers, in proportion to their seve-
ral abilities, with presents of hogs and cloth ; and
if they be poor, their relations are liberal on the oc-
casion.

Their religious system is extensive, and, in many
instances, singular ; but few of the common people
have a perfect knowledge of it ; that being confined
chiefly to their priests, who are pretty numerous.
They do not seem to pay any respect to one God, as
possessing pre-eminence, but believe in a plurality
of divinities, who are all very powerful ; and in this
case, as different parts of the island, and the other
islands in the neighbourhood, have different ones,
the inhabitants of each, no doubt, think that they
have chosen the most eminent, or, at least, one who
is invested with power sufficient to protect them, and
to supply all their wants. If he should not answer
their expectations, they think it no impiety to change ;
as has very lately happened in Tiaraboo, where, in
the room of the two divinities formerly honoured
there, Oraa *, god of Bolabola, has been adopted, I
should suppose, because he is the protector of a peo-
ple who have been victorious in war ; and as, since
they have made this change, they have been very
successful themselves against the inhabitants of Ota-
heite-nooe, they impute it entirely to Oraa, who, as
they literally say, rights their battles.

Their assiduity in serving their gods is remarkably
conspicuous. Not only the whattas, or offering places
of the morals, are commonly loaded with fruit and
animals, but there are few houses where you do not
meet with a small place of the same sort near them.
Many of them are so rigidly scrupulous, that they
will not begin a meal without first laying aside a
morsel for the Eatooa ; and we had an opportunity,

* We have here another instance of the same word being dif-
ferently pronounced by the people. Captain Cook, as appears
above, speaks of Olla, as the Bolabola god.

JL 4

15% cook's voyage to bec.

during this voyage, of seeing their superstitious zeal
carried to a most pernicious height in the instance
of human sacrifices ; the occasions of offering which,
I doubt, are too frequent. Perhaps they have re-
course to them when misfortunes occur ; for they
asked, if one of our men, who happened to be con-
fined when we were detained by a contrary wind,
was taboo ? Their prayers are also very frequent,
which they chant, much after the manner of the
songs in their festive entertainments. And the wo-
men, as in other cases, are also obliged to show their
inferiority in religious observances; for it is required
of them, that they should partly uncover themselves,
as they pass the morals ; or take a considerable cir-
cuit to avoid them. Though they have no notion,
that their god must always be conferring benefits
without sometimes forgetting them, or suffering evil
to befall them, they seem to regard this less than the
attempts of some more inauspicious being to hurt
them. They tell us, that Etee is an evil spirit, who
sometimes does them mischief; and to whom, as
well as to their god, they make offerings. But the
mischiefs they apprehend from any superior invin-
cible beings, are confined to things merely temporal.
They believe the soul to be both immaterial and
immortal. They say that it keeps fluttering about the
lips during the pangs of death; and that then it ascends,
and mixes with, or, as they express it, is eaten by
the deity. In this state it remains for some time ;
after which, it departs to a certain place destined for
the reception of the souls of men, where it exists in
eternal night ; or, as they sometimes say, in twilight,
or dawn. They have no idea of any permanent pu-
nishment after death for crimes that they have com-
mitted on earth ; for the souls of good and bad men
are eat indiscriminately by God. But they certainly
consider this coalition with the deity as a kind of
purification necessary to be undergone, before they
enter a state of bliss. For, according to their doe-

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 15 5

trine, if a man refrain from all connection with
women some months before death, he passes imme-
diately into his eternal mansion without such a previ-
ous union ; as if already, by this abstinence, he were
pure enough to be exempted from the general lot.

They are, however, far from entertaining those
sublime conceptions of happiness which our religion,
and, indeed, reason, gives us room to expect here-
after. The only great privilege they seem to think they
shall acquire by death, is immortality ; for they speak
of spirits being, in some measure, not totally divested
of those passions which actuated them when com-
bined with material vehicles. Thus, if souls who
were formerly enemies, should meet, they have many
conflicts ; though, it should seem, to no purpose, as
they are accounted invulnerable in this invisible state.
There is a similar reasoning with regard to the meet-
ing of man and wife. If the husband dies first, the
soul of his wife is known to him on its arrival in the
land of spirits. They resume their former acquaint-
ance in a spacious house, called Tourooa, where the
souls of the deceased assemble to recreate themselves
with the gods. She then retires with him to his se-
parate habitation, where they remain for ever, and
have an offspring ; which, however, is entirely spi-
ritual ; as they are neither married, nor are their
embraces supposed to be the same as with corporeal
beings.

Some of their notions about the deity are extra-
vagantly absurd. They believe, that he is subject to
the power of those very spirits to whom he has given
existence ; and that, in their turn, they frequently
eat or devour him, though he possess the power of
recreating himself. They doubtless use this mode
of expression, as they seem incapable of conversing
about immaterial things without constantly referring
to material objects to convey their meaning. And in
this manner they continue the account, by saying,
that, in the Toitrooct, the deity inquires, if they in-

154 cook's voyage to dec,

tend, or not, to destroy him ? And that he is not
able to alter their determination. This is known to
the inhabitants on earth, as well as to the spirits ; for
when the moon is in its wane, it is said, that they are
then devouring their Eatooa ; and that, as it in-
creases, he is renewing himself. And to this acci-
dent, not only the inferior, but the most eminent
gods are liable. They also believe, that there are
other places for the reception of souls at death. Thus,
those who are drowned in the sea, remain there ;
where they think that there is a fine country, houses,
and every thing that can make them happy. But
what is more singular, they maintain, that not only
all other animals, but trees, fruit, and even stones,
have souls, which at death, or upon being consumed
or broken, ascend to the divinity, with whom they
first mix, and afterward pass into the mansion allotted
to each.

They imagine that their punctual performance of
religious offices procures for them every temporal
blessing. And as they believe, that the animating
and powerful influence of the divine spirit is every
where diffused, it is no wonder that they join to this
many superstitious opinions about its operations.
Accordingly, they believe that sudden deaths, and
all other accidents, are effected by the immediate
action of some divinity. If a man only stumble
against a stone, and hurt his toe, they impute it to
an Eatooa \ so that they may be literally said,
agreeable to their system, to tread enchanted ground.
They are startled, in the night, on approaching a
toopapaooy where the dead are exposed, in the same
manner that many of our ignorant and superstitious
people are with the apprehensions of ghosts, and at
the sight of a church-yard ; and they have an equal
confidence in dreams, which they suppose to be com-
munications either from their god, or from the spirits
of their departed friends, enabling those favoured
with them to foretel future events ; but this kind of

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 155

knowledge is confined to particular people. Omai
pretended to have this gift. He told us, that the
soul of his father had intimated to him in a dream,
on the 26th of July, 177o> that he should go on
shore, at some place, within three days ; but he was
unfortunate in this first attempt to persuade us that
he was a prophet; for it was the 1st of August
before we got into TeneritFe. Amongst them, how-
ever, the dreamers possess a reputation little inferior
to that of their inspired priests and priestesses, whose
predictions they implicitly believe, and are determined
by them in all undertakings of consequence. The
priestess who persuaded Opoony to invade Ulietea,
is much respected by him ; and lie never goes to war
without consulting her. They also, in some degree,
maintain our old doctrine of planetary influence ; at
least, they are sometimes regulated, in their public
counsels, by certain appearances of the moon ; par-
ticularly when lying horizontally, or much inclined
on the convex part, on its first appearance after the
change, they are encouraged to engage in war, with
confidence of success.

They have traditions concerning the creation,
which, as might be expected, are complex, and
clouded with obscurity. They say, that a goddess,
having a lump or mass of earth suspended in a cord,
gave it a swing, and scattered about pieces of land,
thus constituting Otaheite, and the neighbouring
islands, which were all peopled by a man and a wo-
man originally fixed at Otaheite. This, however,
only respects their own immediate creation ; for they
have notions of an universal one before this ; and of
lands, of which they have now no other knowledge
than what is mentioned in the tradition. Their most
remote account reaches to Tatooma and Tapuppa, male
and female stones or rocks, who support the congeries
of land and water, or our globe underneath. These
produced Totorro, who was killed, and divided into
land ; and, after him, Otaia and Oroo were begotten,

156 cook's voyage to dec

who were afterward married, and produced, first
land, and then a race of gods. Otai is killed, and
Oroo marries a god, her son, called Teorraha, whom
she orders to create more land, the animals, and ali
sorts of food upon the earth ; as also the sky, which
is supported by men called Teeferei. The spots ob-
served in the moon, are supposed to be groves of a
sort of trees which once grew in Otaheite, and being
destroyed by some accident, their seeds were carried
up thither by doves, where they now flourish.

They have also many legends, both religious and
historical ; one of which latter, relative to the practice
of eating human flesh, I shall give the substance of,
as a specimen of their method. A long time since,
there lived in Otaheite two men called Taheeai; the
only name they yet have for cannibals. None knew
from whence they came, or in what manner they ar-
rived at the island. Their habitation was in the moun-
tains, from whence they used to issue, and kill many
of the natives, whom they afterwards devoured, and
by that means prevented the progress of population.
Two brothers, determined to rid their country of
such a formidable enemy, used a stratagem for their
destruction w 7 ith success. These still lived farther
upward than the Taheeai, and in such a situation,
that they could speak with them without greatly
hazarding their own safety. They invited them to
accept of an entertainment that should be pro-
vided for them, to which these readily consented.
The brothers then taking some stones, heated them
in a fire, and thrusting them into pieces of mahee,
desired one of the Taheeai to open his mouth. On
which, one of these pieces was dropped in, and some
water poured down, which made a boiling or hissing-
noise in quenching the stone, and killed him. They
intreated the other to do the same ; but he declined
it, representing the consequences of his companion's
eating. However, they assured him that the food
was excellent, and its effects only temporary ; foi

1 777 THE pacific ocean. 157

that the other would soon recover. His credulity
was such, that he swallowed the bait, and shared the
fate of the first. The natives then cut them in pieces,
which they buried ; and conferred the government
of the island on the brothers, as a reward for de-
livering them from such monsters. Their residence
was in the district called Whapaeenoo ; and, to this
day, there remains a bread-fruit tree, once the pro-
perty of the Taheeais, They had also a woman, who
lived with them, and had two teeth of a prodigious
size. After they were killed, she lived at the island
Otaha, and, when dead, was ranked amongst their
deities. She did not eat human flesh, as the men ;
but, from the size of her teeth, the natives still call
any animal that has a fierce appearance, or is repre-
sented with large tusks, Talieeai.

Every one must allow, that this story is just as na-
tural as that of Hercules destroying the Hydra, or
the more modern one of Jack the giant-killer. But
I do not find, that there is any moral couched under
it, any more than under most old fables of the
same kind, which have been received as truths only
during the prevalence of the same ignorance that
marked the character of the ages in which they were
invented. It, however, has not been improperly in-
troduced, as serving to express the horror and detes-
tation entertained here against those who feed upon
human flesh. And yet, from some circumstances, I
have been led to think, that the natives of these isles
were formerly cannibals. Upon asking Omai, he
denied it stoutly ; yet mentioned a fact, within his
own knowledge, which almost confirms such an opi-
nion. When the people of Bolabola, one time, de-
feated those of Huaheine, a great number of his
kinsmen were slain. But one of his relations had,
afterward, an opportunity of revenging himself; when
the Bolabola men were worsted in their turn, and
cutting a piece out of the thigh of one of his enemies,
he broiled and eat it. I have also frequently con-

158 cook's voyage to dec.

siderecl the offering of the person's eye who is sacri-
ficed, to the chief, as a vestige of a custom which
once really existed to a greater extent, and is still
commemorated by this emblematical ceremony.

The being invested with the ?naro, and the presid-
ing at human sacrifices, seem to be the peculiar cha-
racteristics of the sovereign. To these, perhaps, may
be added, the blowing a conch-shell, which produces
a very loud sound. On hearing it, all his subjects
are obliged to bring food of every sort to his royal
residence in proportion to their abilities. On some
other occasions, they carry their veneration for his
very name to an extravagant and very destructive
pitch. For if, on his accession to the metro, any words
in their language be found to have a resemblance to
it in sound, they are changed for others ; and if any
man be bold enough not to comply, and continue to
use those words, not only he, but all his relations,
are immediately put to death. The same severity is
exercised toward those who shall presume to apply
this sacred name to any animal. And, agreeably to
this custom of his countrymen, Omai used to express
his indignation, that the English should give the
names of prince or princess to their favourite horses
or dogs. But while death is the punishment for mak-
ing free with the name of their sovereign, if abuse be
only levelled at his government, the offender escapes
with the forfeiture of land and houses.

The king never enters the house of any of his sub-
jects ; but has, in every district, where he visits,
houses belonging to himself. And if, at any time,
he should be obliged by accident to deviate from this
rule, the house thus honoured with his presence, and
every part of its furniture, is burnt. His subjects
not only uncover to him, when present, down to the
waist; but if he be at any particular place, a pole,
having a piece of cloth tied to it, is set up some-
where near, to which they pay the same honours.
His brothers are also intitled to the first part of the

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 159

ceremony ; but the women only uncover to the fe-
males of the royal family. In short, they seem even
superstitious in their respect to him, and esteem his
person little less than sacred. And it is, perhaps, to
these circumstances, that he owes the quiet possession
of his dominions. For even the people of Tiaraboo
allow him the same honours as his right ; though, at
the time, they look upon their own chief as more
powerful ; and say, that he would succeed to the go-
vernment of the whole island, should the present
reigning family become extinct. This is the more
likely, as Waheiadooa not only possesses Tiaraboo, but
many districts of Opooreanoo. His territories, there-
fore, are almost equal in extent to those of Otoo ;
and he has besides the advantage of a more popu-
lous and fertile part of the island. His subjects, also,
have given proofs of their superiority, by frequent
victories over those of Otaheite-nooe, whom they
affect to speak of as contemptible warriors, easily to
be worsted, if, at any time, their chief should wish to
put it to the test.

The ranks of people, besides the Eree de hoi, and
his family, are the Erees, or powerful chiefs ; the
Manahoone, or vassals ; and the Teou, or Touton,
servants, or rather slaves. The men of each of these,
according to the regular institution, form their con-
nections with women of their respective ranks ; but
if with any inferior one, which frequently happens,
and a child be born, it is preserved, and has the rank
of the father, unless he happens to be an Eree, in
which case it is killed. If a woman of condition
should choose an inferior person to officiate as a
husband, the children he has by her are killed. And
if a Teou be caught in an intrigue with a woman of
the blood royal, he is put to death. The son of the
Eree de hoi succeeds his father in title and honours
as soon as he is born ; but if he should have no child-
ren, the- brother assumes the government at his death.
In other families, possessions always descend to the

160 cook's voyage to dec.

eldest son ; but he is obliged to maintain his brothers
and sisters, who are allowed houses on his estates.

The boundaries of the several districts into which
Otaheite is divided, are, generally, either rivulets, or
low hills, which, in many places, jut out into the sea.
But the subdivisions into particular property are
marked by large stones, which have remained from one
generation to another. The removal of any of these
gives rise to quarrels, which are decided by arms ;
each party bringing his friends into the field. But if
any one complain to the E?*ee de hoi, he terminates
the difference amicably. This is an offence, however,
not common ; and long custom seems to secure pro-
perty here as effectually as the most severe laws do
in other countries. In conformity also to ancient prac-
tice established amongst them, crimes of a less gene-
neral nature are left to be punished by the sufferer,
without referring them to a superior. In this case,
they seem to think that the injured person will judge
as equitably as those who are totally unconcerned ;
and as long custom has allotted certain punish-
ments for crimes of different sorts, he is allowed to
inflict them, without being amenable to any other
person. Thus, if any one be caught stealing, which
is commonly done in the night, the proprietor of the
goods may put the thief instantly to death ; and if
any one should enquire of him after the deceased, it
is sufficient to acquit him, if he only inform them
of the provocation he had to kill him. But so severe
a punishment is seldom inflicted, unless the articles
that are stolen be reckoned very valuable ; such as
breast-plates and plaited hair. If only cloth, or even
hogs be stolen, and the thief escape, upon his being
afterward discovered, if he promise to return the
same number of pieces of cloth, or of hogs, no farther
punishment is inflicted. Sometimes, after keeping
out of the way for a few days, he is forgiven, or, at
most, gets a slight beating. If a person kill another
in a quarrel, the friends of the deceased assemble,

1777' THE PACIFIC OCEAW l6l

and engage the survivor and his adherents. If they
conquer, they take possession of the house, lands,
and goods of the other party ; but if conquered, the
reverse takes place. If a Manahoone kill the Toutou y
or slave of a chief, the latter sends people to take
possession of the lands and house of the former, who
flies either to some other part of the island, or
to some of the neighbouring islands. After some
months he returns, and finding his stock of hogs
much increased, he offers a large present of those,
with some red feathers, and other valuable articles,
to the Toutou's master, who generally accepts the
compensation, and permits him to repossess his house
and lands. This practice is the height of venality
and injustice ; and the slayer of the slave seems to
be under no farther necessity of absconding, than to
impose upon the lower class of people who are the
sufferers. For it does not appear, that the chief has
the least power to punish this Manahoone ; but the
whole management marks a collusion between him
and his superior, to gratify the revenge of the former,
and the avarice of the latter. Indeed, we need not
wonder that the killing of a man should be considered
as so venial an offence, amongst a people who do
not consider it as any crime at all, to murder their
own children. When talking to them about such
instances of unnatural cruelty, and asking, whether
the chiefs, or principal people were not angry, and
did not punish them ? I was told, that the chief neither
could nor would interfere in such cases ; and that
every one had a right to do with his own child what
he pleased.

Though the productions, the people, and the cus-
toms and manners of all the islands in the neighbour-
hood, may, in general, be reckoned the same as at
Otaheite, there are a few differences which should be
mentioned, as this may lead to an enquiry about
more material ones hereafter, if such there be, of
which we are now ignorant.

VOL. VI. M

1 62 cook's voyage to dec.

With regard to the little island Mataia, or Osna-
burgh Island, which lies twenty leagues east of
Otaheite, and belongs to a chief of that place, who
gets from thence a kind of tribute, a different dia-
lect from that of Otaheite is there spoken. The men
of Mataia also wear their hair very long, and when
they fight, cover their arms with a substance which is
beset with sharks' teeth, and their bodies with a sort
of shagreen, being skin of fishes. At the same
time, they are ornamented with polished pearl shells,
which make a prodigious glittering in the sun ; and
they have a very large one that covers them before
like a shield or breast-plate.

The language of Otaheite has many words, and
even phrases, quite unlike those of the islands to
the westward of it, which all agree ; and it is re-
markable for producing great quantities of that
delicious fruit we called apples, which are found in
none of the others, except Eimeo. It has also the
advantage of producing an odoriferous wood, called
eahoi, which is highly valued at the other isles where
there is none ; nor even in the south-east peninsula,
or Tiarraboo, though joining it. And at Mourooa
there is a particular bird found upon the hills, much
esteemed for its white feathers 5 at which place there
is also said to be some of the apples, though it be the
most remote of the Society Islands from Otaheite
and Eimeo, where they are produced.

Though the religion of all the islands be the same,
each of them has its particular or tutelar God; whose
names, according to the best information I could re-
ceive, are set down in the following list :

Gods of the Isles.

Huaheine, Tanne.

Ulietea, Oroo.

Otaha, Tanne.

Bolabola, Oraa.

Mourooa, Otoo, ee weiahoo.

777' THE PACIFTC OCEAN. 163

Toobaee, Tamouce,

Tabooymanoo, or |

Saunders's Island, \m

which is subject [

to Huaheine, J
Eimeo, Oroo hadoo.

{Otaheite ) ^
> Ooroo. r

"0e, > (whom they have

~. , ( Opoonoa, and J l atel >' chan S et i
M {Aatooteeree\ ^fift**

Mataia, or Osna- > 7 , . n

i u-ti-~a r Tooboo, toobooai t Ry marawa.

burgh island, j ' u

The low isles, East- > ,

ward, VTammaree.

Besides the cluster of high islands from Mataia to
Mourooa inclusive, the people of Otaheite are ac-
quainted with a low uninhabited island, which they
name Mopeeha, and seems to be Howe's Island, laid
down to the westward of Mourooa in our late charts
of this ocean. To this the inhabitants of the most
leeward islands sometimes go. There are also several
low islands, to the north-eastward of Otaheite, which
they have sometimes visited, but nut constantly $ and
are said to be only at the distance two days' sail with
a fair wind. They were thus named to me :

Mataeeva,

n ( called Oanna in Dairy m pie's Letter

uanaa, | tQ Hawkeswortn ^

Taboohoe,

Awehee

Kaoora,

Orootooa,

Otavaoo, where are large pearls.

The inhabitants of these isles come more fre-
quently to Otaheite, and the other neighbouring
high islands, from whose natives they differ in being

M 2

I64? cook's voyage to dec.

of a darker colour, with a fiercer aspect, and dif-
ferently punctured. I was informed, that at Ma-
taeeva and others of them, it is a custom for the
men to give their daughters to strangers who arrive
amongst them ; but the pairs must be five nights
lying near each other, without presuming to pro-
ceed farther. On the sixth evening, the father of
the young woman treats his guest with food, and
informs his daughter that she must that night re-
ceive him as her husband. The stranger, however,
must not offer to express the least dislike, though
the bed-fellow allotted to him should be ever so dis-
agreeable ; for this is considered as an unpardonable
affront, and is punished with death. Forty men of
Bolabola, who, incited by curiosity, had roamed as
far as Mataeeva in a canoe, were treated in this man-
ner ; one of them having incautiously mentioned his
dislike of the woman who fell to his lot, in the hear-
ing of a boy who informed her father. In conse-
quence of this, the Mataeevans fell upon them ; but
these warlike people killed three times their own
number ; though with the loss of all their party ex-
cept five. These hid themselves in the woods, and
took an opportunity, when the others were burying
their dead, to enter some houses, where, having pro-
vided themselves with victuals and water, they car-
ried them on board a canoe, in which they made
their escape ; and after passing Mataia, at which they
would not touch, at last arrived safe atEimeo. The
Bolabolans, however, were sensible enough that their
travellers had been to blame ; for a canoe from
Mataeeva, arriving some time after at Bolabola, so
far were they from retaliating upon them for the
death of their countrymen, that they acknowledged
they had deserved their fate, and treated their visitors
kindly.

These low isles are, doubtless, the farthest navi-
gation, which those of Otaheite and the Society
islands perform at present. It seems to be a ground-

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 165

less supposition, made by Mons. de Bougainville,
that they made voyages of the prodigious extent * he
mentions ; for I found, that it is reckoned a sort of
prodigy, that a canoe once driven by a storm from
Otaheite, should have fallen in with Mopeeha, or
Howe's Island, though so near, and directly to lee-
ward. The knowledge thev have of other distant
islands is no doubt traditional, and has been commu-
nicated to them by the natives of those islands,
driven accidentally upon their coasts, who besides
giving them the names, could easily inform them of the
direction in which the places lie from whence they
came* and of the number of days they had been upon
the sea. Jn this manner, it may be supposed, that
the natives of Wateeoo have increased their catalogue
by the addition of Otaheite and its neighbouring
isles, from the people we met with there, and also
of the other islands these had heard of. We may thus
account for that extensive knowledge attributed by
the gentlemen of the Endeavour t to Tupia in such
matters. And with all due deference to his veracity,
I presume that it was by the same means of inform-
ation, that he was able to direct the ship to Ohe-
teroa, without having ever been there himself^ as
he pretended ; which, on many accounts, is very
improbable.

* See Bougainville's Voyage autour du Monde, p. 228., where
we are told that these people sometimes navigate at the distance of
more than three hundred leagues.

f Hawkesworth's Collection, vol. ii. p. 278.

m s

1(36 cook's voyage to dec,

CHAP. X.

PROGRESS OF THE VOYAGE, AFTER LEAVING THE SOCIETY

ISLANDS. CHRISTMAS ISLAND DISCOVERED, AND STATION

OF THE SHIPS THERE. BOATS SENT ASHORE. GREAT

SUCCESS IN CATCHING TURTLE. AN ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

OBSERVED. DISTRESS OF TWO SEAMEN, WHO HAD LOST

THEIR WAY. INSCRIPTION LEFT IN A BOTTLE. ACCOUNT

OF THE ISLAND. ITS SOIL. TREES AND PLANTS.

BIRDS. ITS SIZE. FORM. SITUATION. ANCHORING-

GROUND.

After leaving Bolabola, 1 steered to the northward,
close hawled, with the wind between N.E. and E.,
hardly ever having it to the southward of E., till
after we had crossed the line, and had got into north
latitudes. So that our course, made good, was
always to the W. of Ni, and sometimes no better
than N. W.

Though seventeen months had now elapsed since
our departure from England, during which we had
not, upon the whole* been unprofltably employed, I
was sensible that, with regard to the principal object
of my instructions, our voyage was at this time only
beginning ; and, therefore, my attention to every
circumstance that might contribute toward our
safety and our ultimate success, was now to be called
forth anew. With this view I had examined into
the state of our provisions at the last islands ; and as
soon as I had left them and got beyond the extent of
my former discoveries, I ordered a survey to be
taken of all the boatswain's and carpenter's stores that
were in the ships, that I might be fully informed of
the quantity, state, and condition of every article ;
and, by that means, know how to use them to the
greatest advantage.

Before I sailed from the Society Islands, I lost no

1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN* 167

opportunity of inquiring of the inhabitants, if there
were any islands in a N. or a N. W. direction from
them ; but I did not find that they knew of any.
Nor did we meet with any thing that indicated the
vicinity of land, till we came to about the latitude of
8 g S., where we began to see birds, such as boobies,
tropic, and men-of-war birds, tern, and some other
sorts. At this time, our longitude was 205 E.
Mendana, in his first voyage in 1568 *, discovered
an island which he named Isla de Jesus, in latitude
6 45' S., and 1450 leagues from Callao, which is 200
E. longitude from Greenwich* We crossed this lati-
tude nearly a hundred leagues to the eastward of this
longitude, and saw there many of the above-mentioned
birds; which are seldom known to go very far from land.

In the night, between the 22d and c 23d, we crossed
the line in the longitude of 203 15' E. Here the
variation of the compass was 6 80' E. nearly.

On the 24th, about half an hour after day-break,
land was discovered bearing N. E. by E. J E. Upon
a nearer approach, it was found to be one of those
low islands so common in this ocean ; that is, a nar-
row bank of land inclosing the sea within. A few
cocoa-nut trees were seen in two or three places ; but
in general the land had a very barren appearance.
At noon, it extended from N. E. by E. to S* by E.
E., about four miles distant. The wind was at
E.S. E. ; so that we were under a necessity of mak-
ing a few boards to get up to the lee or west side,
where we found from forty to twenty and fourteen
fathoms water, over a bottom of fine sand ; the least
depth about half a mile from the breakers, and the
greatest about one mile. The meeting with sound-
ings determined me to anchor, with a view to try to
get some turtle ; for the island seemed to be a likely
place to meet with them, and to be without inhabit-
ants. Accordingly, we dropped anchor in thirty
fathoms ; and then a boat was dispatched to exa.

* See Dalrymple's Collection, vol.i. b. 4-5.
M 4

168 cook's voyage to dec*

mine whether it was practicable to land, of which I
had some doubt, as the sea broke in a dreadful surf"
all along the shore. When the boat returned, the
officer whom I had intrusted with this examin-
ation, reported to me that he could see no place
where a boat could land ; but that there was great
abundance of rish in the shoal water, without the
breakers.

At day-break the next morning I sent two boats,
one from each ship, to search more accurately for a
landing-place ; and, at the same time, two others to
fish at a grappling near the shore. These last re-
turned about eight o'clock with upward of two hun-
dred weight of fish. Encouraged by this success,
they were dispatched again after breakfast, and I
then went in another boat, to take a view of the
coast and attempt landing ; but this I found to be
wholly impracticable. Toward noon, the two boats
sent on the same search returned. The master, who
was in that belonging to the Resolution, reported to
me, that about a league and a half to the north, was
a break in the land, and a channel into the lagoon,
consequently, that there was a fit place for landing ;
and that he had found the same soundings off this
entrance as we had where we now lay. In conse-
quence of this report the ships weighed anchor, and
after two or three trips came to again in twenty
fathoms water, over a bottom of fine dark sand, be-
fore a small island that lies at the entrance of the
lagoon ; and on each side of which there is a channel
leading into it ; but only fit for boats. The water in
the lagoon itself is all very shallow.

On the 26th, in the morning, J ordered Captain
Gierke to send a boat with an officer to the S. E. part
of the lagoon, to look for turtle; and Mr. King and
[ went each in a boat to the N.E. part. I intended
to have gone to the most easterly extremity ; but the
wind blew too fresh to allow it, and obliged us to land
more to leeward, on a sandy Hat, where we caught

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 169

one turtle, the only one that we saw in the lagoon.
We walked, or rather waded, through the water, to
an island ; where finding nothing but a few birds, I
left it, and proceeded to the land that bounds the
sea to the N. W., leaving Mr. King to observe the
sun's meridian altitude. I found this land to be even
more barren than the island I had been upon ; but
walking over to the sea-coast, I saw five turtles close
to the shore. One of these we caught, and the rest
made their escape. Not seeing any more, I returned
on board, as did Mr. King soon after, without having
seen one turtle. We, however, did not despair of
getting a supply, for some of Captain Gierke's offi-
cers who had been ashore on the land to the south-
ward of the channel leading into the lagoon, had been
more fortunate, and caught several there.

In the morning of the 27th, the pinnace and cut-
ter under the command of Mr. King, were sent to
the S. E. part of the island, within the lagoon, and
the small cutter to the northward where I had been
the day before ; both parties being ordered upon the
same service, to catch turtle. Captain Clerke hav-
ing had some of his people on shore all night, they
had been so fortunate as to turn between forty and
fifty on the sand, which were brought on board with
all expedition this day. And in the afternoon, the
party I had sent northward returned with six. They
were sent back again and remained there till we left
the island, having in general pretty good success.

On the 28th, I landed in company with Mr. Bayly,
on the island which lies betwen the two channels into
the lagoon, to prepare the telescopes for observing the
approaching eclipse of the sun ; which was one
great inducement to my anchoring here. About
noon, Mr. King returned with one boat and eight
turtles, leaving seven behind to be brought by the
other boat, whose people were employed in catching
more ; and, in the evening, the same boat was sent
with water and provisions lor them. Mr. Williamson

170 COOK S VOYAGE TO DEC.

how went to superintend this duty in the room of Mr.
King, who remained on board, to attend the observ-
ation of the eclipse.

The next day, Mr. Williamson dispatched the two
boats back to the ship* laden with turtle. At the
same time, he sent me a message, desiring that the
boats might be ordered round by sea, as he had
found a landing-place on the & E. side of the island,
where most of the turtle were caught ; so that, by
sending the boats thither, the trouble would be saved
of carrying them over the land to the inside of the
lagoon, as had been hitherto done. The boats were
accordingly dispatched to the place which he pointed
out.

On the morning of the30th, the day when the eclipse
was to happen, Mr. King, Mr. Bayly, and myself
went ashore on the small island above-mentioned,
to attend the observation. The sky was over-cast till
past nine o'clock, when the clouds about the sun dis-
persed long enough to take its altitude, to rectify
the time by the watch we made use of. After this
it was again obscured, till about thirty minutes past
nine, and then we found that the eclipse was begun.
We now fixed the micrometers to the telescopes, and
observed or measured the uneclipsed part of the sun's
disk. At these observations, I continued about three
quarters of an hour before the end, when I left off,
being, in fact, unable to continue them longer, on
account of the great heat of the sun, increased by
the reflection from the sand.

The sun was clouded at times, but was clear when
the eclipse ended) the time of which was observed as
follows :

h. m. s.
( Mr. Bayly 1 (0 26 3). i irr .

By J Mr. King I at J 26 1 L A PPajent lime

(Myself ) (0 25 37 )
Mr. Bayly and 1 observed with the large achromatic
telescopes, and Mr. King with a reflector, As Mr.

1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN* 171

Bayly's telescope and mine were of the same mag-
nifying power, I ought not to have differed so much
from him as I did. Perhaps it was in part, if not
wholly, owing to a protuberance in the moon which
escaped my notice, but was seen by both the other
gentlemen.

In the afternoon the boats and turtling party at
the south-east part of the island, all returned on board
except a seaman belonging to the Discovery, who
had been missing two days. There were two of
them at first, who had lost their way ; but disagree-
ing about the most probable track to bring them
back to their companions, they had separated ; and
one of them joined the party, after having been
absent twenty-four hours, and been in great distress.
Not a drop of fresh water could be had, for there is
none upon the whole island ; nor was there a single
cocoa-nut tree on that part of it. In order to allay
his thirst, he had recourse to the singular expedient
of killing turtle, and drinking their blood. His
mode of refreshing himself when weary, of which he
said he felt the good effects, was equally whimsical.
He undressed himself and lay down for some time
in the shallow water upon the beach.

It was a matter of surprise to every one, how these
two men could contrive to lose themselves. The
land over which they had to travel, from the sea-
coast to the lagoon, where the boats lay, was not
more than three miles across ; nor was there any-
thing to obstruct their view ; for the country was a
flat, with a few shrubs scattered upon it ; and from
many parts of it, the masts of the ships could easily
be seen. But this was a rule of direction they never
once thought of; nor did they recollect in what quar-
ter of the island the ships had anchored ; and they
were as much at a loss how to get back to them, or to
the party they had straggled from, as if they had just
dropped from the clouds. Considering how strange
a set of beings the generality of seamen are, when on

172 poor's voyage to dec.

shore, instead of being surprised that these two men
should thus lose their way, it is rather to be wondered
at, that no more of the party were missing. Indeed,
one of those who landed with me, was in a similar
situation ; but he had sagacity enough to know that
the ships were to leeward, and got on board almost
as soon as it was discovered that he had been left be-
hind.

As soon as Captain Gierke knew that one of the
stragglers was still in this awkward situation, he sent
a party in search of him ; but neither the man nor the
party having come back, the next morning I ordered
two boats into the lagoon, to go different ways in
prosecution of the search. Not long after, Captain
Clerke's party returned with their lost companion ;
and my boats having now no object left, I called them
back by signal. This poor fellow must have suf-
fered far greater distress than the other straggler ;
not only as having been lost a longer time, but as we
found that he was too squeamish to drink turtle's
blood.

Having some cocoa-nuts and yams on board, in a
state of vegetation, I ordered them to be planted on
the little island where we had observed the eclipse ;
and some melon seeds were sown in another place.
I also left, on the little island, a bottle containing
this inscription :

Georgius Tertius, Rex, 31 Decembris, 1777*
Resolution, Jac. Cook. Pr.
Discovery, Car. Cler/ce, Pr.

Naves 4

On the 1st of January, 177$, 1 sent boats to bring
on board all our parties from the land, and the turtle
they had caught. Before this was completed, it was
late in the afternoon ; so that I did not think proper
to sail till next morning. We got at this island, to
both ships, about three hundred turtle, weighing, one
with another, about ninety or a hundred pounds.

1778. THE PACIFIC OCRAtf. I78

They were all of the green kind ; and perhaps
as good as any in the world. We also caught, with
hook and line, as much fish as we could consume,
during our stay. They consisted principally of caval-
lies, of" different sizes ; large and small snappers ; and
a few of two sorts of rock-fish ; one with numerous
spots of blue, and the other with whitish streaks scat-
tered about.

The soil of this island, in some places, is light
and black, evidently composed of decayed vegetables,
the dung of birds, and sand. There are other places
again, where nothing but marine productions, such as
broken coral stones, and shells, are to be seen. These
are deposited in long narrow ridges, lying in a paral-
lel direction with the sea-coast, not unlike a ploughed
field ; and must have been thrown up by the waves,
though, at this time, they do not reach within a
mile of some of these places. This seems to furnish
an incontestable proof, that the island has been pro-
duced by accessions from the sea, and is in a state of
increase ; for not only the broken pieces of coral, but
many of the shells, are too heavy and too large to
have been brought by any birds, from the beach, to
the places where they now lie. Not a drop of fresh
water was any where to be found, though frequently
dug for. We met with several ponds of salt water,
which had no visible communication with the sea,
and must, therefore, in all probability, be filled by the
water filtrating through the sand, in high tides. One
of the lost men found some salt on the south east
part of the island. But. though this was an arti-
cle of which we were in want, a man who could lose
himself as he did, and not know whether he was tra-
velling east, west, north or south, was not to be de-
pended upon as a fit guide to conduct us to the

place.

There were not the smallest traces of any human
being having ever been here before us ; and, indeed,
should any one be so unfortunate as to be accidentally

174 COOK S VOYAGE TO JAN.

driven upon the island, or left there, it is hard to say,
that he could be able to prolong existence. There is,
indeed, abundance of birds and fish ; but no visible
means of allaying thirst, nor any vegetable that could
supply the place of bread, or correct the bad effects of
an animal diet ; which in all probability would soon
prove fatal alone. On the few cocoa-trees upon the
island, the number of which did not exceed thirty,
very little fruit was found ; and, in general, what was
found, was either not fully grown, or had the juice
salt, or blackish. So that a ship touching here, must
expect nothing but fish and turtle ; and of these an
abundant supply may be depended upon.

On some parts of the land were a few low trees.
Mr. Anderson gave me an account, also, of two small
shrubs, and of two or three small plants ; all which
we had seen on Palmerston's Island, and Otakootaia.
There was also a species of sida or Indian mallow;
a sort of purslain; and another small plant that seemed
from its leaves a mesembryanthemum ; with two species
of grass. But each of these vegetable productions was
in so small a quantity, and grew with so much languor,
that one is almost- surprised that the species do not
become extinct.

Under the low trees above-mentioned, sat infinite
numbers of tern, or egg-bird. These are black above,
and white below, with a white arch on the forehead;
and are rather larger than the common noddy. Most
of them had lately hatched their young ; which
lay under the old ones, upon the bare ground.
The rest had eggs ; of which they only lay one,
larger than that of a pigeon, bluish and speckled
with black. There were also a good many common
boobies ; a sort that are almost like a gannet ; and a
sooty, or chocolate-coloured one, with a white belly.
To this list we must add men-of-war-birds ; tropic
birds ; curlews ; sand-pipers ; a small land-bird like a
hedge-sparrow ; land-crabs ; small lizards ; and rats.

As we kept our Christmas here, I called this dis-

177^. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 175

covery Christmas Island. I judge it to be about fif-
teen or twenty leagues in circumference. It seemed
to be of a semicircular form ; or like the moon in the
last quarter, the two horns being the north and south
points ; which bear from each other nearly north by
east, and south by west, four or five leagues distant.
This west side, or the little isle at the entrance into
the lagoon, upon which we observed the eclipse, lies
in the latitude of 1 5y' north, and in the longitude of
0% 30' east, determined by a considerable number
of lunar observations, which differed only 7' from the
time-keeper ; it being so much less. The variation
of the compass was 6 22J' E. ; and the dip of the
north end of the needle 11 54'.

Christmas Island, like most others in this ocean, is
bounded by a reef of coral rocks, which extends but
a little way from the shore. Farther out than this
reef, oti the west side, is a bank of sand, extending a
mile into the sea. On this bank is good anchorage,
in any depth between eighteen and thirty fathoms.
In less than the first mentioned depth, the reef would
be too near ; and in more than the last, the edge
of the bank would not be at a sufficient distance.
During the time we lay here, the wind blew con-
stantly a fresh gale at east, or east by south, except
one or two days. We had, always, a great swell from
the northward, which broke upon the reef, in a pro-
digious surf. We had found this swell before we
came to the island ; and it continued for some days
after we left it.

176 cook's voyage to jan.

CHAP. XL

SOME ISLANDS DISCOVERED. ACCOUNT OF THE NATIVES OF

ATOOI, WHO COME OFF TO THE SHIPS, AND THEIIl BEHA-
VIOUR ON GOING ON BOARD. ONE OF THEM KILLED.

FRECAUTIONS USED TO PREVENT INTERCOURSE WITH THE
FEMALES. A WATERING-PLACE FOUND. RECEPTION UP-
ON LANDING. EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY. A MO-

RAI VISITED AND DESCRIBED. GRAVES OF THE CHIEFS,

AND OF THE HUMAN SACRIFICES THERE BURIED. AN-
OTHER ISLAND, CALLED ONEEHOW, VISITED. CERE3IONIES

PERFORMED BY THE NATIVES, WHO GO OFF TO THE SHIPS.

REASONS FOR BELIEVING THAT THEY ARE CANNIBALS.

A PARTY SENT ASHORE, WHO REMAIN TWO NIGHTS.

ACCOUNT OF WHAT PASSED ON LANDING. THE SHIPS

LEAVE THE ISLANDS, AND PROCEED TO THE NORTH.

On the 2d of January, at day-break, we weighed
anchor, and resumed our course to the north ; hav-
ing fine weather, and a gentle breeze at east, and
east-south-east, till we got into the latitude of 7 45'
N. and the longitude of 205 E., where we had one
calm day. This was succeeded by a north-east by
east, and east-north-east wind. At first it blew faint,
but freshened as we advanced to the north. We
continued to see birds every day, of the sorts last
mentioned ; sometimes in greater numbers than
others; and between the latitude of 10 and ll c , we
saw several turtle. All these are looked upon as
signs of the vicinity of land. However, we discovered
none till day-break, in the morning of the J 8th,
when an island made its appearance, bearing north-
east by east ; and, soon after, we saw more land bear-
ing north, and entirely detached from the former.
Both had the appearance of being high land. At
noon, the first bore north-east by east, half east, by
estimation about eight or nine leagues distant; and an

2

17?3. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 177

elevated hill, near the east end of the other, bore
north, half west. Our latitude, at this time, was
21 12' N. ; and longitude 200 41' E. We had
now light airs and calms, by turns ; so that at sunset,
we were not less than nine or ten leagues from the
nearest land.

On the 19th, at sunrise, the island first seen, bore
east several leagues distant. This being directly to
windward, which prevented our getting near it, I stood
for the other, which we could reach ; and not long
after discovered a third island in the direction of
west north-west, as far distant as land could be seen.
We had now a fine breeze at east by north ; and I
steered for the east end of the second island ; which
at noon extended from north, half east, to west north-
west, a quarter west, the nearest part being about
two leagues distant. At this time, we were in some
doubt whether or no the land before us was inhabited ;
but this doubt was soon cleared up, by seeing some
canoes coming off* from the shore, toward the ships.
I immediatey brought-to, to give them time to join
us. They had from three to six men each ; and, on
their approach, we were agreeably surprised to find,
that they spoke the language of Otaheite, and of the
other islands we had lately visited. It required but
very little address, to get them to come alongside ; but
no intreaties could prevail upon any of them to come
on board. I tied some brass medals to a rope, and
gave them to those in one of the canoes, who, in re-
turn, tied some small mackerel to the rope as an equi-
valent. This was repeated ; and some small nails, or
bits of iron, which they valued more than any other
article, were given them. For these they exchanged
more fish, and a sweet potatoe ; a sure sign that they
had some notion of bartering ; or, at least, of return-
ing one present for another. They had nothing else
in their canoes, except some large gourd shells, and a
kind of fishing-net ; but one of them offered for sale
the piece of stuff* that he wore round his waist, alter

VOL. VI. N

178 COOK & VOYAGE TO JAN.

the manner of the other islands. These people were
of a brown colour ; and, though of the common size,
were stoutly made. There was little difference in
the cast of their colour, but a considerable variation
in their features ; some of their visages not being very
unlike those of Europeans. The hair of most of them
was cropt pretty short; others had it flowing loose;
and, with a few, it was tied in a bunch on the crown
of the head. In all, it seemed to be naturally black ;
but most of them had stained it, as is the practice of
the Friendly Islanders, with some stuff which gave it
a brown or burnt colour. In general they wore
their beards. They had no ornaments about their
persons, nor did we observe that their ears were
perforated ; but some were punctured on the hands,
or near the groin, though in a small degree ; and the
bits of cloth which they wore, were curiously stained
with red, black, and white colours. They seemed very
mild ; and had no arms of any kind, if we except some
small stones, which they had evidently brought for
their own defence ; and these they threw overboard,
when they found that they were not wanted.

Seeing no signs of an anchoring place at this
eastern extreme of the island, I bore away to lee-
ward, and ranged along the south east side, at the
distance of half a league from the shore. As soon as
we made sail, the canoes left us ; but others came off,
as we proceeded along the coast, bringing with them
roasting pigs, and some very fine potatoes, which they
exchanged, as the others had done, for whatever was
offered to them. Several small pigs were purchased
for a sixpenny nail ; so that we again found ourselves
in a land of plenty ; and just at the time when the
turtle, which we had so fortunately procured at Christ-
mas Island, were nearly expended. We passed several
villages ; some seated near the sea, and others farther
up the country. The inhabitants of all of them
crowded to the shore, and collected themselves on
the elevated places to view the ships. The land

177^. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 179

upon this side of the island rises in a gentle slope,
from the sea to the foot of the mountains, which oc-
cupy the centre of the country, except at one place
near the east end, where they rise directly from
the sea, and seemed to be formed of nothing but
stone, or rocks lying in horizontal strata. We
saw no wood, but what was up in the interior part
of the island, except a few trees about the villages ;
near which, also, we could observe several plantations
of plantains and sugar-canes, and spots that seemed
cultivated for roots.

We continued to sound, without striking ground
with a line of fifty fathoms, till we came abreast of a
low point, which is about the middle of this side of
the island, or rather nearer the north-west end. Here
we met with twelve and fourteen fathoms, over a
rocky bottom. Being past this point, from which
the coast trended more northerly, we had twenty,
then sixteen, twelve, and, at last, five fathoms over
a sandy bottom. The last soundings were about a
mile from the shore. Night now put a stop to any
farther researches ; and we spent it standing off and
on. The next morning we stood in for the land,
and were met with several canoes filled with people ;
some of whom took courage, and ventured on board.

In the course of my several voyages, I never be-
fore met with the natives of any place so much asto-
nished, as these people were, upon entering a ship.
Their eyes were continually flying from object to ob-
ject ; the wildness of their looks and gestures fully
expressing their entire ignorance about every thing
they saw, and strongly marking to us, that, till now,
they had never been visited by Europeans, nor been
acquainted with any of our commodities except iron ;
which, however, it was plain, they had only heard
of, or had known it in some small quantity brought
to them at some distant period. They seemed only
to understand, that it was a substance much better
adapted to the purposes of cutting, or of boring of

N 2

180 cook's voyage to JAN*.

holes, than any thing their own country produced.
They asked for it by the name of hamaite, probably
referring to some instrument, in the making of which
iron could be usefully employed; for they applied
that name to the blade of a knife, though we could
be certain that they had no idea of that particular
instrument ; nor could they at all handle it properly.
For the same reason, they frequently called iron by
the name of toe, which in their language signifies a
hatchet, or rather a kind of adze. On asking them
what iron was, they immediately answered, " We do
not know ; you know what it is, and we only under-
stand it as toe, or hamaite." When we shewed them
some beads, they asked first, " What they were ;
and then, whether they should eat them ?" But on
their being told, that they were to be hung in their
ears, they returned them as useless. They were
equally indifferent as to a looking-glass, which was
offered them, and returned it, for the same reason ;
but sufficiently expressed their desire for hamaite and
toe, which they wished might be very large. Plates
of earthen-ware, china cups, and other such things,
were so new to them, that they asked if they were
made of wood ; but wished to have some, that they
might carry them to be looked at on shore. They
were in some respects naturally well bred ; or, at
least, fearful of giving offence, asking, where they
should sit down, whether they might spit upon the
deck, and the like. Some of them repeated a long
prayer before they came on board ; and others, after-
ward, sung and made motions with their hands, such
as we had been accustomed to see in the dances of
the islands we had lately visited. There was another
circumstance in which they also perfectly resembled
those other islanders. At first, on their entering the
ship, they endeavoured to steal every thing they
came near : or rather to take it openly, as what we
either should not resent, or not hinder. We soon
convinced them of their mistake ; and if thev, after

1778* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 181

some time, became less active in appropriating to
themselves whatever they took a fancy to, it was
because they found that we kept a watchful eye over
them.

At nine o'clock, being pretty near the shore, I
sent three armed boats, under the command of Lieu-
tenant Williamson, to look for a landing-place, and
for fresh water. I ordered him, that if he should
find it necessarv to land in search of the latter, not
to suffer more than one man to go with him out of
the boats. Just as they were putting off from the
ship, one of the natives having stolen the butcher's
cleaver, leaped overboard, got into his canoe, and
hastened to the shore, the boats pursuing him in vain.

The order not to permit the crews of the boats to
go on shore was issued, that I might do every thing
in my power to prevent the importation of a fatal
disease into this island, which I knew some of our
men laboured under, and which, unfortunately, had
been already communicated by us to other islands in
these seas. With the same view, I ordered all female
visitors to be excluded from the ships. Many of
them had come off' in the canoes. Their size, colour,
and features did not differ much from those of the
men ; and though their countenances were remark-
ably open and agreeable, there were few traces of
delicacy to be seen, either in their faces, or other
proportions. The only difference in their dress, was
their having a piece of cloth about the body, reaching
from near the middle to half-way down the thighs,
instead of the maro worn by the other sex. They
would as readily have favoured us with their company
on board as the men ; but I wished to prevent all
connection, which might, too probably, convey an
irreparable injury to themselves, and through their
means, to the whole nation. Another necessary pre-
caution was taken, by strictly enjoining, that no
person, known to be capable of propagating the in-
fection, should be sent upon duty out of the ships.

N 3

182 cook's voyage to jan.

Whether these regulations, dictated by humanity,
had the desired effect, or no, time only can discover.
I had been equally attentive to the same object, when
1 first visited the Friendly Islands ; yet 1 afterward
found, with real concern, that I had not succeeded.
And I am much afraid, that this will always be the
case, in such voyages as ours, whenever it is neces-
sary to have a number of people on shore. The op-
portunities and inducements to an intercourse between
the sexes are then too numerous to be guarded against;
and however confident we may be of the health of
our men, we are often undeceived too late. It is
even a matter of doubt with me, if it be always in
the power of the most skilful of the faculty to pro-
nounce, with any certainty, whether a person who
has been under their care, in certain stages of this
malady, is so effectually cured, as to leave no possi-
bility of his being still capable of communicating the
taint. I think I could mention some instances which
justify my presuming to hazard this opinion. It is
likewise well known, that, amongst a number of men,
there are generally to be found some so bashful as
to endeavour to conceal their labouring under any
symptoms of this disorder. And there are others,
again, so profligate, as not to care to whom they
communicate it. Of this last, we had an instance at
Tongataboo, in the gunner of the Discovery, who
had been stationed on shore to manage the trade for
that ship. After he knew that he had contracted this
disease, he continued to have connections with dif-
ferent women, who were supposed not to have already
contracted it. His companions expostulated with
him without effect, till Captain Clerke, hearing of
this dangerous irregularity of conduct, ordered him
on board.

While the boats w T ere occupied in examining the
coast, we stood on and off with the ships, waiting for
their return. About noon, Mr. Williamson came
back, and reported that he had seen a large pond

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 183

behind a beach near one of the villages, which the
natives told him contained fresh water ; and that
there was anchoring-ground before it. He also re-
ported, that he had attempted to land in another
place, but was prevented by the natives, who, coming
down to the boats in great numbers, attempted to
take away the oars, muskets, and, in short, every
thing that they could lay hold of; and pressed so
thick upon him, that he was obliged to fire, by which
one man was killed. But this unhappy circumstance
I did not know till after we had left the island ; so
that all my measures were directed as if nothing of
the kind had happened. Mr. Williamson told me,
that, after the man fell, his countrymen took him up,
carried him off) and then retired from the boat ; but
still they made signals for our people to land, which
he declined. Jt did not appear to Mr. Williamson,
that the natives had any design to kill, or even to
hurt, any of his party ; but they seemed excited by
mere curiosity, to get from them what they had, being
at the same time ready to give in return any thing
of their own.

After the boats were on board, I dispatched one
of them to lie in the best anchoring-ground \ and as
soon as she had got to this station, I bore down with
the ships, and anchored in twenty-five fathoms water ;
the bottom a fine grey sand. The east point of the
road, which was the low point before mentioned,
bore S. 51 E. ; the west point, N. 65 W. ; and the
village, behind which the water was said to be,
N. E. by E., distant one mile. But, little more than
a quarter of a mile from us, there were breakers,
which I did not see till after the Resolution was
placed. The Discovery anchored to the eastward of
us, and farther from the land. The ships being thus
stationed, between three and four o'clock I went
ashore with three armed boats, and twelve marines,
to examine the water, and to try the disposition of
the inhabitants, several hundred of whom were as-

N 4

JS4 cook's voyage to j As-

sembled on a sandy beach before the village ; behind
it was a narrow valley, the bottom of which was oc-
cupied by the piece of water.

The very instant I leaped on shore, the collected
body of the natives all fell flat upon their faces, and
remained in that very humble posture, till, by ex-
pressive signs, I prevailed upon them to rise. They
then brought a great many small pigs, which they
presented to me, with plantain-trees, using much the
same ceremonies that we had seen practised, on such
occasions, at the Society and other islands ; and a
long prayer being spoken by a single person, in which
others of the assembly sometimes joined, I expressed
my acceptance of their proffered friendship, by giving
them, in return, such presents as I had brought with
me from the ship for that purpose. When this in-
troductory business was finished, I stationed a guard
upon the beach, and got some of the natives to con-
duct me to the water, which proved to be very good,
and in a proper situation tor our purpose. It was so
considerable, that it may be called a lake ; and it ex-
tended farther up the country than we could see.
Having satisfied myself about this very essential point,
and about the peaceable disposition of the natives, I
returned on board; and then gave orders that every
thing should be in readiness for landing and filling
our water-casks in the morning, when I went ashore
with the people employed in that service, having a
party of marines with us for a guard, who were sta-
tioned on the beach.

As soon as we landed, a trade was set on foot for
hogs and potatoes, which the people of the island
gave us in exchange for nails and pieces of iron,
formed into something like chisels. We met with
no obstruction in watering ; on the contrary, the
natives assisted our men in rolling the casks to and
from the pool ; and readily performed whatever we
required. Every thing thus going on to my satis-
faction, and considering my presence on the spot as

V

K

1778. THF. PACIFIC OCEAN. 185

unnecessary, I left the command to Mr. Williamson,
who had landed with me, and made an excursion into
the country, up the valley, accompanied by Mr.
Anderson and Mr. Webber; the former of whom was
as well qualified to describe with the pen, as the lat-
ter was to represent with his pencil, every thing we
might meet with worthy of observation. A numerous
train of natives followed us; and one of them, whom
1 had distinguished for his activity in keeping the rest
in order, I made choice of as our guide. This man,
from time to time, proclaimed our approach ; and every
one whom we met fell prostrate upon the ground, and
remained in that position till we had passed. This,
as I afterward understood, is the mode of paying
their respect to their own great chiefs. As we ranged
down the coast from the east, in the ships, we had
observed at every village one or more elevated white
objects, like pyramids or rather obelisks ; and one of
these, which I guessed to be at least fifty feet high,
was very conspicuous from the ship's anchoring
station, and seemed to be at no great distance up
this valley. To have a nearer inspection of it, was
the principal object of my walk. Our guide perfectly
understood that we wished to be conducted to it. But
it happened to be so placed that we could not get at it,
being separated from us by the pool of water. How-
ever, there being another of the same kind within
our reach, about half a mile off, upon our side of
the valley, we set out to visit that. The moment we
got to it, we saw that it stood in a burying-ground,
or morai ; the resemblance of which, in many res-
pects, to those we were so well acquainted with at
other islands in this ocean, and particularly Otaheite,
could not but strike us; and we also soon found that the
several parts that compose it, were called by the same
names. It was an oblong space, of considerable ex-
tent, surrounded by a wall of stone, about four feet
high. The space inclosed was loosely paved with
smaller stones ; and at one end of it stood what I

186 cook's voyage to jan.

call the pyramid, but, in the language of the island,
is named henananoo ; which appeared evidently to be
an exact model of the larger one, observed by us
from the ships. It was about four feet square at the
base, and about twenty feet high. The four sides
were composed of small poles interwoven with twigs
and branches, thus forming an indifferent wicker-
work, hollow or open within, from bottom to top.
It seemed to be rather in a ruinous state ; but there
were sufficient remaining marks to show that it had
originally been covered with a thin, light, grey cloth ;
which these people, it should seem, consecrate to
religious purposes ; as we could see a good deal of it
hanging in different parts of the moral ; and some of
it had been forced upon me when I first landed. On
each side of the pyramid were long pieces of wicker-
work, called hereanee, in the same ruinous condition ;
with two slender poles, inclining to each other, at
one corner, where some plantains were laid upon a
board, fixed at the height of five or six feet. This
they called herairemy ; and informed us that the fruit
was an offering to their god, which makes it agree
exactly with the wkatta of Otaheite. Before the
henananoo were a few pieces of wood, carved into
something like human figures, which, with a stone
near two feet high, covered with pieces of cloth
called hoho, and consecrated to Tongarooa, who is
the god of these people, still more and more re-
minded us of what we used to meet with in the morals
of the islands we had lately left.* Adjoining to
these, on the outside of the moral, was a small shed,
no bigger than a dog-kennel, which they called ha
reepahoo ; and before it was a grave, where, as we
were toid, the remains of a woman lay.

On the farther side of the area of the moral, stood
a house or shed about forty feet long, ten broad* in
the middle, each end being narrower, and about ten

* See the description of the moral, in Otaheite, where the
human sacrifice was offered, at which Captain Cook was present.

1 77*5- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 187

feet high. This, which though much longer, was
lower than their common dwelling-places, we were
informed, was called hemanaa. The entrance into it
was at the middle of the side, which was in the
moral. On the farther side of this house, opposite
the entrance, stood two wooden images cut out of
one piece, with pedestals, in all about three feet high;
neither very indifferently designed nor executed.
These were said to be Eatooa no Vekeina, or repre-
sentations of goddesses. On the head of one of
them was a carved helmet, not unlike those worn by
the ancient warriors ; and on that of the other, a
cylindrical cap, resembling the head-dress at Ota-
heite, called tomon ; and both of them had pieces of
cloth tied about the loins, and hanging a consider-
able way down. At the side of each was also a piece
of carved wood with bits of the cloth hung on them
in the same manner; and between or before the
pedestals lay a quantity of fern in a heap. It was ob-
vious that this had been deposited there piece by
piece, and at different times ; for there was of it, in all
states, from what was quite decayed to what was still
fresh and green.

In the middle of the house, and before the two
images, was an oblong space, inclosed by a low edging
of stone, and covered with shreds of the cloth so
often mentioned. This, on enquiry, we found was
the grave of seven chiefs, whose names were enume-
rated, and the place was called Heneene. We had
met already with so many striking instances of re-
semblance between the burying-place we were now
visiting and those of islands we had lately come from
in the South Pacific, that we had little doubt in our
minds that the resemblance existed also in the cere-
monies practised here, and particularly in the horrid
one of offering human sacrifices. Our suspicions were
too soon confirmed, by direct evidence. For, on
coming out of the house, just on one side of the en-
trance, we saw a small square place, and another still
less near it ; and on asking what these were ? our

188 cook's voyage to jan t .

guide immediately informed us, that in the one was
buried a man who had been sacrificed ; a Taata
(Tanata or Tangata, in this country) taboo (tqfoo, as
here pronounced); and in the other a hog, which had
also been made an offering to the divinity. At a little
distance from these, near the middle of the ??iorai, were
three more of these square inclosed places, with two
pieces of carved wood at each, and upon them a
heap of fern. These, we were told, were the graves
of three chiefs ; and before them was an oblong in-
closed space, to which our conductor also gave the
name of Tangata-taboo ; telling us, so explicitly, that
we could not mistake his meaning, that three human
sacrifices had been buried there ; that is, one at the
funeral of each chief. It was with most sincere con-
cern, that I could trace on such undoubted evidence,
the prevalence of these bloody rites throughout this
immense ocean, amongst people disjoined by such a
distance, and even ignorant of each other's existence,
though so strongly marked as originally of the same
nation. It was no small addition to this concern to
reflect that every appearance led us to believe
that the barbarous practice was very general here.
The island seemed to abound with such places of
sacrifice as this which we were now visiting, and
which appeared to be one of the most inconsiderable
of them ; being far less conspicuous than several others
which we had seen as we sailed along the coast, and
particularly than that on the opposite side of the
water in this valley ; the white henananoo, or pyramid,
of which we were now almost sure, derived its colour
only from pieces of the consecrated cloth laid over it.
In several parts within the inclosure of this burying-
ground, were planted trees of the cordia sebestina,
some of the morinda citrifolia, and several plants of
the etee, or jejee of Tongataboo, with the leaves of
which the hemanaa was thatched ; and as I observed
that this plant was not made use of in thatching their
dwelling-houses, probably it is reserved entirely for
religious purposes.

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN*. 189

Our road to and from the moral, which 1 have
described, lay through the plantations. The greatest
part of the ground was quite flat, with ditches full of
water intersecting different parts, and roads that
seemed artificially raised to some height. The inter-
spaces were, in general, planted with taro, which
grows here with great strength, as the fields are sunk
below the common level, so as to contain the water
necessary to nourish the roots. This water probably
comes from the same source, which supplies the
large pool from which we filled our casks. On the
drier spaces were several spots where the cloth-mul-
berry was planted in regular rows ; also growing
vigorously, and kept very clean. The cocoa-
trees were not in so thriving a state, and were all
low ; but the plantain-trees made a better appear-
ance, though they were not large. In general the
trees round this village, and which were seen at many
of those which we passed before we anchored, are the
cordia sebestina ; but of a more diminutive size than
the product of the southern isles. The greatest part
of the village stands near the beach, and consists of
above sixty houses there ; but, perhaps, about forty
more stand scattered about, farther up the country,
toward the burying-place.

After we had examined very carefully every thing
that was to be seen about the moral, and Mr. Webber
had taken drawings of it, and of the adjoining
country, we returned by a different route. I found a
great crowd assembled at the beach ; and a brisk
trade for pigs, fowls, and roots going on there, with
the greatest good order ; though I did not observe
any particular person who took the lead amongst the
rest of his countrymen. At noon, I went on board
to dinner, and then sent Mr. King to command the
party on shore. He was to have gone upon that ser-
vice in the morning, but was then detained in the
ship to make lunar observations. In the afternoon I
landed again, accompanied by Captain Clerke, with

190 cook's VOYAGE TO JAN.

a view to make another excursion up the country.
But before this could be put in execution, the day
was too far spent, so that I laid aside my intention
for the present, and it so happened that I had not
another opportunity. At sun-set, I brought every
body on board, having procured in the course of the
day, nine tons of water ; and, by exchanges, chiefly
for nails and pieces of iron, about seventy or eighty
pigs, a few fowls, a quantity of potatoes, and a few
plantains and taro roots. These people merited our
best commendations in this commercial intercourse,
never once attempting to cheat us, either ashore or
alongside the ships. Some of them, indeed, as al-
ready mentioned, at first betrayed a thievish dispo-
sition, or rather, they thought that they had a right
to every thing they could lay their hands upon ; but
they soon laid aside a conduct which, we convinced
them, they could not persevere in with impunity.

Amongst the articles which they brought to bar-
ter this day, we could not help taking notice of a par-
ticular sort of cloak and cap, which, even in countries
where dress is more particularly attended to, might
be reckoned elegant. The first are nearly of the size
and shape of the short cloaks worn by the women of
England, and by the men in Spain, reaching to the
middle of the back, and tied loosely before. The
ground of them is a net-work upon which the most
beautiful red and yellow feathers are so closely
fixed that the surface might be compared to the
thickest and richest velvet, which they resemble, both
as to the feel and the glossy appearance. The man-
ner of varying the mixture is very different ; some
having triangular spaces of red and yellow, alter-
nately ; others, a kind of crescent ; and some that
were entirely red, had a broad yellow border, which
made them appear, at some distance, exactly like
a scarlet cloak edged with gold lace. The brilliant
colours of the feathers, in those that happened to be
new, added not a little to their fine appearance j and

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 191

we found that they were in high estimation with
their owners ; for they would not at first part with
one of them for any thing that we offered, asking
no less a price than a musket. However, some were
afterward purchased for very large nails. Such of
them as were of the best sort were scarce; and
it should seem that they are only used on the
occasion of some particular ceremony or diversion ;
for the people who had them always made some ges-
ticulations which we had seen used before by those
who sung.

The cap is made almost exactly like a helmet, with
the middle part, or crest, sometimes of a hand's
breadth ; and it sits very close upon the head, having
notches to admit the ears. It is a frame of twigs and
osiers, covered with a net- work, into which are wrought
feathers, in the same manner as upon the cloaks,
though rather closer and less diversified, the greater
part being red, with some black, yellow, or green
stripes on the sides, following the curve direction of
the crest. These, probably, complete the dress, with
the cloaks, for the natives sometimes appeared in
both together.

We were at a loss to guess from whence they
could get such a quantity of these beautiful feathers ;
but were soon informed as to one sort ; for they
afterward brought great numbers of skins of small red
birds for sale, which were often tied up in bunches of
twenty or more, or had a small wooden skewer run
through their nostrils. At the first, those that were
bought consisted only of the skin from behind the
wings forward j but we afterward got many with the
hind part, including the tail and feet. The first,
however, struck us at once with the origin of the
fable formerly adopted, of the birds of paradise
wanting legs, and sufficiently explained that cir-
cumstance. Probably the people of the islands east
of the Moluccas, from whence the skins of the birds
of paradise are brought, cut off their feet for the

192 cook's VOYAGE TO JAN.

very reason assigned by the people of Atooi for the
like practice, which was, that they hereby can pre-
serve them with greater ease, without losing any part
which they reckon valuable. The red-bird of our
island was judged by Mr. Anderson to be a species
of merops, about the size of a sparrow, of a beautiful
scarlet colour, with a black tail and wings, and an
arched bill twice the length of the head, which, with
the feet, was also of a reddish colour. The contents
of the heads were taken out, as in the birds of para-
dise ; but it did not appear that they used any other
method to preserve them than by simple drying, for
the skins, though moist, had neither a taste nor smell
that could give room to suspect the use of anti-putre-
scent substances.*

* It is a matter of real curiosity to observe how very exten-
sively the predilection for red feathers is spread throughout all
the islands of the Pacific Ocean : and the additional circumstance
mentioned in this paragraph will probably be looked upon, by
those who amuse themselves in tracing the wonderful migrations of
the same family or tribe, as a confirmation of that hypothesis
(built, indeed, on other instances of resemblance), which con-
siders New Guinea, and its neighbouring East India islands, from
whence the Dutch bring their birds of paradise, as originally
peopled by the same race, which Captain Cook found at every
island from New Zealand to this new group, to which Atooi
belongs.

What Mr. Sonnerat tells us about the bird of paradise, agrees
perfectly with the account here given of .the preserved red-birds.
Speaking of the Papous, he proceeds thus: "lis nous presenterent
plusieurs especes d'oiseaux, aussi elegants par leur forme, que
brillants par le eclat de leur couleurs. La depouille des oiseaux,
sert a la parure des Chefs, qui la portent attachee aleurs bonnets
en forme d'aigrettes. Mais en preparant les peaux, ils coupent
les pieds. Les Hollandois, qui trafiquent sur ces cotes, y
achetent de ces peaux ainsi prdpares, les transportent en Perse,
u a Surate, dans leslndes, oil ils les vendent fort chere aux habitans
" riches, qui en font des aigrettes pour leurs turbans, et pour le
" casque des guerriers, et qui en parent leur chevaux. C'est de
" la qu'est venue l'opinion, qu'une de ces especes d'oiseaux (1'oiseau
" de paradis) ria point de pattes. Les Hollandois ont accr^dite*
" ces fables, qui, en jetant du merveilleux sur l'objet dont ils
" traffiquoient, etoient propres a le rendre plus precieux, et a en
" rechausser lavaleur." Voyage a la Nouvelle Guinec y p. 154-.

a
a
tt
(<
tt
n

177&- ^HE PACIFIC OCEAN. 1)3

In the night and all the morning of the 22d, it
rained almost continually. The wind was at S.E.,
S. S.E., and S., which brought in a short chopping
sea ; and as there were breakers little more than two
cables' length from the stern of our ship, her situ-
ation was none of the safest. The surf broke so high
against the shore that we could not land in our
boats ; but the day was not wholly lost ; for the
natives ventured in their canoes to bring off to
the ships hogs and roots, which they bartered as
before. One of our visitors on this occasion, who
offered some fish-hooks to sale, was observed to have
a very small parcel to the string of one of them,
which he separated with great care, and reserved for
himself, when he parted with the hook. Being asked
what it was ? He pointed to his belly and spoke some-
thing of its being dead, at the same time saying it
was bad, as if he did not wish to answer any more
questions about it. On seeing him so anxious to con-
ceal the contents of this parcel, he was requested to
open it, which he did with great reluctance, and some
difficulty, as it was wrapped up in many folds of
cloth. We found that it contained a thin bit of flesh
about two inches long, which, to appearance, had
been dried, but was now wet with salt water. It
struck us that it might be human flesh, and that
these people might, perhaps, eat their enemies, as
we knew that this was the practice of some of the
natives of the South Sea islands. The question being
put to the person who produced it, he answered,
that the flesh was part of a man. Another of his
countrymen, who stood by him, was then asked
whether it was their custom to eat those killed in bat-
tle ? and he immediately answered in the affirmative.

There were some intervals of fair weather in the
afternoon ; and the wind then inclined to the east
and north-east ; but, in the evening, it veered back
again to the south south-east, and the rain also re-
turned, and continued all night. Very luckily, it

VOL. vi. o

194 cook's voyage TO JAN.

was not attended with much wind. We had, however,
prepared for the worst, by dropping the small bower
anchor ; and striking our top-gallant-yards.

At seven o'clock the next morning, a breeze of
wind springing up at north-east, I took up the an-
chors with a view of removing the ship farther out.
The moment that the last anchor was up, the wind
veered to the east, which made it necessary to set all
the sail we could, in order to clear the shore : so that,
before we had tolerable sea-room, we were driven
some distance to leeward. We made a stretch off;
with a view to regain the road ; but having very little
wind, and a strong current against us, I found that
this was not to be effected, I therefore dispatched
Messrs. King and Williamson ashore, with three
boats, for water, and to trade for refreshments. At
the same time I sent an order to Captain Clerke to
put to sea after me, if he should see that 1 could not
recover the road. Being in hopes of finding one, or
perhaps a harbour, at the west end of the island, I
was the less anxious about getting back to my former
station. But as I had sent the boats thither, we kept
to windward as much as possible ; notwithstanding
which, at noon, we were three leagues to leeward.
As we drew near the west end of the island, we found
the coast to round gradually to the north-east, with-
out forming a creek, or cove, to shelter a vessel from
the force of the swell, which rolled in from the north,
and broke upon the shore in a prodigious surf; so
that all hopes of finding a harbour here vanished.

Several canoes came off" in the morning, and followed
us as we stood out to sea, bartering their roots and
other articles. Being very averse to believe these peo-
ple to be cannibals, notwithstanding the suspicious cir-
cumstance which had happened the day before, we took
occasion now to make some more inquiries about this.
A small wooden instrument, beset with shark's teeth,
had been purchased ; and from its resemblance to the
saw or knife used by the New Zealanders, to dissect

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 195

the bodies of their enemies, it was suspected to have
the same use here. One of the natives being asked
about this, immediately gave the name of the instru-
ment, and told us that it was used to cut out the
fleshy part of the belly, when any person was killed.
This explained and confirmed the circumstance above-
mentioned, of the person pointing to his belly. The
man, however, from whom we had this information,
being asked, if his countrymen eat the part thus cut
out ? denied it strongly ; but, upon the question being
repeated, shewed some degree of fear, and swam to
his canoe. Just before he reached it, he made signs,
as he had done before, expressive of the use of the
instrument. And an old man, who sat foremost in the
canoe, being then asked, whether they eat the flesh ?
answered in the affirmative, and laughed, seemingly
at the simplicity of such a question. He affirmed
the fact, on being asked again ; and also said it was
excellent food, or, as he expressed it, " savoury
eating."

At seven o'clock in the evening, the boats returned
with the two tons of water, a few hogs, a quantity
of plantains, and some roots. Mr. King informed
me, that a great number of the inhabitants were at
the watering or landing-place. He supposed that
they had come from all parts of the island. They
had brought with them a great many fine fat hogs to
barter ; but my people had not commodities with
them equal to the purchase. This, however, was no
great loss ; for we had already got as many on board
as we could well manage for immediate use ; and,
wanting the materials, we could not have salted them.
Mr. King also told me, that a great deal of rain had
fallen ashore, whereas, out at sea, we had only a few
showers ; and that the surf had run so high, that it
was with great difficulty our men landed, and golr
back into the boats.

We had light airs and calms, by turns, with showers
of rain, all night ; and at day-break, in the morning

o 2

19$ cook's VOYAGE TO JAN.

of the 24th, we found, that the currents had carried
the ship to the north-west and north ; so that the west
end of the island, upon which we had been, called
Atooi by the natives, bore east, one league distant ;
another island, called Oreehoua, west by south ; and
the high land of a third island, called Oneeheow,
from south-west by west, to west south-west. Soon
after, a breeze sprung up at north ; and, as I ex-
pected that this would bring the Discovery to sea, I
steered for Oneeheow, in order to take a nearer
view of it, and to anchor there, if I should find a
convenient place. I continued to steer for it, till
past eleven o'clock, at which time we were about two
leagues from it. But not seeing the Discovery, and
being doubtful whether they could see us, I was
fearful lest some ill consequence might attend our se-
parating so far, I therefore gave up the design of vi-
siting Oneeheow for the present, and stood back to
Atooi, with an intent to anchor again in the road,
to complete our water. At two o'clock in the after-
noon, the northerly wind died away, and was suc-
ceeded by variable light airs and calms, that continued
till eleven at night, with which we stretched to the
south-east, till day-break in the morning of the 25th,
when we tacked and stood in for Atooi road, which
bore about north from us ; and, soon after, we were
joined by the Discovery.

We fetched in with the land about two leagues to
leeward of the road, which, though so. near, we never
could recover ; for what we gained at one time, we
lost at another ; so that, by the morning of the 29th,
the currents had carried us westward, within three
leagues of Oneeheow. Being tired with plying so un-
successfully, I gave up all thoughts of getting back
to Atooi, and came to the resolution of trying, whe-
ther we could not procure what we wanted at the
other island, which was within our reach. With this
view, I sent the Master in a boat to sound the coast ;
to look out for a landing-place ; and, if he should

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 197

find one, to examine if fresh water could be con-
veniently got in its neighbourhood. To give him
time to execute his commission, we followed, under
an easy sail, with the ships. As soon as we were
abreast, or to the westward of the south point of
Oneeheow, we found thirty, twenty-five, and twenty
fathoms water, over a bottom of coral sand, a mile
from the shore.

At ten o'clock the Master returned, and reported
that he had landed in one place, but could find no
fresh water ; and that there was anchorage all along
the coast. Seeing a village a little farther to leeward ;
and some of the islanders, who had come off to the
ships, informing us, that fresh water might be got
there, I ran down, and came to an anchor before it,
in twenty-six fathoms water, about three quarters of a
mile from the shore. The south-east point of the
island bore S., 65 E., three miles distant ; the other
extreme of the island bore north by east, about two
or three miles distant ; a peaked hill, inland, N. E.,
a quarter E. ; and another island, called Tahoora,
which was discovered the preceding evening, bore
S., 61 W., distant seven leagues.

Six or seven canoes had come off to us, before we
anchored, bringing some small pigs and potatoes, and
a good many yams and mats. The people in them
resembled those of Atooi ; and seemed to be equally
well acquainted with the use of iron, which they
asked for also by the names of hamaite and toe ; part-
ing readily with all their commodities for pieces of
this precious metal. Several more canoes soon reached
the ships, after they had anchored ; but the natives
in these seemed to have no other object, than to pay
us a formal visit. Many of them came readily on
board, crouching down upon the deck, and not quit-
ting that humble posture till they were desired to get
up. They had brought several females with them,
who remaiued alongside in the canoes, behaving witli
far less modesty than their countrywomen of Atooi ;

o 3

198 cook's voyage to .tan.

and, at times, all joining in a song, not remarkable
for its melody, though performed in very exact con-
cert, by beating time upon their breasts with their
hands. The men who had come on board did not
stay long ; and before they departed, some of them
requested our permission to lay down, on the deck,
locks of their hair.

These visitors furnished us with an opportunity of
agitating again, this day, the curious inquiry whether
they were cannibals ; and the subject did not take
its rise from any question of ours, but from a cir-
cumstance that seemed to remove all ambiguity.
One of the islanders, who wanted to get in at the
gun-room port, was refused ; and, at the same time,
asked, whether, if he should come in, we would
kill and eat him ? accompanying this question with
signs so expressive that there could be no doubt
about his meaning. This gave a proper opening to
retort the question as to this practice ; and a person
behind the other, in the canoe, who paid great at-
tention to what was passing, immediately answered,
that if we were killed on shore, they would certainly
eat us. He spoke with so little emotion, that it ap-
peared plainly to be his meaning, that they would
not destroy us for that purpose ; but that their eating
us would be the consequence of our being at enmity
with them. I have availed myself of Mr. Anderson's
collections for the decision of this matter ; and am
sorry to say, that I cannot see the least reason to he-
sitate in pronouncing it to be certain, that the horrid
banquet of human flesh is as much relished here,
amidst plenty, as it is in New Zealand.

In the afternoon I sent lieutenant Gore, with three
armed boats, to look for the most convenient landing-
place ; and, when on shore, to search for fresh water.
In the evening he returned, having landed at the
village above mentioned, and acquainted me, that he
had been conducted to a well half a mile up the coun-
try - y but, by his account, the quantity of water it

177 8 ' THE pacific OCEAN. 199

contained was too inconsiderable for our purpose, and
the road leading to it exceedingly bad.

On the 30th I sent Mr. Gore ashore again, with a
guard of marines, and a party to trade with the na-
tives for refreshments. I intended to have followed
soon after, and went from the ship with that design.
But the surf had increased so much, by this time,
that I was fearful, if I got ashore, I should not be
able to get off again. This really happened to our
people who had landed with Mr. Gore, the commu-
nication between them and the ships, by our own boats,
being soon stopped. In the evening they made a
signal for the boats, which were sent accordingly ;
and, not long after, they returned with a few yams
and some salt. A tolerable quantity of both had been
procured in the course of the day ; but the surf was
so great, that the greatest part of both these articles
had been lost in conveying them to the boats. The
officer and twenty men, deterred by the danger of
coming off, were left ashore all night ; and by this
unfortunate circumstance, the very thing happened,
which, as I have already mentioned, I wished so
heartily to prevent, and vainly imagined I had ef-
fectually guarded against. The violence of the surf,
which our own boats could not act against, did not hin-
der the natives from coming off to the ships in their ca-
noes. They brought refreshments with them, which
were purchased in exchange for nails, and pieces of
iron hoops ; and I distributed a good many pieces of
ribbon, and some buttons, as bracelets, amongst the
women in the canoes. One of the men had the
figure of a lizard punctured upon his breast, and
upon those of others were the figures of men badly
imitated. These visitors informed us, that there was
no chief, or Hairee, of this island ; but that it was
subject to Teneooneoo, a chief of Atooi ; which
island, they said, was not governed by a single chiefi
but that there were many to whom they paid the ho-

o 4

200 COOK'S VOYAGE TO JAN.

nour of moe, or prostration ; and among others, they
named Otaeaio and Terarotoa. Amongst other things
which these people now brought off, was a small drum,
almost like those of Otaheite.

About ten or eleven o'clock at night, the wind
veered to the south, and the sky seemed to fbrbode
a storm. With such appearances, thinking that we
were rather too near the shore, I ordered the anchors
to be taken up, and having carried the ships into
forty-two fathoms, came to again in that safer station.
The precaution, however, proved to be unnecessary ;
for the wind, soon after, veered to N. N. E., from
which quarter it blew a fresh gale, with squalls, at-
tended with very heavy showers of rain.

This weather continued all the next day ; and the
sea ran so high that we had no manner of communi-
cation with our party on shore ; and even the natives
themselves durst not venture out to the ships in their
canoes. In the evening I sent the master in a boat
up to the south-east head, or point of the island, to try
if he could land under it. He returned with a fa-
vourable report ; but it was too late, now, to send for
our party till the next morning ; and thus they had
another night to improve their intercourse with the
natives.

Encouraged by the master's report, I sent a boat to
the south-east point, as soon as day-light returned,
with an order to Mr. Gore, that if he could not em-
bark his people from the spot where they now were,
to march them up to the point. As the boat could
not get to the beach, one of the crew swam ashore, and
carried the order. On the return of the boat, I went
myself with the pinnace and launch up to the point,
to bring the party on board ; taking with me a ram-
goat and two ewes, a boar and sow pig of the English
bi'eed ; and the seeds of melons, pumpkins, and oni-
ons ; being very desirous of benefiting these poor
people, by furnishing them with some additional arti-
cles of food, 1 landed with the greatest ease, under

1778. THE TAC1FIC OCEAN. 401

the west side of the point, and found my party already
there, with some of the natives in company. To one
of them, whom Mr. Gore had observed assuming
some command over the rest, I gave the goats, pigs,
and seeds. I should have left these well intended
presents at Atooi, had we not been so unexpectedly
driven from it.

While the people were engaged in filling four water-
casks, from a small stream occasioned by the late rain,
I walked a little way up the country, attended by the
man above-mentioned, and followed by two others car-
rying the two pigs. As soon as we got upon a rising
ground, I stopped to look round me ; and observed a
woman, on the other side of the valley, where I
landed, calling to her countryman who attended me.
Upon this, the chief began to mutter something which
I supposed was a prayer ; and the two men, who
carried the pigs, continued to walk round me all the
time, making, at least, a dozen circuits before the other
had finished his oraison. This ceremony being per-
formed, we proceeded ; and, presently, met people
coming from all parts, who, on being called to by
the attendants, threw themselves prostrate on their
faces, till I was out of sight. The ground, through
which I passed, was in a state of nature, very stony,
and the soil seemed poor. It was, however, covered
with shrubs and plants, some of which perfumed the
air, with a more delicious fragrancy, than I had met
at any other of the islands visited by us in this ocean.
Our people, who had been obliged to remain so long
on shore, gave me the same account of those parts of
the island which they had traversed. They met with
several salt ponds, some of which had a little water
remaining, but others had none ; and the salt that was
left in them was so thin, that no great quantity could
have been procured. There was no appearance of
any running stream ; and though they found some
small wells, in which the fresh water was tolerably
good, it seemed scarce. The habitations of the na-

202 cook's voyage to feb.

lives were thinly scattered about ; and, it was sup-
posed, that there could not be more than five hundred
people upon the island, as the greatest part were seen
at the marketing-place of our party, and few found
about the houses by those who walked up the country.
They had an opportunity of observing the method
of living amongst the natives, and it appeared to be
decent and cleanly. They did not, however, see any
instance of the men and women eating together ; and
the latter seemed generally associated in companies
by themselves. It was found, that they burnt here the
oily nuts of the doee dooe for lights in the night, as
at Otaheite ; and that they baked their hogs in ovens ;
but, contrary to the practice of the Society and
Friendly Islands, split their carcases through their
whole length. They met with a positive proof of the
existence of the taboo (or as they pronounce it, the
tqfoo), for one woman fed another who was under that
interdiction. They also observed some other mys-
terious ceremonies ; one of which was performed by
a woman, who took a small pig, and threw it into
the surf, till it was drowned, and then tied up a
bundle of wood, which she also disposed of in the
same manner. The same woman, at another time,
beat with a stick upon a man's shoulders, who sat
down for that purpose. A particular veneration
seemed to be paid here to owls, which they have very
tame ; and it was observed to be a pretty general
practice amongst them, to pull out one of their * teeth ;
for which old custom, when asked the reason, the
only answer that could be got was, that it was teeha,
which was also the reason assigned for another of
their practices, the giving a lock of their hair.
After the water -casks had been filled and con-

* It is very remarkable, that, in this custom, which one would
think is so unnatural, as not to be adopted by two different tribes,
originally unconnected, the people of this island, and Dampier's na-
tives on the west side of New Holland, at such an immense distance,
should be found to agree.

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 203

veyed into the boat, and we had purchased from the
natives a few roots, a little salt, and some salted fish,
I returned on board with all the people, intending to
visit the island the next day. But about seven
o'clock in the evening the anchor of the Resolution
started, and she drove off the bank. As we had a
whole cable out, it was some time before the anchor
was at the bows ; and then we had the launch to
hoist up alongside, before we could make sail. By
this unlucky accident, we found ourselves, at day-
break next morning, three leagues to the leeward of
our last station ; and foreseeing that it would require
more time to recover it than I chose to spend, I made
the signal for the Discovery to weigh and join us.
This was done about noon ; and we immediately
stood away to the northward, in prosecution of our
voyage. Thus, after spending more time about these
islands, than was necessary to have answered all our
purposes, we were obliged to leave them before we
had completed our water, and got from them such a
quantity of refreshments as their inhabitants were
both able and willing to have supplied us with. But,
as it was, our ship procured from them provisions,
sufficient for three weeks at least ; and Captain Clerke,
more fortunate than us, got of their vegetable pro-
ductions, a supply that lasted his people upward of
two months. The observations I was enabled to
make, combined with those of Mr. Anderson, who
was a very useful assistant on all such occasions, will
furnish materials for the next chapter.

2(H cook's voyage to feb.

CHAP. XII.

THE SITUATION OF THE ISLANDS NOW DISCOVERED. THEIR

NAMES. CALLED THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. ATQOl DE-
SCRIBED. THE SOIL. CLIMATE. VEGETABLE PRODUC-
TIONS. BIRDS. FISH. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. PERSONS

OF THE INHABITANTS. THEIR DISPOSITION. DRESS.

ORNAMENTS. HABITATIONS. FOOD. COOKERY.

AMUSEMENTS. MANUFACTURES. WORKING-TOOLS.

KNOWLEDGE OF IRON ACCOUNTED FOR. CANOES. AGRI-
CULTURE. ACCOUNT OF ONE OF THEIR CHIEFS. WEA-
PONS. CUSTOMS AGREEING WITH THOSE OF TONGATABOO,

AND OTAHEITE. THEIR LANGUAGE THE SAME. EXTENT

OF THIS NATION THROUGHOUT THE PACIFIC OCEAN. RE-
FLECTIONS ON THE USEFUL SITUATION OF THE SANDWICH
ISLANDS,

It is worthy of observation, that the islands in the
Pacific Ocean, which our late voyages have added to
the geography of the globe, have been generally found
lying in groups or clusters ; the single intermediate
islands, as yet discovered, being few in proportion
to the others ; though, probably, there are many
more of them still unknown, which serve as steps be-
tween the several clusters. Of what number this
newly-discovered Archipelago consists, must be left
for future investigation. We saw five of them, whose
names, as given to us by the natives, are Woahoo,
Atooi, Oneeheow, Oreehoua, and Tahoora. The last
is a small elevated island, lying four or five leagues
from the south-east point of Oneeheow, in the direc-
tion of south, 69 W. We were told, that it
abounds with birds, which are its only inhabit-
ants. We also got some information of the exist-
ence of a low, uninhabited island, in the neighbour-
hood, whose name is Tammata pappa. Besides these

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN". C 2Q5

six, which we can distinguish by their names, it ap-
peared, that the inhabitants of those with whom we
had intercourse, were acquainted with some other
islands both to the eastward and westward. I named
the whole group the Sandwich Islands, in honour of
the Earl of Sandwich. Those that I saw, are situ-
ated between the latitude of '21 30', and c 2> 15' N.,
and between the longitude of 199 20', and 201 30'
East.

Of Woahoo, the most easterly of these islands
seen by us, which lies in the latitude of 21 36', we
could get no other intelligence, but that it is high
land, and is inhabited.

We had opportunities of knowing some particulars
about Oneeheow, which have been mentioned already.
It lies several leagues to the westward of our anchor-
ing place at Atooi ; and is not above fifteen leagues in
circuit. Its chief vegetable produce is yams ; if we
may judge from what was brought to us by the na-
tives. They have salt, which they call patai ; and is
produced in salt ponds. With it they cure both fish
and pork; and some salt fish, which we got from them,
kept very well, and were found to be very good.
This island is mostly low land, except the part facing
Atooi, which rises directly from the sea to a good
height; as does also the south-east point of it, which
terminates in a round hill. It was on the west side
of this point where our ships anchored.

Of Oreehoua we know nothing more than that it
is a small elevated island, lying close to the north
side of Oneeheow.

Atooi, which is the largest, being the principal
scene of our operations, I shall now proceed to lay
before my readers what information I was able to
collect about it, either from actual observation, while
on shore, or from conversation with its inhabitants,
who were perpetually on board the ships while we
lay at anchor ; and who, in general, could be toler-
ably, well understood, by those of us who had ac-

208 cook's voyage to feb.

quired an acquaintance with the dialects of the South
Pacific islands. It is, however, to be regretted, that
we should have been obliged, so soon, to leave a place
which, as far as our opportunities of knowing reached,
seemed to be highly worthy of a more accurate ex-
amination.

Atooi, from what we saw of it, is, at least, ten
leagues in length from east to west ; from whence its
circuit may nearly be guessed, though it appears to
be much broader at the east than at the west point,
if we may judge from the double range of hills which
appeared there. The road, or anchoring-place,
which we occupied, is on the south-west side of the
island, about six miles from the west end, before a
village which has the name of Wymoa. As far as we
sounded, we found that the bank has a fine grey sand
at the bottom, and is free from rocks ; except a little
to the eastward of the village, where there spits out
a shoal, on which are some rocks and breakers ; but
theyarenot far from shore. This road would be entirely
sheltered from the trade wind, if the height of the
land, over which it blows, did not alter its direction, and
make it follow that of the coast ; so that it blows at
north-east, on one side of the island, and at east south-
east, or south-east, on the other, falling obliquely upon
the shore. Thus the road, though situated on the lee-
side of the island, is a little exposed to the trade-wind ;
but notwithstanding this defect, is far from being a
bad station, and much superior to those which neces-
sity obliges ships daily to use, in regions where the
winds are both more variable and more boisterous; as
atTeneriffe, Madeira, the Azores, and elsewhere. The
landing too is more easy than at most of those places;
and, unless in very bad weather, always practicable.
The water to be got in the neighbourhood is excel-
lent, and easy to be conveyed to the boats. But no
wood can be cut at any distance, convenient enough
to bring it from, unless the natives could be prevailed
upon to part with the few etooa trees (for so they call

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 207

the cordia sebasliiia), that grow about their villages,
or a sort called done dooe, that grow farther up the
country.

The land, as to its general appearance, does not, in
the least, resemble any of the islands we have hitherto
visited within the tropic, on the south side of the
equator ; if we except its hills near the centre, which
are high, but slope gently to the sea, or lower lands.
Though it be destitute of the delightful borders of
Otaheite, and of the luxuriant plains of Tongataboo,
covered with trees, which at once afford a friendly
shelter from the scorching; sun, and an enchanting
prospect to the eye, and food for the natives, which
may be truly said to drop from the trees into their
mouths, without the laborious task of rearing; though,
I say, Atooi be destitute of these advantages, its pos-
sessing a greater quantity of gently-rising land, ren-
ders it, in some measure, superior to the above favour-
ite islands, as being more capable of improvement.

The height of the land within, the quantity of clouds
which we saw, during the whole time we staid, hang-
ing over it, and frequently on the other parts, seems to
put it beyond all doubt, that there is a sufficient sup-
ply of water ; and that there are some running streams
which we did not see, especially in the deep valleys,
at the entrance of which the villages commonly stand.
From the wooded part to the sea, the ground is
covered with an excellent sort of grass, about two
feet high, which grows sometimes in tufts, and, though
not very thick at the place where we were, seemed
capable of being converted into plentiful crops of
fine hay. But not even a shrub grows naturally on
this extensive space.

In the break, or narrow valley, through which we
had our road to the morai, the soil is of a brownish
black colour, somewhat loose ; but as we advanced
upon the high ground, it changed to a reddish brown,
more stiff and clayey, though, at this time, brittle
from its dryness. It is most probably the same all

208 cook's voyage to feb.

over the cultivated parts ; for what adhered to most
of the potatoes bought by us, which, no doubt,
came from very different spots, was of this sort. Its
quality, however, may be better understood from its
products than from its appearance. For the vale, or
moist ground, produces taro, of a much larger size
than any we had ever seen ; and the higher ground
furnishes sweet potatoes, that often weigh ten, and
sometimes twelve or fourteen pounds ; very few being
under two or three.

The temperature of the climate may be easily
guessed from the situation of the island. Were we
to judge of it from our experience, it might be said
to be very variable ; for, according to the generally
received opinion, it was now the season of the year,
when the weather is supposed to be most settled, the
sun being at its greatest annual distance. The heat
was, at this time, very moderate ; and few of those
inconveniences which many tropical countries are
subject to, either from heat or moisture, seem to be
experienced here, as the habitations of the natives
are quite close ; and they salt both fish and pork,
which keep well, contrary to what has usually been
observed to be the case, when this operation is at-
tempted in hot countries. Neither did we find any
dews of consequence, which may, in some measure,
be accounted for, by the lower part of the country
being destitute of trees.

The rock that forms the sides of the valley, and
which seems to be the same with that seen by us at
different parts of the coast, is a greyish black, pon-
derous stone ; but honey-combed, with some very
minute shining particles, and some spots of a rusty
colour interspersed. The last gives it often a reddish
cast, when at a distance. It is of an immense depth,
but seems divided into strata, though nothing is in-
terposed. For the large pieces always broke off to a
determinate thickness, without appearing to have
adhered to those below them. Other stones are pro-

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 20.Q

bably much more various than in the southern islands.
For, during our short stay, besides the lapis lydius,
which seems common all over the South Sea, we found
a species of cream-coloured whetstone, sometimes
variegated with blacker or whiter veins, as marble ;
or in pieces, as breccice ; and common writing slate,
as well as a coarser sort; but we saw none of them
in their natural state ; and the natives brought some
pieces of a coarse whitish pumice-stone. We got
also a brown sort of haematites, which, from being
strongly attracted by the magnet, discovered the
quantity of metal that it contained, and seems to be-
long to the second species of Cronstedt, though Lin-
naeus has placed it amongst his intractabilia. But its
variety could not be discovered ; for what we saw of
it, as well as the slates and whetstones, was cut arti-
ficially.

Besides the vegetable articles bought by us as re-
freshments, amongst which were, at least, five or six
varieties of plantains, the island produces bread-fruit,
though it seems to be scarce, as we saw only one tree,
which was large, and had some fruit upon it. There
are also a few cocoa-palms ; yams, as we were told,
for we saw none ; the kappe of the Friendly Islands,
or Virginian arum ; the etooa tree, and sweet-smelling
gardenia, or cape jasmine. We saw several trees of
the dooe dooe, so useful at Otaheite, as bearing the
oily nuts, which are stuck upon a kind of skewer,
and burnt as candles. Our people saw them used, in
the same manner, at Oneeheow. We were not on
shore at Atooi but in the day-time, and then we saw
the natives wearing these nuts, hung on strings, round
the neck. There is a species of sida, or Indian mal-
low, somewhat altered by the climate, from what we
saw at Christmas Island \ the morinda citrifolia, which
is called none ; a species of convolvulus ; the ava, or
intoxicating pepper \ and great numbers of gourds.
These last grow to a very large size, and are of a vast
variety of shapes, which probably is effected by art.

VOL. vi. p

iQ COOK/S VOYAGE TO FEB,

Upon the dry sand, about the village, grew a plant
that we had never seen in these seas, of the size of a
common thistle, and prickly, like that ; but bearing
a fine flower, almost resembling a white poppy. This,
with another small one, were the only uncommon
plants, which our short excursion gave us an oppor-
tunity of observing.

The scarlet birds, already described, which were
brought for sale, were never met with alive ; but we
saw a single small one, about the size of a canary-
bird, of a deep crimson colour ; a large owl ; two
large brown hawks, or kites ; and a wild duck. The
natives mentioned the names of several other birds ;
amongst which we knew the atoo % or blueish heron ;
and the torata, a sort of whimbrel, which are known
by the same names at Otaheite ; and it is probable
that there are a great many sorts, judging by the
quantity of fine yellow, green, and very small, velvet-
like, black feathers used upon the cloaks, and other
ornaments, worn by the inhabitants.

Fish, and other marine productions were, to ap-
pearance, not various ; as, besides the small mackerel,
we only saw common mullets ; a sort of a dead white,
or chalky colour; a small, brownish rock-fish, spotted
with blue ; a turtle, which was penned up in a pond ;
and three or four sorts of fish salted. The few shell-
fish that we saw were chiefly converted into orna-
ments, though they neither had beauty nor novelty
to recommend them.

The hogs, dogs, and fowls, which were the only
tame or domestic animals that we found here, were all
of the same kind that we met with at the South Pacific
islands. There were also small lizards ; and some
rats, resembling those seen at every island at which
we had as yet touched.

The inhabitants are of a middling stature, firmly
made, with some exceptions, neither remarkable for
a beautiful shape, nor for striking features, which
rather express an openness and good-nature, than a

1778* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 211

keen, intelligent disposition. Their visage, especially
amongst the women, is sometimes round ; but others
have it long ; nor can we say that they are distin-
guished, as a nation, by any general cast of counte-
nance. Their colour is nearly of a nut-brown, and
it may be difficult to make a nearer comparison, if
we take in all the different hues of that colour ; but
some individuals are darker. The women have been
already mentioned, as being little more delicate than
the men in their formation ; and I may say that, with
a very few exceptions, they have little claim to those
peculiarities that distinguish the sex in other coun-
tries. There is, indeed, a more remarkable equality
in the size, colour, and figure of both sexes, than in
most places 1 have visited. However, upon the
whole, they are far from being ugly, and appear to
to have few natural deformities of any kind. Their
skin is not very soft, nor shining ; perhaps for want
of oiling, which is practised at the southern islands;
but their eyes and teeth are, in general, very toler-
able. The hair, for the greatest part, is straight,
though, in some, frizzling ; and though its natural
colour be commonly black, it is stained, as at the
Friendly and other islands. We saw but few instances
of corpulence ; and these oftener among the women
than the men ; but it was chiefly amongst the latter
that personal defects were observed, though, if any
of them can claim a share of beauty, it was most
conspicuous amongst the young men.

They are vigorous, ' active, and most expert swim-
mers ; leaving their canoes upon the most trifling
occasion ; diving under them, and swimming to others
though at a great distance. It was very common to
see women, with infants at the breast, when the surf
was so high that they could not land in the canoes,
leap overboard, and without endangering their little
ones, swim to the shore, through a sea that looked
dreadful.

They seem to be blest with a frank, cheerful dis-

p 2

212 COOK'S VOYAGE TO FEB,

position ; and were I to draw any comparisons, I
should say, that they are equally free from the fickle
levity which distinguishes the natives of Otaheite, and
the sedate cast observable amongst many of those of
Tongataboo. They seem to live very sociably in their
intercourse with one another ; and, except the pro-
pensity to thieving, which seems innate in most of
the people we have visited in this ocean, they were
exceedingly friendly to us. And it does their sensi-
bility no little credit, without flattering ourselves,
that when they saw the various articles of our Euro-
pean manufacture, they could not help expressing
their surprise, by a mixture of joy and concern, that
seemed to apply the case, as a lesson of humility, to
themselves ; and, on all occasions, they appeared
deeply impressed with a consciousness of their own
inferiority ; a behaviour which equally exempts their
national character from the preposterous pride of the
more polished Japanese, and of the ruder Green-
lander. It was a pleasure to observe with how much
affection the women managed their infants, and how
readily the men lent their assistance to such a tender
office ; thus sufficiently distinguishing themselves from
those savages who esteem a wife and child as things
rather necessary than desirable, or worthy of their
notice.

From the numbers which we saw collected at every
village, as we sailed past, it may be supposed that
the inhabitants of this island are pretty numerous.
Any computation that we make can be only conjec-
tural. But that some notion may be formed, which
shall not greatly err on either side, 1 should suppose
that, including the straggling houses, there might be,
upon the whole island, sixty such villages, as that
before which we anchored ; and that, allowing five
persons to each house, there would be, in every vil-
lage, five hundred ; or thirty thousand upon the
island. This number is, certainly, not exaggerated ;
for we had sometimes three thousand persons, at

177S. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 213

least, upon the beach ; when it could not be supposed
that above a tenth part of the inhabitants were present.

The common dress, both of the women and of the
men, has been already described. The first have
often much larger pieces of cloth wrapped round
them, reaching from just below the breasts to the
hams, or lower ; and several were seen with pieces
thrown loosely about the shoulders, which covered
the greatest part of the body ; but the children, when
very young, are quite naked. They wear nothing
upon the head ; but the hair, in both sexes, is cut in
different forms ; and the general fashion, especially
among the women, is to have it long before and short
behind. The men often had it cut, or shaved, on
each side, in such a manner that the remaining part,
in some measure, resembles the crest of their caps
or helmets, formerly described. Both sexes, how-
ever, seem very careless about their hair, and have
nothing like combs to dress it with. Instances of
wearing it, in a singular manner, were sometimes
met with among the men, who twist it into a number
of separate parcels, like the tails of a wig, each about
the thickness of a finger; though the greatest part of
these, which are so long that they reach far down
the back, we observed, were artificially fixed upon
the head, over their own hair.*

It is remarkable that, contrary to the general prac-
tice of the islands we had hitherto discovered in the
Pacific Ocean, the people of the Sandwich Islands
have not their ears perforated, nor have they the least
idea of wearing ornaments in them. Both sexes,
nevertheless, adorn themselves with necklaces made
of bunches of small black cord, like our hat-string,
often above a hundred-fold, exactly like those of
Wateeoo ; only that instead of the two little balls,
on the middle before, they fix a small bit of wood,

* The print of Horn Island, which we meet with in Mr. Dal-
rymple's account of Le Maire and Schouten's voyages, represents
some of the natives of that island with such long tails, hanging
from their heads as are here described. See Dalrymples Voyages
to the South Pacific, vol. ii. p. 58.

r 3

214 cook's VOYAGE TO FEB.

stone, or shell, about two inches long, with a broad
hook, turning forward at its lower part, well polished.
They have, likewise, necklaces of many strings of very
small shells, or of the dried flowers of the Indian
mallow. And, sometimes, a small human image of
bone, about three inches long, neatly polished,
is hung round the neck. The women also wear
bracelets of a single shell, pieces of black wood, with
bits of ivory interspersed, and well polished, fixed
by a string drawn very close through them ; or others
of hogs' teeth, laid parallel to each other, with the
concave part outward, and the points cut off, fastened
together as the former ; some of which, made only
of large boars' tusks, are very elegant. The men,
sometimes, wear plumes of the tropic bird's feathers,
stuck in their heads ; or those of cocks, fastened
round neat polished sticks, two feet long, commonly
decorated, at the lower part, with oora ; and, for the
same purpose, the skin of a white dog's tail is sewed
over a stick, with its tuft at the end. They also fre-
quently wear on the head a kind of ornament, of a
ringer's thickness, or more, covered with red and
yellow feathers, curiously varied, and tied behind ;
and on the arm, above the elbow, a kind of broad sheli-
work, grounded upon net-work.

The men are frequently punctured, though not in
any particular part, as the Otaheiteans, and those of
Tongataboo. Sometimes there are a few marks upon
their hands, or arms, and near the groin ; but fre-
quently we could observe none at all ; though a few
individuals had more of this sort of ornament than
we had usually seen at other places, and ingeniously
executed in a great variety of lines and figures, on
the arms and forepart of the body ; on which latter
some of them had the figure of the taame, or breast-
plate, of Otaheite, though we did not meet with the
thing itself amongst them. Contrary to the custom
of the Society and Friendly Islands, they do not slit
or cut off' part of the prejncce; but have it universallv

17*8. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 5215

drawn over the glans, and tied with a string, as prac-
tised by some of the natives of New Zealand.

Though they seem to have adopted the mode of
living in villages, there is no appearance of defence,
or fortification, near any of them ; and the houses
are scattered about, without any order, either with
respect to their distances from each other, or there
position in any particular direction. Neither is there
any proportion as to their size ; some being large
and commodious, from forty to fifty feet long, and
twenty or thirty broad, while others of them are mere
hovels. Their figure is not unlike oblong corn, or
hay-stacks ; or, perhaps, a better idea may be con-
ceived of them, if we suppose the roof of a barn
placed on the ground, in such a manner, as to form
a high, acute ridge, with two very low sides, hardly
discernible at a distance. The gable, at each end
corresponding to the sides, makes these habitations
perfectly close all round ; and they are well thatched
with long grass, wich is laid on slender poles, dis-
posed with some regularity. The entrance is made
indifferently, in the end or side, and is an oblong
hole, so low, that one must rather creep than walk
in ; and is often shut up by a board of planks, fastened
together, which serves as a door, but having no hinges,
must be removed occasionally. No light enters the
house, but by this opening ; and though such close
habitations may afford a comfortable retreat in bad
weather, they seem but ill-adapted to the warmth of
the climate. They are, however, kept remarkably
clean ; and their floors are covered with a large quan-
tity of dried grass, over which they spread mats to
sit and sleep upon. At one end stands a kind of
bench, about three feet high, on which their house-
hold utensils are placed. The catalogue is not Jong.
It consists of gourd-shells, which they convert into
vessels that serve as bottles to hold water, and as bas-
kets to contain their victuals, and other things, with
covers of the same \ and of a few wooden bowls and

p 1<

%W COOK** VOYAGE TO FEB.

trenchers, of different sizes,. Judging from what we
saw growing, and from what was brought to market,
there can be no doubt that the greatest part of their
vegetable food consists of sweet potatoes, taro, and
plantains ; and that bread-fruit and yams are rather
to be esteemed rarities. Of animal food, they can
be in no want ; as they have abundance of hogs,
which run, without restraint, about the houses ; and
if they eat dogs, which is not improbable, their stock
of these seem to be very considerable. The great
number of fishing-hooks found among them, showed,
that they derive no inconsiderable supply of animal
food from the sea. But it should seem, from their
practice of salting fish, that the openness of their
coast often interrupts the business of catching them ;
as it may be naturally supposed, that no set of people
would ever think of preserving quantities of food arti-
ficially, if they could depend upon a daily, regular
supply of it, in its fresh state. This sort of reasoning,
however, will not account for their custom of salting
their pork, as well as their fish, which are preserved
in gourd-shells. The salt, of which they use a great
quantity for this purpose, is of a red colour, not very
coarse, and seems to be much the same with what our
stragglers found at Christmas Island. It has its
colour, doubtless, from a mixture of the mud, at the
bottom of the part where it is formed, for some of it
that had adhered in lumps, was of a sufficient white-
ness and purity.

They bake their vegetable food with heated stones,
as at the Southern Islands > and, from the vast quan-
tity which we saw dressed at one time, we suspected
that the whole village, or, at least, a considerable
number of people, joined in the use of a common
oven. We did not see them dress any animal food
at this island ; but Mr. Gore's party, as already men-
tioned, had an opportunity of satisfying themselves,
that it was dressed in Oneeheow in the same sort of
ovens j which leaves no doubt of this being also the

1778* THE IUCIIIC OCEAN. 217

practice in Atooi ; especially as we met with no uten-
sil there, that could be applied to the purpose of stew-
ing or boiling. The only artificial dish we met with,
was a taro pudding ; which, though a disagreable
mess from its sourness, was greedily devoured by the
natives. They eat ofF a kind of wooden plates, or
trenchers ; and the women, as far as we could judge
from one instance, if restrained from feeding at
the same dish with the men, as at Otaheite, are at
least permitted to eat in the same place near them.

Their amusements seem pretty various ; for, during
our stay, several were discovered. The dances, at
which they use the feathered cloaks and caps, were
not seen ; but from the motions which they made
with their hands, on other occasions, when they sung,
we could form some judgment that they are, in some
degree at least, similar to those we had met with at
the southern Islands, though not executed so skilfully.
Neither had they amongst them either flutes or
reeds ; and the only two musical instruments which
we observed, were of an exceeding rude kind. One
of them does not produce a melody exceeding that
of a child's rattle. It consists of what may be called
a conic cap inverted, but scarcely hollowed at the
base above a foot high, made of a coarse sedge-
like plant ; the upper part of which, and the edges,
are ornamented with beautiful red feathers ; and to the
point, or lower part, is fixed a gourd-shell, larger than
the fist. Into this is put something to rattle ; which
is done by holding the instrument by the small part,
and shaking, or rather moving it, from place to place
briskly, either to different sides, or backward and
forward, just before the face, striking the breast with
the other hand at the same time. The other musical
instrument, (if either of them deserve that name) was a
hollow vessel of wood, like a platter, combined with
the use of two sticks, on which one of our gentlemen
saw a man performing. He held one of the sticks,
about two feet long, as we do a fiddle, with one hand,

( 2[S cook's voyage to fo.

and struck it with the other, which was smaller,
and resembled a drum-stick, in a quicker or slower
measure ; at the same time beating with his foot upon
the hollow vessel, that lay inverted upon the ground,
and thus producing a tune that was by no means dis-
agreeable. This music was accompanied by the vocal
performance of some women, whose song had a pleas-
ing and tender effect,

We observed great numbers of small polished rods,
about four or five feet long, somewhat thicker than
the rammer of a musket, with a tuft of long white
dog's hair fixed on the small end. These are, pro-
bably, used in their diversions. We saw a person
take one of them in his hand, and holding it up, give
a smart stroke, till he brought it into an horizontal
position, striking with the foot, on the same side,
upon the ground, and with his other hand beating his
breast at the same time. They play at bowls, with
pieces of the whetstone mentioned before, of about a
pound weight, shaped somewhat like a small cheese,
but rounded at the sides and edges, which are very
nicely polished \ and they have other bowls of the
same sort, made of a heavy reddish brown clay, neatly
glazed over with a composition of the same colour,
or of a coarse, dark grey slate. They also use, in the
manner that we throw quoits, small, flat, rounded
pieces of the writing slate, of the diameter of the
bowls, but scarcely a quarter of an inch thick, also
well polished. From these circumstances one would
be induced to think that their games are rather trials
of skill than of strength.

In every thing manufactured by these people, there
appears to be an uncommon degree of neatness and
ingenuity. Their cloth, which is the principal man-
ufacture, is made from the moi^ns papyrifera ; and,
doubtless, in the same manner as at Otaheite and Ton-
gataboo ; for we bought some of the grooved sticks,
with which it is beaten. Its texture, however, though
thicker, is rather inferior to that of the cloth of either

1778. TIIE PACIFIC OCEAN. 219

of the other places ; but in colouring, or staining it,
the people of Atooi display a superiority of taste, by
the endless variation of figures which they execute.
One would suppose, on seeing a number of their
pieces, that they had borrowed their patterns from
some mercer's shop, in which the most elegant pro-
ductions of China and Europe are collected ; besides
some original patterns of their own. Their colours,
indeed, except the red, are not very bright ; but the
regularity of the figures and stripes is truly surpris-
ing ; for, as far as we knew, they have nothing like
stamps or prints, to make the impressions. In what
manner they produce their colours, we had not op-
portunities of learning; but besides the party-coloured
sorts, they have some pieces of plain white cloth, and
others of a single colour, particularly dark brown and
light blue. In general, the pieces which they brought
to us, were about two feet broad, and four or rive
feet long, being the form and quantity that they use
for their common dress, or maro ; and even these we
sometimes found were composed of pieces sewed to-
gether ; an art which we did not find to the south-
ward, but is strongly, though not very neatly per-
formed here. There is also a particular sort that is
thin, much resembling oil-cloth; and which is actually
either oiled or soaked in some kind of varnish, and
seems to resist the action of water pretty well.

They fabricate a great many white mats, which are
strong, with many red stripes, rhombuses, and other
figures interwoven on one side ; and often pretty
large. These, probably, make a part of their dress
occasionally ; for they put them on their backs when
they offered them for sale. But they make others
coarser, plain and strong, which they spread over their
floors to sleep upon.

They stain their gourd-shells prettily with undu-
lated lines, triangles, and other figures of a black
colour ; instances of which we saw practised at New
Zealand. And they seem to possess the art of var-

QZO COOK'S VOYAGE TO FEB.

nishing ; for some of these stained gourd-shells are
covered with a kind of lacker ; and, on other occasions,
they use a strong size, or gluey substance, to fasten
their things together. Their wooden dishes and bowls,
out of which they drink their ava, are of the etooa-
tree, or cordia, as neat, as if made in our turning-lathe,
and perhaps better polished. And amongst their
articles of handicraft, may be reckoned small square
fans of mat or wicker-work, with handles tapering
from them of the same or of wood, which are neatly
wrought with small cords of hair, and fibres of the
cocoa-nut core intermixed. The great variety of
fishing-hooks are ingeniously made, some of bone,
others of wood pointed with bone, and many of
pearl shell. Of the last, some are like a sort
that we saw at Tongataboo, and others simply
curved, as the common sort at Otaheite, as well as
the wooden ones. The bones are mostly small and
composed of two pieces; and all the different sorts
have a barb, either on the inside like ours, or on the
outside opposite the same part ; but others have both,
the outer one being farthest from the point. Of this
last sort, one was procured nine inches long, of a
single piece of bone, which, doubtless, belonged to
some large fish. The elegant form and polish of this
could not, certainly, be outdone by any European
artist, even if he should add all his knowledge in
design, to the number and convenience of his tools.
They polish their stones by constant friction, with
pumice-stone in water ; and such of their working
instruments or tools as I saw, resembled those of the
southern islands. Their hatchets, or rather adzes,
were exactly of the same pattern, and either made of
the same sort of blackish stone, or of a clay-coloured
one. They have also little instruments made of a
single shark's tooth, some of which are fixed to the
fore-part of a dog's jaw-bone, and others to a thin
wooden handle of the same shape, and at the other
end there is a bit of string fastened through a small

177 8 - THE TACIFIC OCEAN. ft c t\

perforation. These serve as knives occasionally, and
are, perhaps, used in carving.

The only iron tools, or rather bits of iron, seen amongst
them, and which they had before our arrival, were a
piece of iron hoop about two inches long, fitted into
a wooden handle # , and another edge tool, which our
people guessed to be made of the point of a broad-
sword. Their having the actual possession of these,
and their so generally knowing the use of this metal,
inclined some on board to think, that we had not
been the first European visitors of these islands. But,
it seems to me, that the very great surprise expressed
by them on seeing our ships, and their total igno-
rance of the use of fire-arms, cannot be reconciled
with such a notion. There are many ways by which
such people may get pieces of iron, or acquire the
knowledge of the existence of such a metal, without
ever having had an immediate connection with
nations that use it. It can hardly be doubted that it
was unknown to all the inhabitants of this sea, before
Magellan led the way into it ; for no discoverer, im-
mediately after his voyage, ever found any of this
metal in their possession ; though, in the course
of our late voyages it has been observed, that
the use of it was known at several islands, to
which no former European ships had ever, as far
as we know, found their way. At all the places
where Mendana touched in his two voyages, it
must have been seen and left, and this would
extend the knowledge of it, no doubt, to all the
various islands with which those whom he had
visited had any immediate intercourse. It might
even be carried farther ; and where specimens of
this article could not be procured, descriptions might,
in some measure, serve to make it known when
afterward seen. The next voyage to the southward

* Captain King purchased this, and has it now in his pos-
session.

2Q% cook's voyage to fi:b.

of the line in which any intercourse was had with the
natives of this ocean, was that of Quiros, who landed
at Sagittaria, the Island of Handsome People, and
at Tierra del Espiritu Santo ; at all which places, and
at those with whom they had any communication, it
must of consequence have been made known. To
him succeeded, in this navigation, Le Maire and
Schouten, whose connections with the natives com-
menced much farther to the eastward, and ended at
Cocos and Horn Islands. It was not surprising that,
when I visited Tongataboo in 1773, I should find a
a bit of iron there, as we knew that Tasman had
visited it before me ; but let us suppose, that he
had never discovered the Friendly Islands, our
finding iron amongst them w r ould have occasioned
much speculation ; though we have mentioned be-
fore *, the method by which they had gained a
renewal of their knowledge of this metal, which con-
firms my hypothesis. For Neeootaboo taboo, or
Boscawen's Island, where Captain Wallis's ships left
it, and from whence Paulaho received it, lies some de-
grees to the N. W. of Tongataboo. It is well known
that Roggewein lost one of his ships on the Pernicious
Islands, which, from their situation, are probably
not unknown to, though not frequently visited by,
the inhabitants of Otaheite and the Society Islands.
It is equally certain, that these last people had a
knowledge of iron, and purchased it with the greatest
avidity when Captain Wallis discovered Otaheite ;
and this knowledge could only have been acquired
through the mediation of those neigbouring Islands
where it had been originally left. Indeed, they ac-
knowledge that this was actually the case, and they
have told us since, that they held it in such estim-
ation before Captain Wallis's arrival, that a chief of
Otaheite who had got two nails into his possession,
received no small emolument by letting out the use

* See Vol. V. chap. x.

177$' THE PACIFIC OCEAN'. %<23

of these to his neighbours for the purpose of boring
holes, when their own methods failed or were
thought too tedious.* The men of the Society
Islands whom we found at Wateeoo had been driven
thither long after the knowledge and use of iron had
been introduced amongst their countrymen ; and
though, probably they had no specimen of it with
them, they would naturally and with ease communi-
cate at that island their knowledge of this valuable
material by description. From the people of Wateeoo
again, those of Hervey's Island might derive that
desire to possess some of it, of which we had proofs
during our short intercourse with them.

The consideration of these facts sufficiently ex-
plains how the knowledge of iron has been conveyed
throughout this ocean to islands which never have
had an immediate intercourse with Europeans ; and
it may easily be conceived, that wherever the history
of it only has been reported, or a very small quantity
of it has been left, the greater eagerness will be
shown by the natives to get copious supplies of it.
The application of these particulars to the instance
now under consideration is obvious. The people of
Atooi and Oneeheow, without having ever been
visited by Europeans before us, might have received
it from intermediate islands, lying between them
and the Ladrones, which have been frequented by
the Spaniards almost ever since the date of Ma-
gellan's voyage. Or, if the distant western situation
of the Ladrones should render this solution less pro-
bable, is there not the extensive continent of Ame-

* A similar instance of profitable revenue, drawn from the use of
nails by the chiefs of the Caroline Islands, is mentioned by father
Cantova : " Si, par hazard, un vaisseau etranger laisse dans Jeurs
" isles quelques vieux morceaux de fer, ils appartiennent de droit
f< aux Tamoles, qui en font faire des outils, le mieux qu'il est pos-
" sible. Ces outils sont un fond dont le Tamole tire un revenu
** considerable, car il les donne a louage, et ce louage se paye
i* assez cher," p. 314.

*224 cook's voyage to fep..

rica to windward, where the Spaniards have been
settled for more than two hundred years, during
which long period of time shipwrecks must have fre-
quently happened on its coasts? It cannot bethought
at all extraordinary, that partof such wrecks containing
iron should, by the easterly trade wind, be from time
to time cast upon islands scattered about this vast
ocean. The distance of Atooi from America, is no
argument against this supposition. But even if it
were, it would not destroy it. This ocean is tra-
versed every year by Spanish ships ; and it is obvious,
that, besides the accident of losing a mast and its ap-
pendages, casks with iron hoops, and many other
things containing iron, maybe thrown or may fall over-
board during so long a passage, and thus find their
way to land. But these are not mere conjectures
and possibilities, for one of my people actually did
see some wood in one of the houses at Wymoa, which
he judged to be fir. It was worm-eaten, and the
natives gave him to understand, that it had been
driven ashore by the waves of the sea ; and we had
their own express testimony, that they had got the in-
considerable specimens of iron found amongst them
from some place to the eastward.

From this digression (if it can be called so), I
return to the observations made during our stay at
Atooi, and some account must now be given of their
canoes. These, in general, are about twenty-four feet
long, and have the bottom for the most part formed of
a single piece or log of wood, hollowed out to the thick-
ness of an inch or an inch and an half, and brought
to a point at each end. The sides consist of three
boards, each about an inch thick, and neatly fitted
and lashed to the bottom part. The extremities,
both at head and stern, are a little raised, and both
are made sharp, somewhat like a wedge, but they
flatten more abruptly, so that the two side-boards
join each other side by side for more than a foot.
But Mr. Webber's drawing will explain their construe-

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 225

tion more accurately than my description in words.
As they are not more than fifteen or eighteen inches
broad, those that go single (for they sometimes join
them as at the other islands), have out-riggers, which
are shaped and fitted with more judgment than any
I had before seen. They are rowed by paddles, such
as we had generally met with ; and some of them
have alight triangular sail, like those of the Friendly
Islands, extended to a mast and boom. The ropes
used for their boats, and the smaller cords for their
fishing-tackle, are strong and well made.

What we saw of their agriculture, furnished suf-
ficient proofs that they are not novices in that art.
The vale ground has already been mentioned as one
continued plantation of taro, and a few other things,
which have all the appearance of being well attended
to. The potatoe fields and spots of sugar-cane or plan-
tains on the higher grounds, are planted with the
same regularity, and always in some determinate
figure, generally as a square or oblong ; but neither
these nor the others are inclosed with any kind of
fence, unless we reckon the ditches in the low
grounds such, which, it is more probable, are in-
tended to convey water to the taro. The greater quan-
tity and goodness of these articles may also, per-
haps, be as much attributed to skilful culture, as to
natural fertility of soil, which seems better adapted
to them than to bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees ; the
few which we saw of those latter not being in a
thriving state, which will sufficiently account for the
preference given to the culture of the other article,
though more labour be required to produce them.
But notwithstanding this skill in agriculture, the
general appearance of the island showed that it was
capable of much more extensive improvement, and
of maintaining at least three times the number of the
inhabitants that are at present upon it ; for the far
greater part of it that now lies quite waste, seemed
to be as good a soil as those parts of it that are in

vol. vi. Q

22(> cook's voyage to feb.

cultivation. We must therefore conclude, that these
people, from some cause which we were not long
enough amongst them to be able to trace, do not in-
crease in that proportion, which would make it
necessary to avail themselves of the extent of their
island, toward raising a greater quantity of its veget-
able production for their subsistence.

Though I did not see a chief of any note, there
were, however, several, as the natives informed us,
who reside upon Atooi, and to whom they prostrate
themselves as a mark of submission, which seems
equivalent to the moe, moea, paid to the chiefs of
the Friendly Islands, and is called here hamoea or
moe. Whether they were at first afraid to show
themselves, or happened to be absent, I cannot say ;
but after I had left the island, one oi' these great
men made his appearance, and paid a visit to Captain
Clerke on board the Discovery. He came offin a dou-
ble canoe, and, like the king of the Friendly Islands,
paid no regard to the small canoes that happened to
lie in his way, but ran against or over them, without
endeavouring in the least to avoid them. And it was
not possible for these poor people to avoid him, for
they could not manage their canoes, it being a neces-
sary mark of their submission, that they should lie
down till he had passed. His attendants helped him
into the ship, and placed him on the gang-way.
Their care of him did not cease then, for they stood
round him holding each other by the hands ; nor
would they suffer any one to come near him but
Captain Clerke himself. He was a young man,
clothed from head to foot, and accompanied by a
young woman supposed to be his wife. His name
was said to be Tamahano. Captain Clerke made
him some suitable presents, and received from him
in return, a large bowl supported by two figures of
men, the carving of which, both as to the design and
execution, showed some degree of skill. This bowl,
as our people were told, used to be filled with the kava,
or ava (as it is called at Otaheite), which liquor they

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. QTj

prepare and drink here, as at the other islands in this
ocean. Captain Clerke could not prevail upon this
great man to go below, nor to move from the place
where his attendants had first fixed him. After stay-
ing some time in his ship, he was carried again into
his canoe, and returned to the island, receiving the
same honours from all the natives, as when he came
on board. The next day several messages were sent
to Captain Clerke, inviting him to return the visit
ashore, and acquainting him that the chief had pre-
pared a large present on that occasion. But being
anxious to get to sea and join the Resolution, the
Captain did not think it advisable to accept of the
invitation.

The very short and imperfect intercourse which we
had with the natives, put it out of our power to form
any accurate judgment of the mode of government
established amongst them ; but from the general re-
semblance of customs, and particularly from what we
observed of the honours paid to their chiefs, it seems
reasonable to believe that it is of the same nature with
that which prevails throughout all the islands we had
hitherto visited, and probably their wars amongst
themselves are equally frequent. This, indeed,
might be inferred from the number of weapons which
we found them possessed of, and from the excellent
order these were kept in. But we had direct proof of
the fact from their own confession; and, as we under-
stood, these wars are between the different districts of
their own island, as well as between it and their
neighbours at Oneeheow and Orrehoua. We need
scarcely assign any other cause besides this, to account
for the appearance, already mentioned, of their popu-
lation bearing no proportion to the extent of their
ground capable of cultivation.

Besides their spears or lances, made of a fine
chesnut-coloured wood, beautifully polished, some of
which are barbed at one end, and flattened to a point
at the other, they have a sort of weapon which we

q 2

228 COOK'S VOYAGE TO FEB.

had never seen before, and not mentioned by any
navigator, as used by the natives of the South Sea.
It is somewhat like a dagger, in general about a foot
and a half long, sharpened at one or both ends,
and secured to the hand by a string. Its use is to
stab at close fight, and it seems well adapted to the
purpose. Some of these may be called double dag-
gers, having a handle in the middle, with which
they are better enabled to strike different ways. They
have also bows and arrows ; but, both from their
apparent scarcity and their slender make, it may
almost be presumed that they never use them in
battle. The knife or saw formerly mentioned, with
which they dissect the dead bodies, may also be
ranked amongst their weapons, as they both strike
and cut with it when closely engaged. It is a small
flat wooden instrument of an oblong shape, about a
foot long, rounded at the corners with a handle,
almost like one sort of the patoos of New Zealand ;
but its edges are entirely surrounded with sharks'
teeth strongly fixed to it and pointing outward,
having commonly a hole in the handle through which
passes a long string which is wrapped several times
round the wrist. We also suspected that they use
slings on some occasions, for we got some pieces of
the haematites, or blood-stone, artificially made of an
oval shape, divided longitudinally, with a narrow
groove in the middle of the convex part. To this
the person who had one of them applied a cord of no
great thickness, but would not part with it, though
he had no objection to part with the stone, which
must prove fatal when thrown with any force, as it
weighed a pound. We likewise saw some oval
pieces of whetstone well polished, but somewhat
pointed toward each end, nearly resembling in
shape some stones which we had seen at New Cale-
donia in 17^-j and used therein their slings.

What we could learn of their religious institutions,
and the manner of disposing of their dead, which

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 229

may properly be considered as closely connected, has
been already mentioned. And as nothing more
strongly points out the affinity between the manners
of these people and of the Friendly and Society
Islands, I must just mention some other circum-
stances to place this in a strong point of view, and, at
the same time, to show how a few of the infinite modi-
fications of which a few leading principles are capable
may distinguish any particular nation. The people
of Tongataboo inter their dead in a very decent man-
ner, and they also inter their human sacrifices ; but
they do not offer or expose any other anima or even
vegetable to their gods, as far as we know. Those of
Otaheite do not inter their dead, but expose them to
waste by time and putrefaction, though the bones are
afterwards buried ; and, as this is the case, it is very
remarkable that they should inter the entire bodies
of their human sacrifices. They also offer other
animals and vegetables to their gods, but are by no
means attentive to the state of the sacred places, where
those solemn rites are performed, most erf their morals
being in a ruinous condition, and bearing evident
marks of neglect. The people of Atooi, again, inter
both their common dead and human sacrifices, as at
Tongataboo \ but they resemble those of Otaheite in
the slovenly state of their religious places, and in
offering vegetables and animals to their gods.

The taboo also prevails in Atooi in its full extent, and
seemingly with much more rigour than even at Ton-
gataboo. For the people here always asked, with great
eagerness and signs of fear to offend, whether any
particular thing which they desired to see, or we were
unwilling to show, was taboo, or, as they pronounced
the word, tafoo ? The maia, raa 9 or forbidden arti-
cles at the Society Islands, though doubtless the
same thing, did not seem to be so strictly observed
by them, except with respect to the dead, about whom
we thought them more superstitious than any of the
others were. But these are circumstance with

Q 3

230 cook's VOYAGE TO FEB.

which we are not as yet sufficiently acquainted, to be
decisive about ; and I shall only just observe, to show
the similitude in other matters connected with reli-
gion, that the priests, or tahounas, here, are as nu-
merous as at the other islands, if we may judge from
our being able, during our stay, to distinguish several
saying their poore, or prayer.

But whatever resemblance we might discover, in
the general manners of the people of Atooi to those
of Otaheite, these of course were less striking than
the coincidence of language. Indeed, the languages
of both places may be said to be almost word for word
the same. It is true, that we sometimes remarked
particular words to be pronounced exactly as we had
found at New Zealand and the Friendly Islands ;
but though all the four dialects are indisputably the
same, these people in general have neither the strong
guttural pronunciation of the former, nor a less de-
gree of it, which also distinguishes the latter ; and
they have not only adopted the soft mode of the
Otaheiteans in avoiding harsh sounds, but the whole
idiom of their language, using not only the same
affixes and suffixes to their words, but the same
measure and cadence in their songs, though in a
manner somewhat less agreeable. There seems, in-
deed, at first hearing, some disagreement to the ear
of a stranger, but it ought to be considered, that the
people of Otaheite, from their frequent connections
with the English, had learnt, in some measure, to
adapt themselves to our scanty knowledge of their
language, by using not only the most common, but
even corrupted, expressions in conversation with us ;
whereas, when they conversed among themselves
and used the several parts necessary to propriety of
speech, they were scarcely at all understood by those
amongst us, who had made the greatest proficiency in
their vocabulary. A catalogue of words was col-
lected at Atooi by Mr. Anderson, who lost no oppor-
tunity of making our voyage useful to those who

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 231

amuse themselves in tracing the migrations of the
various tribes or families that have peopled the globe,
by the most convincing of all arguments, that drawn
from affinity of language.

How shall we account for this nation's having
spread itself in so many detached islands, so widely
disjoined from each other, in every quarter of the
Pacific Ocean ! We find it from New Zealand in the
south, as far as the Sandwich Islands to the north !
And in another direction, from Easter Island to the
Hebrides ! That is, over an extent of sixty degrees of
latitude or twelve hundred leagues north and south !
And eighty-three degrees of longitude, or sixteen
hundred and sixty leagues east and west ! How
much farther in either direction its colonies reach
is not known ; but what we know already, in
consequence of this and our former voyage, warrants
our pronouncing it to be, though perhaps not the
most numerous, certainly, by far, the most extensive
nation upon earth.*

Had the Sandwich Islands been discovered at an
early period by the Spaniards, there is little doubt
that they would have taken advantage of so excel-
lent a situation, and have made use of Atooi or some
other of the islands as a refreshing place, in the
ships that sail annually from Acapulco for Manilla.
They lie almost midway between the first place and
Guam one of the Ladrones, which is at present their
only port in traversing this vast ocean ; and it would
not have been a week's sail out of their common
route, to have touched at them, which could have
been done without running the least hazard of losing
the passage, as they are sufficiently within the verge
of the easterly trade-wind. An acquaintance with
the Sandwich Islands would have been equally fa-
vourable to our Buccaneers, who used sometimes to
pass from the coast of America to the Ladrones,

* See more about the great extent of the colonies of this nation,
in the Introductory Preface.

Q, 4

232 cook's voyage to feb.

with a stock of food and water scarcely sufficient
to preserve life. Here they might always have found
plenty, and have been within a month's sure sail of
the very part of California, which the Manilla ship is
obliged to make, or else have returned to the coast of
America, thoroughly refitted, after an absence of
two months. How happy would Lord Anson have
been, and what hardships would he have avoided, if
he had known that there was a group of islands, half
way between America and Tinian, where all his
wants could have been effectually supplied, and in
describing which, the elegant historian of that voy-
age would have presented his reader with a more
agreeable picture than I have been able to draw in
this chapter?

177^. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. Q33

CHAP. XIII.

OBSERVATIONS MADE AT THE SANDWICH ISLANDS, ON THE

LONGITUDE, VARIATION OF THE COMPASS, AND TIDES.

PROSECUTION OF THE VOYAGE. REMARKS ON THE MILD-
NESS OF THE WEATHER, AS FAR AS THE LATITUDE 4>4

NORTH. PAUCITY OF SEA BIRDS, IN THE NORTHERN

HEMISPHERE. SMALL SEA ANIMALS DESCRIBED. AR-
RIVAL ON THE COAST OF AMERICA. APPEARANCE OF

THE COUNTRY. UNFAVOURABLE WINDS, AND BOISTEROUS

WEATHER. REMARKS ON MARTIN DE AGUILLAR's RIVER,

AND JUAN DE FUCA's PRETENDED STRAIT. AN INLET

DISCOVERED, WHERE THE SHIPS ANCHOR. BEHAVIOUR OF

THE NATIVES.

After the discovery had joined us, we stood awav
to the northward, close hauled, with a gentle gale
from the E. ; and nothing occurring in this situation
worthy of a place in my narrative, the reader will
permit me to insert here the nautical observations
which 1 had opportunities of making relative to the
islands we had left ; and which we had been fortu-
nate enough to add to the geography of this part of
the Pacific Ocean.

The longitude of the Sandwich Islands was deter-
mined by seventy-two sets of lunar observations;
some of which were made while we were at anchor in
the road of Wymoa, others before we arrived and
after we left it, and reduced to it by the watch or
time-keeper. By the mean result of these observ-
ations, the longitude of the road is 200 13' 0" E.

rr. , ("Greenwich rate, - 202

Time-keeper yiietea rate> . . g()0 2] Q

The latitude of the road, by the

mean of two meridian observ- 5> 21 56 15 N.
ations of the sun

234 cook's voyage to feb.

The observations for the variation of the compass
did not agree very well among themselves. It is
true, they were not all made exactly in the same spot.
The different situations, however, could make very
little difference. But the whole will be best seen by
casting an eye on the following table.

East Mean

Time. Latitude. Longitude. Compass. Variation. Variation.

Jan. (Gregory's 10 10' 10')

18th. A.M. 21 12' 200 41' J Knight's 9 20 5 [-9 51' 38"

( Martin's 10 4 40 )

19th. P.M. 21 51 200 20 I mght ' S , !? J JJJ I 10 37 20

(Gregorys 11 12 30 J

(Gregory's 9 1 20
28th. A.M. 21 22 199 56 \ Knight's 9 1 25 [- 9 26 57

(Martin's 10 18 5 )

(Gregory's 11 21 15 )
28th. P.M. 2136 199 50 1 Knight's 10 40 VI! 12 50

(Martin's 11 37 50 )

Means of \ g ^ ^ ] _ io 17 11

the above J j

On Jan. 18th.21 12 200 41 the north end of

the needle dipped 42 1' 7".

The tides at the Sandwich Islands are so incon-
siderable, that with the great surf which broke against
the shore, it was hardly possible to tell at any time
whether we had high or low water, or whether it
ebbed or flowed. On the south side of Atooi, we
generally found a current setting to the westward or
north-westward ; but when we were at anchor off
Oneeheow, the current set nearly N. W. and S. E.,
six hours one way, and six the other, and so
strong as to make the ships tend, though the wind
blew fresh. This was certainly a regular tide, and
as far as I could judge, the flood came from the
N.W.

I now return to the progress of our voyage. On
the 7th, being in the latitude of 29 N., and in the
longitude of 200 E. } the wind veered to S. E. This
enabled us to steer N. E and E. \ which course we

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 235

continued till the 12th, when the wind had veered
round by the south and west, to north-east and east
north-east. I then tacked, and stood to the north-
ward, our latitude being 30 N. and our longitude
206 15' E. Notwithstanding our advanced latitude,
and its being the winter season, we had only begun,
for a few days past, to feel a sensation of cold in the
mornings and evenings. This is a sign of the equal
and lasting influence of the sun's heat, at all seasons,
to 30 on each side the line. The disproportion is
known to become very great after that. This must
be attributed, almost entirely, to the direction of the
rays of the sun, independent of the bare distance,
which is, by no means, equal to the effect.

On the 19th, being now in the latitude of 37 N.,
and in the longitude of 206 E., the wind veered to
south-east; and I was enabled again to steer to the east,
inclining to the north. We had, on the 25th, reached
the latitude of 42 30', and the longitude of 219 ;
and then we began to meet with the rock-weed, men-
tioned by the writer of Lord Anson's voyage, under
the name of sea-leek, which the Manilla ships gene-
rally fall in with. Now and then a piece of wood
also appeared. But if we had not known that the
continent of North America was not far distant, we
might, from the few signs of the vicinity of land
hitherto met with, have concluded, that there was
none within some thousand leagues of us. We had
hardly seen a bird, or any other oceanic animal, since
we left Sandwich Islands.

On the 1st of March, our latitude being now
44 49' N., and our longitude 228 E., we had one
calm day. This was succeeded by a wind from the
north, with which I stood to the east close hauled,
in order to make the land. According to the charts,
it ought not to have been far from us. It was re-
markable that we should still be attended with such
moderate and mild weather, so far to the northward,
and so near the coast of an extensive continent, at

236 cook's voyage to march,

this time of the year. The present season either
must be uncommon for its mildness, or we can assign
no reason why Sir Francis Drake should have met
with such severe cold, about this latitude, in the
month of June.* Viscaino, indeed, who was near
the same place in the depth of winter, says little of
the cold, and speaks of a ridge of snowy mountains,
somewhere on the coast, as a thing rather remark-
able, t Our seeing so few birds, in comparison of
what we met with in the same latitudes to the south
of the line, is another singular circumstance which
must either proceed from a scarcity of the different
sorts, or from a deficiency of places to rest upon.
From hence we may conclude, that beyond 40 in
the southern hemisphere, the species are much more
numerous and the isles where they inhabit also more
plentifully scattered about, than any where between
the coast of California and Japan, in or near that
latitude.

During a calm, on the morning of the 2d, some
parts of the sea seemed covered with a kind of slime,
and some small sea animals were swimming about.
The most conspicuous of which were of gelatinous,
or medusa kind, almost globular ; and another sort
smaller, that had a white or shining appearance, and
were very numerous. Some of these last were taken
up, and put into a glass cup, with some salt water,
in which they appeared like small scales, or bits of
silver, when at rest, in a prone situation. When
they began to swim about, which they did with equal
ease, upon their back, sides, or belly, they emitted
the brightest colours of the most precious gems, ac-
cording to their position with respect to the light.
Sometimes they appeared quite pellucid, at other
times assuming various tints of blue, from a pale

* See the account of Sir Francis's voyage, in Campbell's edition
of Harris, vol. i. p. 18, and other collections.

f See Torquemada's Narrative of Viscaino's Expedition, in
1602 and 1603, in the second volume of Vanegas's History of
California, English translation, from p. 229, to p. 308.

1778 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 25'7

sapphirine to a deep violet colour, which were fre-
quently mixed with a ruby, or opaline redness; and
glowed with a strength sufficient to illuminate the
vessel and water. These colours appeared most vivid
when the glass was held to a strong light ; and mostly
vanished on the subsiding of the animals to the bot-
tom, when they had a brownish cast. But, with
candle light, the colour was, chiefly, a beautiful pale
green, tinged with a burnished gloss ; and, in the
dark, it had a faint appearance of glowing fire. They
proved to be a new species of oniscus, and, from their
properties, were, by Mr. Anderson (to whom we owe
this account of them), called oniscus Jidgens; being
probably an animal which has a share in producing
some sorts of that lucid appearance, often observed
near ships at sea, in the night. On the same day two
large birds settled on the water, near the ship. One
of these was the procellaria maxima (the quebranta-
huessos\ and the other, which was little more than
half the size, seemed to be of the albatross kind.
The upper part of the wings, and tip of the tail,
were black, with the rest white ; the bill yellowish ;
upon the whole, not. unlike the sea-gull, though
larger.

On the 6th, at noon, being in the latitude of 4<4
10' N., and the longitude of 34^- E., we saw two
sails and several whales; and at day-break, the next
morning, the long-looked-for coast of New Albion *
was seen, extending from north-east to south-east,
distant ten or twelve leagues. At noon our latitude
was 44 33' N., and our longitude c 235 ZO' E. ; and
the land extended from north-east half north, to south-
east by south, about eight leagues distant. In this
situation we had seventy-three fathoms' water, over a
muddy bottom, and about a league farther oft* found
ninety fathoms. The land appeared to be of a mo-

* This part of the west side of North America was so named
by Sir Francis Drake.

238 cook's voyage to march,

derate height, diversified with hills and valleys, and,
almost every where, covered with wood. There was,
however, no very striking object on any part of it,
except one hill, whose elevated summit w r as flat.
This bore east from us, at noon. At the northern
extreme the land formed a point, which I called Cape
Foulweather, from the very bad weather that we
soon after met with. I judge it to lie in the lati-
tude of 44 55' N., and in thebngitude of 235 51/ E.

We had variable light airs and calms till eight
o'clock in the evening, when a breeze sprung up at
south-west. With it I stood to the north-west, under
an easy sail, waiting for day-light to range along
the coast. But at four, next morning, the wind
shifted to north-west, and blew in squalls, with rain.
Our course was north-east, till near ten o'clock, when,
rinding that I could make no progress on this tack,
and seeing nothing like a harbour, 1 tacked, and stood
off south-west. At this time, Cape Foulweather bore
north-east by north, about eight leagues distant.
Toward noon the wind veered more to the westward,
and the weather became fair and clear, so that we
were enabled to make lunar observations. Having
reduced all those that we had made since the 19th of
last month to the present ones, by the time-keeper,
amounting, in the whole, to seventy-two sets, their
mean result determined the longitude to be c 235 15'
%6" E. 9 which was 14 11/ less than what the time-
keeper gave. This longitude is made use of for settling
that of the coast, and I have not a doubt of its being
within a very few miles of the truth.

Our difficulties now began to increase. In the
evening the wind came to the north-west, blowing in
squalls with hail and sleet ; and the weather being
thick and hazy, I stood out to sea till near noon the
next day, when I tacked and stood in again for the
land, which made its appearance at two in the after-
noon, bearing east north-east. The wind and weather
continued the same; but, in the evening, the former

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 239

veered more to the west, and the latter grew worse,
which made it necessary to tack and stand off* till
four the next morning, when I ventured to stand in
again.

At four in the afternoon we saw the land, which, at
six, extended from north-east half east, to south-east
by south, about eight leagues distant. In this situ-
ation we tacked and sounded ; but a line of a hun-
dred and sixty fathoms did not reach the ground. I
stood off till midnight, then stood in again ; and at
half past six, we were within three leagues of the
land, which extended from north by east, half east,
to south, half east ; each extreme about seven leagues
distant. Seeing no signs of a harbour, and the wea-
ther being still unsettled, I tacked and stretched off
south-west, having then fifty-five fathoms water over
a muddy bottom.

That part of the land, which we were so near when
we tacked, is of a moderate height, though, in some
places, it rises higher within. It was diversified with
a great many rising grounds and small hills; many
of which were entirely covered with tall straight
trees ; and others, which were lower, and grew in
spots like coppices ; but the interspaces and sides of
many of the rising grounds, were clear. The whole,
though it might make an agreeable summer prospect,
had now an uncomfortable appearance, as the bare
grounds toward the coast were all covered with snow,
which seemed to be of a considerable depth between
the little hills and rising grounds ; and, in several
places toward the sea, might easily have been mis-
taken, at a distance, for white cliffs. The snow on
the rising grounds was thinner spread ; and farther
inland, there was no appearance of any ; from whence
we might, perhaps, conclude that what we saw toward
the sea had fallen during the night, which was colder
than any we had experienced since our arrival on the
coast ; and we had sometimes a kind of sleet. The
coast seemed every where almost straight, without

240 cook's voyage to march,

any opening or inlet ; and it appeared to terminate
in a kind of white sandy beach; though some on
board thought that appearance was owing to the snow.
Each extreme of the land that was now before us,
seemed to shoot out into a point. The northern one
was the same which we had first seen on the 7th ; and
on that account I called it Cape Perpetua. It lies in
the latitude of 44 6' N., and in the longitude of
235 59! E. The southern extreme before us, I
named Cape Gregory. * Its latitude is 43 30', and its
longitude 235 57' It is a remarkable point ; the
land of it rising almost directly from the sea to a to-
lerable height, while that on each side of it is low.

I continued standing off till one in the afternoon.
Then I tacked, and stood in, hoping to have the wind
off from the land in the night. But in this I was
mistaken ; for at five o'clock it began to veer to the
west and south west ; which obliged me, once more,
to stand out to sea. At this time, Cape Perpetua
bore north-east by north ; and the farthest land we
could see to the south of Cape Gregory, bore south
by east, perhaps ten or twelve leagues distant. If I
am right in this estimation, its latitude will be 43 10',
and its longitude 2S5 55' east, which is nearly the
situation of Cape Blanco, discovered or seen by
Martin d'Agular, on the 19th of January, lb'03. It
is worth observing, that, in the very latitude where
we now were, geographers have been pleased to place
a large entrance or strait, the discovery of which they
take upon them to ascribe to the same navigator ;
whereas nothing more is mentioned in the account of
his voyage, than his having seen, in this situation, a
large river, which he would have entered, but was
prevented by the currents, t

The wind, as I have observed, had veered to the

* In our calendar, the 7th of March is distinguished by the
name of Perpetua M. and the 12th by that of Gregory B.
f See the History of California. Eng. Trans, vol ii. p. 292.

17?8. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 241

south-west in the evening ; but it was very unsettled,
and blew in squalls with snow showers. In one of"
these, at midnight, it shifted at once to west north-
west, and soon increased to a very hard gale, with
heavy squalls, attended with sleet or snow. There
was no choice now ; and we were obliged to stretch
to the southward, in order to get clear of the coast.
This was done under courses, and two close-reefed
topsails ; being rather more sail than the ships could
safely bear ; but it was necessary to carry it to avoid the
more pressing danger of being forced on shore. This
gale continued till eight o'clock in the morning of the
13th ; when it abated, and I stood in again for the
land. We had been forced a considerable way back-
ward ; for at the time of our tacking, we were in
the latitude of 42 45', and in the longitude of 233 30'.

The wind continued at west, and north-west ;
storms, moderate weather, and calms, succeeding
each other by turns, till the morning of the 21st ;
when, after a few hours' calm, a breeze sprung up at
south-west. This bringing with it fair weather, I
steered north-easterly, in order to fall in with the
land, beyond that part of it where we had already so
unprofitably been tossed about for the last fortnight.
In the evening, the wind veered to the westward ; and
at eight o'clock, the next morning, we saw the land,
extending from north-east to east, nine leagues dis-
tant. At this time we were in the latitude of 47 5'
north, and in the longitude of 23.5 10' east.

I continued to stand to the north with a fine breeze
at west, and west north-west, till near seven o'clock
in the evening, when I tacked to wait for day-light.
At this time we were in forty-eight fathoms' water,
and about four leagues from the land, which ex-
tended from north to south east half east, and a small
round hill, which had the appearance of being an
island, bore north three quarters east, distant six or
seven leagues, as I guessed ; it appears to be of a tole-
rable height, and was but just to be seen from the

VOL. VI. it

242 COOK*S VOYAGE TO MARCH

deck. Between this island or rock, and the northern
extreme of the land, there appeared to be a small open-
ing, which flattered us with the hopes of finding an
harbour. These hopes lessened as we drew nearer ;
and, at last, we had some reason to think, that the open !
ingwasclosed by low land. On this account Icalled the
point of land to the north of it Cape Flattery. It lies
in the latitude of 48 15' north, and in the longitude
of #3.5 3' east. There is a round hill of a moderate
height over it ; and all the land upon this part of the
coast is of a moderate and pretty equal height, well
covered with wood, and had a very pleasant and fer-
tile appearance. It is in this very latitude where we
now w 7 ere, that geographers have placed the pretended
strait of Juan de Fuca. We saw nothing like it ; nor
is there the least probability that ever any such thing
existed. *

I stood off to the southward till night, when I
tacked, and steered to the north-west, with a gentle
breeze at south-west, intending to stand in for the
land as soon as day-light should appear. But, by
that time, we were reduced to two courses and close-
reefed topsails, having a very hard gale, with rain,
right on shore ; so that, instead of running in for the
land, I was glad to get an offing, or to keep that
which we had already got. The south west wind,
was, however, but of short continuance ; for in the
evening, it veered again to the west. Thus we had
perpetually strong w^est and north west winds to en-
counter. Sometimes in an evening, the wind would
become moderate, and veer to the southward ; but
this was always a sure prelude to a storm, which
blew the hardest at south south-east, and was attended
with rain and sleet. It seldom lasted above four or
six hours, before it was succeeded by another gale
from the north-west, which generally brought with

* See Michael Locke's apocryphal account of Juan de Fuca, and
his pretended strait, in Purchas, vol. iii. p. 849 852., and many
later collections.

1778* THE PACIFIC OCEAK. 243

it fair weather. It was by the means of these
southerly blasts, that we were enabled to get to the
north-west at all.

At length, at nine o'clock in the morning of the
29th, as we were standing to the north-east, we again
saw the land, which, at noon, extended from north-
west by west, to east south-east, the nearest part
about six leagues distant. Our latitude was now
49 29' north, and our longitude 232 29' east. The
appearance of the country differed much from that of
the parts which we had before seen, being full of
high mountains, whose summits were covered with
snow ; but the valleys between them, and the grounds
on the sea coast, high as well as low, were covered to
a considerable breadth with high straight trees, that
formed a beautiful prospect, as of one vast forest.
The south-east extreme of the land formed a low point,
off which are many breakers, occasioned by sunken
rocks. On this account it was called Point Breakers.
It lies in the latitude of 49 15' north, and in the lon-
gitude of 233 20' east ; and the other extreme, in
about the latitude of 50, and the longitude of 232.
I named this last Woody Point, It projects pretty
much out to the south west, and is high land. Be-
tween these two points, the shore forms a large bay,
which I called Hope Bay ; hoping, from the appear-
ance of the land, to find in it a good harbour. The
event proved, that we were not mistaken.

As we drew nearer the coast, we perceived the ap-
pearance of two inlets ; one in the north-west, and
the other in the north-east corner of the bay. As I
could not fetch the former, I bore up to the latter,
and passed some breakers, or sunken rocks, that lay
a league or more from the shore. We had nineteen
and twenty fathoms^water half a league without them;
but as soon as we had passed them, the depth in-
creased to thirty, forty, and fifty fathoms, with a
sandy bottom ; and farther in we found no ground
with the greatest length of line. Notwithstanding

it 2

244 cook's voyage to march.

appearances, we were not yet sure that there were
any inlets ; but as we were in a deep bay, I resolved
to anchor, with a view to endeavour to get some
water, of which, by this time, we were in great want.
At length, as we advanced, the existence of the inlet
was no longer doubtful. At five o'clock we reached
the west point of it, where we were becalmed for
some time. While in this situation, I ordered all the
boats to be hoisted out to tow the ships in. But
this was hardly done, before a fresh breeze sprung
up again at north-west, with which we were enabled
to stretch up into an arm of the inlet, that was ob-
served by us to run in to the north-east. There we
were again becalmed, and obliged to anchor in eighty-
five fathoms' water, and so near the shore as to
reach it with a hawser. The wind failed the Dis-
covery before she got within the arm, where she
anchored, and found only seventy fathoms.

We no sooner drew near the inlet, than we found
the coast to be inhabited ; and at the place where
we were first becalmed, three canoes came off to the
ship. In one of these were two men, in another six,
and in the third ten. Having come pretty near us,
a person in one of the two last stood up, and made a
long harangue, inviting us to land, as we guessed by
his gestures. At the same time, he kept strewing
handfuls of feathers towards us* ; and some of his
companions threw handfuls of red dust or powder in
the same manner. The person who played the orator,
wore the skin of some animal, and held in each hand
something which rattled as he kept shaking it. After
tiring himself with his repeated exhortations, of which
we did not understand a word, he was quiet ; and
then others took it, by turns, to say something,
though they acted their part neither so long, nor

* The natives of this coast, twelve degrees farther south, also
brought feathers as presents to Sir Francis Drake on his arrival.
See an account of his voyage in Campbell's edit, of Harris, vol. i.
p. 18.

177^' XHE PACIFIC OCEAN. 245

with so much vehemence as the other. We observed
that two or three had their hair quite strewed over
with small white feathers, and others had large ones
stuck into different parts of the head. After the
tumultuous noise had ceased, they lay at a little
distance from the ship, and conversed with each other
in a very easy manner ; nor did they seem to show
the least surprise or distrust. Some of them, now
and then got up, and said something after the man-
ner of their first harangues ; and one sung a very
agreeable air, with a degree of softness and melody
which we could not have expected > the word haela,
being often repeated as the burden of the song. The
breeze which soon after sprung up, bringing us nearer
to the shore, the canoes began to come off in greater
numbers ; and we had, at one time, thirty-two of
them near the ship, carrying from three to seven or
eight persons each, both men and women. Several
of these stood up in their canoes haranguing, and
making gestures after the manner of our first visitors.
One canoe was remarkable for a singular head, which
had a bird's eye and bill, of an enormous size,
painted on it ; and a person who was in it, who
seemed to be a chief, was no less remarkable for his
uncommon appearance ; having many feathers hang-
ing from his head, and being painted in an extraor-
dinary manner.* He held in his hand a carved bird
of wood, as large as a pigeon, with which he rattled
as the person first-mentioned had done ; and was no
less vociferous in his harangue, which was attended
with some expressive gestures.

Though our visitors behaved very peaceably, and
could not be suspected of any hostile intention, we
could not prevail upon any of them to come on board.
They showed great readiness, however, to part with

* Viscaino met with natives on the coast of California, while he
was in the harbour of San Diego, who were painted or besmeared
with black and white, and had their heads loaded ivith feathers.
History of California) vol. ii. p. 272.

R 3

46 rook's voyage to march,

any thing they had, and took from us whatever we
offered them in exchange ; but were more desirous
of iron, than of any other of our articles of commerce ;
appearing to be perfectly acquainted with the use of
that metal. Many of the canoes followed us to our
anchoring-place ; and a group of about ten or a dozen
of them remained along-side the Resolution most part
of the night.

These circumstances gave us a reasonable ground
of hope, that we should find this a comfortable station
to supply all our wants, and to make us forget the
hardships and delays experienced during a constant
succession of adverse winds, and boisterous weather,
almost ever since our arrival upon the coast of
America.

1/7S. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 247

BOOK IV.

TRANSACTIONS AMONGST THE NATIVES OF NORTH
AMERICA ; DISCOVERIES ALONG THAT COAST AND
THE EASTERN EXTREMITY OF ASIA, NORTHWARD TO
ICY CAPE; AND RETURN SOUTHWARD TO THE
SANDWICH ISLANDS.

CHAP. I.

THE SHIPS ENTER THE SOUND, AND MOOR IN A HARBOUR.

INTERCOURSE WITH THE NATIVES. ARTICLES BROUGHT

TO BARTER, THEFTS COMMITTED. THE OBSERVATORIES

ERECTED, AND CARPENTERS SET TO WORK. JEALOUSY OF

THE INHABITANTS OF THE SOUND TO PREVENT OTHER

TRIBES HAVING INTERCOURSE WITH THE SHIPS. STORMY

AND RAINY WEATHER. PROGRESS ROUND THE SOUND.

BEHAVIOUR OF THE NATIVES AT THEIR VILLAGES. THEIR

MANNER OF DRYING FISH, &C. REMARKABLE VISIT

FROM STRANGERS, AND INTRODUCTORY CEREMONIES. -A

SECOND VISIT TO ONE OF THE VILLAGES. LEAVE TO CUT

GRASS, PURCHASED. THE SHIPS SAIL. PRESENTS GIVEN

AND RECEIVED AT PARTING.

1 he ships having happily found so excellent shelter
in an inlet, the coasts of which appeared to be in-
habited by a race of people, whose inoffensive beha-
viour promised a friendly intercourse, the next
morning, after coming to anchor, I lost no time in
endeavouring to find a commodious harbour, where
we might station ourselves during our continuance
in the sound. Accordingly, I sent three armed boats,
under the command of Mr. King, upon this service ;
and soon after I went myself, in a small boat, on the

r 4

218 COOK'S VOYAGE TO MAliCH,

same search. I had very little trouble in finding
what we wanted. On the north-west of the arm we
were now in, and not far from the ships, I met with
a convenient snug cove well suited to our purpose.
Mr. King was equally successful ; for he returned
about noon, with an account of a still better harbour,
which he had seen and examined, lying on the north-
west side of the land. But as it would have required
more time to carry the ships thither than to the cove,
where I had been, which was immediately within our
reach ; this reason operated to determine my choice
in favour of the latter situation. But being appre-
hensive that we should not be able to transport our
ships to it, and to moor them properly, before night
came on, I thought it best to remain where we were
till next morning ; and, that no time might be
lost, I employed the remainder of the day to some
useful purposes, ordering the sails to be unbent, the
topmasts to be struck, and the foremast of the Reso-
lution to be unrigged, in order to fix a new bib, one
of the old ones being decayed.

A great many canoes, filled with the natives, were
about the ships all day ; and a trade commenced be-
twixt us and them, which was carried on with the
strictest honesty on both sides. The articles which
they offered to sale were skins of various animals, such
as bears, wolves, foxes, deer, racoons, polecats, mar-
tins ; and, in particular, of the sea otters, which are
found at the islands east of Kamtschatka. Besides
the skins in their native shape, they also brought gar-
ments made of them, and another sort of clothing
made of the bark of a tree, or some plant like hemp ;
weapons, such as bows, arrows, and spears; fish-
hooks, and instruments of various kinds; wooden
vizors of many different monstrous figures ; a sort of
woollen stuff; or blanketing; bags filled with red
ochre ; pieces of carved work ; beads ; and several
other little ornaments of thin brass and iron, shaped

17?8. THE PACIFIC OCEAN* 249

like a horse-shoe, which they hang at their noses ;
and several chissels, or pieces of iron, fixed to handles.
From their possessing which metals, we could infer that
they had either been visited before by some civilized
nation, or had connections with tribes on their con-
tinent, who had communication with them. But the
most extraordinary of all the articles which they
brought to the ships for sale were human skulls, and
hands not yet quite stripped of the flesh, which they
made our people plainly understand they had eaten ;
and, indeed, some of them had evident marks that
they had been upon the fire. We had but too much
reason to suspect, from this circumstance, that the
horrid practice of feeding on their enemies is as pre-
valent here as we had found it to be at New Zealand
and other South Sea islands. For the various articles
which they brought, they took in exchange knives,
chissels, pieces of iron and tin, nails, looking-glasses,
buttons, or any kind of metal. Glass beads they
were not fond of ; and cloth of every sort they re-
jected.

We employed the next day in hauling our ships
into the cove, where they were moored head and
stern, fastening our hawsers to the trees on shore. On
heaving up the anchor of the Resolution, we found,
notwithstanding the great depth of water in which it
was let go, that there were rocks at the bottom.
These had done some considerable damage to the
cable ; and the hawsers that were carried out, to
warp the ship into the cove, also got foul of rocks j
from which it appeared that the whole bottom was
strewed with them. The ship being again very leaky
in her upper works, I ordered the carpenters to go
to work to calk her, and to repair such other de-
fects, as on examination we might discover.

The fame of our arrival brought a great concourse
of the natives to our ships in the course of this day.
We counted above a hundred canoes at one time,

250 cook's voyage to apiul,

which might be supposed to contain, at an average,
five persons each ; for few of them had less than three
on board ; great numbers had seven, eight, or nine ;
and one was manned with no less than seventeen.
Amongst these visitors, many now favoured us with
their company for the first time, which we could guess
from their approaching the ships with their orations
and other ceremonies. If they had any distrust or
fear of us at first, they now appeared to have laid it
aside ; for they came on board the ships, and mixed
with our people with the greatest freedom. We soon
discovered, by this nearer intercourse, that they were
as light-fingered as any of our friends in the islands
we had visited in the course of the voyage. And
they were far more dangerous thieves; for, possessing
sharp iron instruments, they could cut a hook from a
tackle, or any other piece of iron from a rope, the
instant that our backs were turned. A large hook,
weighing between twenty and thirty pounds, several
smaller ones, and other articles of iron, were
lost in this manner. And, as to our boats, they
stripped them of every bit of iron that was worth
carrying away, though we had always men left in
them as a guard. They were dexterous enough in
effecting their purposes; for one fellow would con-
trive to amuse the boat-keeper, at one end of a boat,
while another was pulling out the iron work at the
other. If we missed a thing immediately after it had
been stolen, we found little difficulty in detecting the
thief, as they were ready enough to impeach one
another. But the guilty person generally relinquished
his prize with reluctance ; and sometimes we found
it necessary to have recourse to force.

The ships being securely moored, we began our
other necessary business the next day. The observ-
atories were carried ashore, and placed upon an ele-
vated rock on one side of the cove, close to the
Resolution. A party of men, with an officer, was

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 251

sent to cut wood, and to clear a place for the con-
veniency of watering. Others were employed to
brew spruce-beer, as pine trees abounded here. The
forge was also set up, to make the iron- work wanting
for the repairs of the foremast. But, besides one of
the bibs being defective, the larboard trestle-tree, and
one of the cross-trees were sprung.

A considerable number of the natives visited us
daily ; and every now and then we saw new faces.
On their first coming, they generally went through a
singular mode of introducing themselves. They
would paddle, with all their strength, quite round
both ships, a chief, or other principal person, in the
canoe, standing up with a spear, or some other
weapon, in his hand, and speaking, or rather hol-
lowing, all the time. Sometimes the orator of the
canoe would have his face covered with a mask, re-
presenting either a human visage, or that of some
animal ; and, instead of a weapon, would hold a
rattle in his hand, as before described. After making
this circuit round the ships, they would come along-
side, and begin to trade without further ceremony.
Very often, indeed, they would first give us a song,
in which all in the canoe joined, with a very pleasing
harmony.

During these visits they gave us no other trouble
than to guard against their thievish tricks. But, in the
morning of the 4th, we had a serious alarm. Our party
on shore, who were employed in cutting wood and fill-
ing water, observed that the natives all around them
were arming themselves in the best manner they could;
those who were not possessed of proper weapons, pre-
paring sticks and collecting stones. On hearing this,
I thought it prudent to arm also ; but being deter-
mined to act upon the defensive, I ordered all our
workmen to retreat to the rock, upon which we had
placed our observatories ; leaving the natives in quiet
possession of the ground where they had assembled,

252 cook's voyage to april,

which was within a stone's throw of the Resolution's
stern. Our fears were ill-grounded : these hostile
preparations were not directed against us, but against
a body of their own countrymen, who were coming
to fight them ; and our friends of the Sound, on ob-
serving our apprehensions, used their best endeavours
to convince us that this was the case. We could see
that they had people looking out, on each point of
the cove, and canoes frequently passed between them
and the main body assembled near the ships. At
length the adverse party, in about a dozen large canoes,
appeared off the south point of the cove, where they
stopped, and lay drawn up in line of battle, a nego-
ciation having commenced. Some people in canoes,
in conducting the treaty, passed between the two
parties, and there was some speaking on both sides.
At length, the difference, whatever it was, seemed
to be compromised ; but the strangers were not al-
lowed to come along-side the ships, nor to have any
trade or intercourse with us. Probably we were the
cause of the quarrel ; the strangers, perhaps, being
desirous to share in the advantages of a trade with
us ; and our first friends, the inhabitants of the Sound,
being determined to engross us entirely to them-
selves. We had proofs of this on several other oc-
casions ; nay, it appeared that even those who lived
in the Sound were not united in the same cause ; for
the weaker were frequently obliged to give way to the
stronger party, and plundered of every thing, with-
out attempting to make the least resistance.

We resumed our work in the afternoon, and the
next day, rigged the foremast ; the head of which
being rather too small for the cap, the carpenter
went to work to fix a piece on one side, to fill up
the vacant space. In cutting into the mast-head for
this purpose, and examining the state of it, both cheeks
were found to be so rotten that there was no possi-
bility of repairing them j and it became necessary to
get the mast out, and to fix new ones upon it. It

17?8 THE PACIFIC OCEAN". 253

was evident that one of the cheeks had been defective
at the first, and that the unsound part had been cut
out, and a piece put in, which had not only weak-
ened the mast-head, but had, in a great measure,
been the occasion of rotting every other part of both
cheeks. Thus, when we were almost ready to put
to sea, we had all our work to do over again ; and,
what was still more provoking, an additional repair
was to be undertaken, which would require some
time to be completed. But, as there was no remedy,
we immediately set about it. It was fortunate for
the voyage that these defects were discovered, when
we were in a place where the materials requisite were
to be procured. For, amongst the drift-wood in the
cove where the ships lay, were some small seasoned
trees very fit for our purpose. One of these was
pitched upon ; and the carpenters began, without loss
of time, to make out of it two new cheeks.

In the morning of the 7th, we got the foremast
out, and hauled it ashore ; and the carpenters of the
ships were set to work upon it. Some parts of the
lower standing rigging having been found to be very
much decayed, as we had time now to put them in
order, while the carpenters were repairing the fore-
mast, I ordered a new set of main-rigging to be fitted,
and a more perfect set of fore-rigging to be selected
out of the best parts of the old.

From the time of our putting into the Sound till
now, the weather had been exceedingly fine, without
either wind or rain. That comfort, at the very mo-
ment when the continuance of it would have been of
most service, was withdrawn. In the morning of the
Sth, the wind freshened at south-east, attended with
thick hazy weather and rain. In the afternoon the
wind increased ; and toward the evening it blew very
hard indeed. It came, in excessively heavy squalls,
from over the high land on the opposite shore, right
into the cove ; and, though the ships were very well
moored, put them in some danger. These tempest-

4

54 cook's voyage to april,

uous blasts succeeded each other pretty quick ; but
they were of short duration ; and in the intervals be-
tween them we had a perfect calm* According to
the old proverb, " misfortunes seldom come single ; M
the mizen was now the only mast on board the Reso-
lution that remained rigged, with its top-mast up.
The former was so defective that it could not support
the latter during the violence of the squalls, but gave
way at the head under the rigging. About eight
o'clock the gale abated ; but the rain continued with
very little intermission for several days ; and, that
the carpenters might be enabled to proceed in their
labours, while it prevailed, a tent was erected over
the foremast, where they could work with some de-
gree of convenience.

The bad weather which now came on, did not,
however, hinder the natives from visiting us daily ;
and, in such circumstances, their visits were very
advantageous to us. For they frequently brought us
a tolerable supply of fish, when we could not catch
any ourselves with hook and line ; and there was not
a proper place near us where we could draw a net.
The fish which they brought us were either sardines,
or what resembled them much, a small kind of bream,
and sometimes small cod.

On the 11th, notwithstanding the rainy weather,
the main-rigging was fixed and got over head ; and
our employment, the day after, was to take down the
mizen-mast, the head of which proved to be so rot-
ten that it dropped off while in the slings. In the
evening we were visited by a tribe of natives whom
we had never seen before ; and who, in general, were
better looking people than most of our old friends,
some of whom attended them. I prevailed upon
these visitors to go down into the cabin for the first
time ; and observed, that there was not a single ob-
ject that fixed the attention of most of them for a
moment; their countenances marking that they
looked upon all our novelties with the utmost indif-

1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 255

ference. This, however, was not without exception ;
for a few of the company showed a certain degree of
curiosity.

In the afternoon of the next day I went into the
woods with a party of our men, and cut down a tree
for a mizen-mast. On the day following, it was
brought to the place where the carpenters were em-
ployed upon the foremast. In the evening the wind,
which had been for some time westerly, veered to the
south-east, and increased to a very hard gale, with
rain, which continued till eight o'clock the next
morning, when it abated, and veered again to the
west.

The fore-mast being, by this time, finished, we
hauled it along-side ; but the bad weather prevented
our getting it in till the afternoon ; and we set about
rigging it with the greatest expedition, while the
carpenters were going on with the mizen-mast on
shore. They had made very considerable progress in
it on the 16th, when they discovered that the stick
upon which they were at work was sprung, or
wounded, owing, as supposed, to some accident in
cutting it down. So that all their labour was thrown
away ; and it became necessary to get another
tree out of the woods, which employed all hands
above half a day. During these various operations,
several of the natives, who were about the ships,
looked on with an expressive silent surprize, which
we did not expect, from their general indifference
and inattention.

On the 18th a party of strangers, in six or eight
canoes, came into the cove, where they remained,
looking at us, for some time ; and then retired, with-
out coming alongside either ship. We supposed that
our old friends, who were more numerous at this time
about us than these new visitors, would not permit them
to have an intercourse with us. It was evident, upon
this and several other occasions, that the inhabitants
of the adjoining parts of the Sound engrossed us en*

256 cook's voyage to april,

tirely to themselves ; or if, at any time, they did not
hinder strangers from trading with us, they contrived
to manage the trade for them in such a manner that
the price of their commodities was always kept up,
while the value of ours was lessening every day. We
also found that many of the principal natives who
lived near us, carried on a trade with more distant
tribes, in the articles they had procured from us.
For we observed that they would frequently disap-
pear for four or five days at a time, and then return
with fresh cargoes of skins and curiosities, which our
people were so passionately fond of that they always
came to a good market. But we received most be-
nefit from such of the natives as visited us daily.
These, after disposing of all their little trifles, turned
their attention to fishing, and we never failed to par-
take of what they caught. We also got from these
people a considerable quantity of very good animal
oil, which they had reserved in bladders. In this
traffic some would attempt to cheat us, by mixing
water with the oil ; and, once or twice, they had the
address to carry their imposition so far as to fill their
bladders with mere water, without a single drop of
oil. It was alwavs better to bear with these tricks
than to make them the foundation of a quarrel ; for
our articles of traffic consisted, for the most part, of
mere trifles ; and yet we were put to our shifts to
find a constant supply even of these. Beads, and.
such other toys, of which I had some left, were in
little estimation. Nothing would go down with our
visitors but metal ; and brass had, by this time sup-
planted iron, being so eagerly sought after, that
before we left this place, hardly a bit of it was left
in the ships except what belonged to our necessary
instruments. Whole suits of clothes were stripped
of every button ; bureaus of their furniture ; and
copper kettles, tin cannisters, candlesticks, and the
like, all went to wreck ; so that our American friends
here got a greater medley and variety of things from

17?H. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 2,57

us than any other nation whom we had visited in the
course of the vovage.

After a fortnight's had weather, the 19th proving
a fair day, we availed ourselves of it, to get up the
top-masts and yards, and to fix up the rigging. And,
having now finished most of our heavy work, I set
out the next morning to take a view of the Sound.
I first went to the west point, where I found a large
village, and before it a very snug harbour, in which
was from nine to four fathoms' water, over a bottom
of fine sand. The people of this village, who were
numerous, and to most of whom I was well known,
received me very courteously, every one pressing me
to go into his house, or rather his apartment ; for
several families live under the same roof. I did not
decline the invitations ; and my hospitable friends,
whom I visited, spread a mat for me to sit upon, and
showed me every other mark of civility. In most of
the houses were women at work, making dresses of
the plant or bark before mentioned, which they ex-
ecuted exactly in the same manner that the New
Zealanders manufacture their cloth. Others were
occupied in opening sardines. I had seen a large
quantity of them brought on shore from canoes, and
divided by measure amongst several people, who car-
ried them up to their houses, where the operation of
curing them by smoke-drying is performed. They
hang them on small rods ; at first, about a foot from
the fire ; afterward they remove them higher and
higher, to make room for others, till the rods, on
which the fish hang, reach the top of the house.
When they are completely dried, they are taken
down and packed close in bales, which they cover
with mats. Thus they are kept till wanted ; and they
are not a disagreeable article of food. Cod, and
other large fish, are also cured in the same manner
by them ; though they sometimes dry these in the
open air, without fire.

From this village I proceeded up the west side of
VOL. vi. s

&58 COOK'S VOYAGE TO APRIL,

the Sound. For about three miles I found the shore
covered with small islands, which are so situated as
to form several convenient harbours, having various
depths of water, from thirty to seven fathoms, with
a good bottom. Two leagues within the Sound, on
this west side, there runs in an arm in the direction
of north north-west; and two miles farther is another
nearly in the same direction, with a pretty large island
before it. I had no time to examine either of these
arms ; but have reason to believe that they do not
extend far inland, as the water was no more than
brackish at their entrances. A mile above the second
arm, I found the remains of a village. The logs or
framings of the houses were standing ; but the boards
that had composed their sides and roofs did not exist.
Before this village were some large fishing weirs ; but
I saw nobody attending them. These weirs were com-
posed of pieces of wicker-work made of small rods,
some closer than others, according to the size of the
fish intended to be caught in them. These pieces of
wicker-work (some of whose superfices are, at least,
twenty feet by twelve), are fixed up edgewise in
shallow water, by strong poles or pickets, that stand
firm in the ground. Behind this ruined village is a
plain of a few hours' extent, covered with the largest
pine-trees that I ever saw. This was the more re-
markable, as the elevated ground, most other parts
of this west side of the Sound, was rather naked.

From this place I crossed over to the other, or east
side of the Sound, passing an arm of it that runs in
north north-east, to appearance not far. I now found
what I had before conjectured, that the land, under
which the ships lay, was an island ; and that there
were many smaller ones lying scattered in the Sound
on the west side of it. Opposite the north end of
our large island, upon the main land, 1 observed a
village, and there I landed. The inhabitants of it were
riot so polite as those of the other I had just visited.
But this cold reception seemed, in a great measure,

1/78. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. &59

if not entirely, owing to one surly chief, who would
not let me enter their houses, following me wherever
1 went ; and several times, by expressive signs, mark-
ing his impatience that I should be gone. I attempted
in vain to sooth him by presents ; but though he did
not refuse them, they did not alter his behaviour.
Some of the young women, belter pleased with us
than was their inhospitable chief, dressed themselves
expeditiously in their best apparel, and assembling in
a bod