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they had them from the fhips that lay in Bougainville's harbour.

1769.

June.

We proceeded on foot till we came to the Tuesday 27. district which was immediately under the govern. ment of the principal Chief, or King of the peninfula, Waheatua. Waheatua had a fon, but whether, according to the cuftom of Opoureonu, he administered the government as regent, or in his own right, is uncertain. This district confifts of a large and fertile plain, watered by a river fo wide, that we were obliged to ferry over it in a canoe; our Indian train, however, chofe to swim, and took to the water with the fame facility as a pack of hounds. In this place we faw no house that appeared to be inhabited, but the ruins of many, that had been very large. We proceeded along the fhore, which forms a bay, called OAITIPEHA, and at last we found the Chief fitting near fome pretty canoe awnings, under which, we fuppofed, he and his attendants flept. He was a thin old man, with a' very white head and beard, and had with him a comely woman, about five and twenty years old, whose name was TOUDIDDE. We had often heard the name of this woman, and, from report and obfervation, we had reason to think that she was the OBEREA of this peninfula. From this place, between which and the ifthmus there are other harbours, formed by the reefs that lie along the fhore, where fhipping may lie in per

fect

1769. June.

fect fecurity, and from whence the land trends S. S. E. and S. to the S. E. part of the island, Tuesday 27, we were accompanied by TEAREE, the fon of Waheatua, of whom we had purchased a hog, and the country we paffed through appeared to be more cultivated than any we had seen in other parts of the island: the brooks were every where banked into narrow channels with stone, and the shore had also a facing of stone, where it was washed by the fea. The houses were neither large nor numerous, but the canoes that were hauled up along the shore were almost innumerable, and superior to any that we had seen before, both in fize and make; they were longer, the fterns were higher, and the awnings were supported by pillars. At almost every point there was a fepulchral building, and there were many of them alfo in land. They were of the fame figure as thofe in Opoureonu, but they were cleaner and better kept, and decorated with many carved boards, which were set upright, and on the top of which were various figures of birds and men: on one in particular, there was the representation of a cock, which was painted red and yellow, to imitate the feathers of that animal, and rude images of men were, in fome of them, placed one upon the head of another. But in this part of the country, however fertile and cultivated, we did not see a single bread-fruit; the trees were entirely

bare,

bare, and the inhabitants seemed to fubfift principally upon nuts, which are not unlike a chefnut, and which they call Abee.

When we had walked till we were weary, we called up the boat, but both our Indians, Tituboalo and Tuahow, were miffing: they had, it seems, stayed behind at Waheatua's, expect ing us to return thither, in consequence of a promise which had been extorted from us, and which we had it not in our power to fulfil.

Tearee, however, and another, embarked with us, and we proceeded till we came a-breast of a small island called OTOOAREITE; it being then dark, we determined to land, and our Indians conducted us to a place where they said we might fleep: it was a deferted house, and near it was a little cove, in which the boat might lie with great safety and convenience. We were, however, in want of provisions, having been very sparingly supplied fince we set out; and Mr. Banks immediately went into the woods to fee whether any could be procured. As it was dark, he met with no people, and could find but one house that was inhabited: a bread-fruit and a half, a few Ahees, and fome fire, were all that it afforded; upon which, with a duck or two, and a few curlieus, we made our fupper, which, if not fcanty, was disagreeable, by the want of bread, with which we had neglected to furnish ourselves, as we depended up

on

1769.

June.

Tuesday 27.

1769. June.

on meeting with bread-fruit, and took up our lodging under the awning of a canoe belonging Tuelday 27 to Tearee, which followed us.

Wednef. 28.

The next morning, after having spent fome time in another fruitless attempt to procure a supply of provisions, we proceeded round the fouth east point, part of which is not covered by any reef, but lies open to the fea; and here the hill rifes directly from the fhore. At the fouthermoft part of the island, the shore is again. covered by a reef, which forms a good harbour; and the land about it is very fertile. We made this rout partly on foot, and partly in the boat: when we had walked about three miles, we arrived at a place where we saw several large canoes, and a number of people with them, whom we were agreeably furprised to find were of our intimate acquaintance. Here, with much difficulty, we procured fome cocoa-nuts, and then embarked, taking with us Tuahow, one of the Indians who had waited for us at Waheatua's, and had returned the night before, long after it was dark.

When we came abreast of the fouth-east end of the island, we went afhore, by the advice of our Indian guide, who told us that the country was rich and good. The Chief, whofe name was MATHIABO, foon came down to us, but seemed to be a total stranger both to us and to our trade: his fubjects, however, brought us plenty

plenty of cocoa-nuts, and about twenty breadfruit. The bread fruit we bought at a very dear rate, but his excellency fold us a pig for a glass bottle, which he preferred to every thing elfe that we could give him. We found in his poffeffion a goose and a turkey-cock, which, we were informed, had been left upon the island by the Dolphin: they were both enormously fat, and so tame that they followed the Indians, who were fond of them to excess, wherever they

went.

In a long house in this neighbourhood, we faw what was altogether new to us. At one end of it, faftened to a femicircular board, hung fifteen human jaw-bones; they appeared to be fresh, and there was not one of them that wanted a fingle tooth. A fight fo extraordinary, ftrongly excited our curiofity, and we made many inquiries about it: but at this time could get no information, for the people either could not, or would not understand us.

When we left this place, the Chief, Mathiabo, defired leave to accompany us, which was readily granted. He continued with us the remainder of the day, and proved very useful, by piloting us over the fhoals. In the evening, we opened the bay on the north-weft fide of the ifland, which anfwered to that on the fouth-eaft, fo as at the isthmus, or carrying-place, almost to interfect the island, as I have, obferved beVOL. II. Ff fore;

1769.

June.

Wednef.28.

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