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match among the natives of a little ifland in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and even our female readers may recollect the account given of them by Fenelon in his Telemachus, where, though the events are fictitious, the manners of the age are faithfully transcribed from authors, by whom they are fuppofed to have been truly related.

When the wrestling was over, we were given to understand that two hogs, and a large quantity of breadfruit, were preparing for our dinner, which, as our appetites were now keen, was very agreeable intelligence. Our hoft, however, feemed to repent of his liberality; for, instead of setting his two hogs before us, he ordered one of them to be carried into our boat; at first we were not forry for this new difpofition of matters, thinking that we should dine more comfortably in the boat than on shore, as the crowd would more eafily be kept at a distance: but when we came on board, he ordered us to proceed with his hog to the fhip; this was mortifying, as we were now to row four miles while our dinner was growing cold; however, we thought fit to comply, and were at laft gratified with the cheer that he had provided, of which he and Tubourai Tamaide had a liberal share.

Our reconciliation with this man operated upon the people like a charm; for he was no fooner known to be on board, than bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other provifions were brought to the fort in great plenty.

Affairs now went on in the usual channel; but pork being still a fcarce commodity, our Master, Mr. Mollineux, and Mr. Green, went in the pinnace to the eastward, on the 8th, early in the morning, to fee whether they could procure any hogs or poultry in that part of the country; they proceeded in that direction twenty miles; but though they faw many hogs, and one turtle, they could not purchase either at any price; the people every where told them, that they all belonged to Tootahah, and that they could fell none of them without his permiffion. We now began to think this man was indeed a great Prince; for an influence fo extenfive and abfolute could be acquired by no other. And we afterwards found that he administered the government of this part of the ifland, as fovereign,

for

1769. May.

1769. May.

for a minor whom we never faw all the time that, we were upon it. When Mr. Green returned from this expedition, he said he had seen a tree of a fize which he was afraid to relate, it being no less than fixty yards in circumference; but Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander foon explained to him, that it was a species of the fig, the branches of which, bending down, take fresh root in the earth, and thus form a congeries of trunks, which being very clofe to each other, and all joined by a common vegetation, might eafily be mistaken for

one.

Though the market at the fort was now tolerably fupplied, provisions were brought more slowly: a fufficient quantity used to be purchased between fun-rise and eight o'clock, but it was now become necessary to attend the greatest part of the day. Mr. Banks, therefore, fixed his little boat up before the door of the fort, which was of great ufe as a place to trade in: hitherto we had purchased cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit for beads, but the market becoming rather flack in these articles, we were now, for the first time, forced to bring out our nails one of our smallest size, which was about four inches long, procured us twenty cocoa-nuts, and breadfruit in proportion, fo that in a short time our first plenty was reftored.

On the 9th, foon after breakfaft, we received a vifit from Oberea, being the first that she had made us after the lofs of our quadrant, and the unfortunate confinement of Tootahah with her came her prefent favourite, Obadée, and Tupia: they brought us a hog and fome bread-fruit; in return for which we gave her a hatchet. We had now afforded our Indian friends a new and interefting object of curiofity, our forge, which having been fet up fome time, was almoft conftantly at work. It was now common for them to bring pieces of iron, which we fuppofed they must have got from the Dolphin, to be made into tools of various kinds, and as I was very defirous to gratify them, they were indulged, except when the fmith's time was too precious to be fpared. Oberea having received her hatchet, produced as much old iron as would have made another, with a request that another might be made of it: in this, however, I could not gratify her; upon

May.

which she brought out a broken axe, and defired it 1769. might be mended; I was glad of an opportunity to compromife the difference between us : her axe was mended, and fhe appeared to be content. They went away. at night, and took with them the canoe, which had been a confiderable time at the point, but promifed to return in three days.

On the 10th I put fome melons and other plants Wednes. 10. into a spot of ground which had been turned up for the purpose; they had all been sealed up by the person of whom they were bought, in fmall bottles with refin; but none of them came up except mustard; even the cucumbers and melons failed, and Mr. Banks was of opinion that they were spoiled by the total exclusion of fresh air.

This day we learned the Indian name of the island, which is OT AHEITE,and by that name I fhall hereafter distinguish it: but after great pains taken we found it utterly impoffible to teach the Indians to pronounce our names; we had, therefore, new names, consisting of fuch founds as they produced in the attempt. They called me Toote; Mr. Hicks, Hete; Mollineux they renounced in absolute despair, and called the Master Boha, from his Christian name Robert; Mr. Gore was Toarro; Dr. Solander, Torano; and Mr. Banks, Tapane; Mr. Green, Eteree; Mr. Parkinson, Patini; Mr. Sporing, Polini; Peterfgill, Petrodero; and in this manner they had now formed names for almost every · man in the fhip: in fome, however, it was not easy to find any traces of the original, and they were perhaps, not mere arbitrary founds formed upon the occafion, but fignificant words in their own language. Monkhouse, the Midshipman, who commanded the party that killed the man for stealing the musket,they called Matte, not merely to imitate in found the first fyllable of Monkhoufe, but because Matte fignifies dead; and this bably might be the cafe with others.

pro

CHAP.

1769. May.

CHA P. XII.

Some Ladies vifit the Fort with uncommon Ceremonies. The Indians attend Divine Service, and in the Evening exhibit a most extraordinary Spectacle. Tubourai falls into Temptation.

F

RIDAY, the 12th of May, was diftinguished by a vifit from fome ladies whom we had never feen before, and who introduced themselves with fome very fingular ceremonies. Mr. Banks was trading in his boat at the gate of the fort as usual, in company with Tootahah, who had that morning paid him a vifit, and fome other of the natives; between nine and ten o'clock, a double canoe came to the landing-place, under the awning of which fat a man and two women: The Indians that were about Mr. Banks made figns that he fhould go out to meet them, which he hafted to do; but by the time he could get out of the boat, they advanced within ten yards of him they then stopped, and made figns that he should do fo too, laying down about a dozen young plantain trees, and fome other fmall plants: he complied, and the people having made a lane between them, the man, who appeared to be a fervant, brought fix of them to Mr. Banks by one of each at a time, paffing and repaffing fix times, and always pronounced a fhort fentence when he delivered them. Tupia, who stood by Mr. Banks, acted as his mafter of the ceremonies, and receiving the branches as they were brought, laid them down in the boat. When this was done, another man brought a large bundle of cloth, which having opened, he fpread piece by piece upon the ground,in the fpace between Mr. Banks and his vifitors; there were nine pieces, and having laid three pieces one upon another, the foremost of the women, who seemed to be the principal, and who was called OORATTOO, stepped upon them, and taking up her garments all round her to the waift, turned about, with great compofure and deliberation, with an air of perfect innocence and fimplicity, three times; when this was done, the dropped the veil, and stepping off the cloth, three more pieces

were

1769.

May.

were laid on, and the repeated the ceremony, then ftepping off as before; the last three were laid on, and the ceremony was repeated in the fame manner the third time. Immediately after this the cloth was rolled up, and given to Mr. Banks, as a present from the lady, who, with her friend, came up and faluted him. He made fuch prefents to them both as he thought would be mot acceptable, and after having staid about an hour they went away. In the evening the Gentlemen at the fort had a vifit from Oberea, and her favourite female attendant, whose name was ОTHEOTHEA, an agreeable girl, whom they were the more pleased to see, because having been some days abfent, it had been reported that she was either fick or dead. Saturd. 13. On the 13th,the market being over about ten o'clock, Mr. Banks walked into the woods with his gun, as he generally did, for the benefit of the fhade in the heat of the day: as he was returning back, he met Tubourai Tamaide, near his occasional dwelling, and ftopping to spend fome time with him, he fuddenly took the gun out of Mr. Banks's hand, cocked it, and, holding it up in the air, drew the trigger: fortunately for him, it flashed in the pan : Mr. Banks immediately took it from him, not a little furprized how he had acquired fufficient knowledge of a gun to discharge it, and reproved him with great feverity for what he had done. As it was of infinite importance to keep the Indians totally ignorant of the management of fire-arms, he had taken every opportunity of intimating that they could never offend him fo highly as by even touching his piece; it was now proper to enforce this prohibition, and he therefore added threats to his reproof: the Indian bore all patiently; but the moment Mr. Banks croffed the river, he fet off with all his family and furniture for his house. at Eparre. This being quickly known from the Indians at the fort, and great inconvenience being apprehended from the displeasure of this man, who upon all occafions had been particularly useful, Mr. Banks determined to follow him without delay, and folicit his return: he fet out the fame evening, accompanied by Mr. Mollineaux, and found him fitting in the middle of a large VOL. I. Hh circle

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