1769. May. Sunday 14. Monday 15. Such were our Matins; our Indians thought fit to perform Vefpers of a very different kind. A young man, near fix feet high, performed the rites of Venus with a little girl about eleven or twelve years of age, before feveral of our people, and a great number of the natives, without the leaft fense of its being indecent or improper, but, as appeared, in perfect conformity to the custom of the place. Among the spectators were several women of fuperior rank, particularly Oberea, who may properly be faid to have affifted at the ceremony; for they gave inftructions to the girl how to perform her part, which, young as fhe was, fhe did not seem much to ftand in need of. This incident is not mentioned as an object of idle curiofity, but as it deferves confideration in determining a queftion which has been long debated in philofophy; Whether the shame attending certain actions, which are allowed on all fides to be in themselves innocent, is implanted in Nature, or fuperinduced by custom? If it has its origin in cuftom, it will, perhaps, be found difficult to trace that custom, however general, to its fource; if in inftinct, it will be equally difficult to discover from what cause it is fubdued or at least over-ruled among these people, in whose manners not the least trace of it is to be found. On the 14th and 15th, we had another opportunity of obferving the general knowlege which thefe people had of any defign that was formed among them. In the night between the 13th and 14th, one of the water-casks was stolen from the outfide of the fort: in the morning, there was not an Indian to be feen who did not know that it was gone; yet they appeared not to have been trufted, or not to have been worthy of truft; for they feemed all of them disposed to give intelligence where it might be found. Mr. Banks traced traced it to a part of the bay where he was told it had been put into a canoe, but as it was not of great confequence he did not complete the discovery. When he returned, he was told by Tubourai Tamaide, that another cafk would be stolen before the morning: how he came by this knowlege it is not easy to imagine; that he was not a party in the design is certain, for he came with his wife and his family to the place where the water cafks ftood, and placing their beds near them, he said he would himself be a pledge for their fafety, in defpight of the thief: of this, however, we would. not admit; and making them understand that a fentry would be placed to watch the casks till the morning, he removed the beds into Mr. Banks's tent, where he and his family spent the night, making figns to the fentry when he retired, that he should keep his eyes open. In the night this intelligence appeared to be true; about twelve o'clock the thief came, but discovering that a watch had been set, he went away without his booty. Mr. Banks's confidence in Tubourai Tamaide-had greatly increased fince the affair of the knife, in confequence of which he was at length exposed to temptations which nei-ther his integrity nor his honour was able to refift. They had withstood many allurements, but were at length enfnared by the fascinating charms of a basket of nails; these nails were much larger than any that had yet been brought into trade, and had, with perhaps fome degree of criminal negligence, been left in a corner of Mr. Banks's tent, to which the Chief had always free accefs. One of these nails, Mr. Banks's fervant happened to fee in his poffeffion, upon his having inadvertently thrown back that part of his garment under which it was concealed. Mr. Banks being told: of this, and knowing that no fuch thing had been given 6 him,, 1769. May. Monday 15. him, either as a prefent or in barter, immediately examined the basket, and discovered, that out of feven nails five were miffing. He then, though not without great reluctance, charged him with the fact, which he immediately confessed, and however he might fuffer, was probably not more hurt than his accufer. A demand was immediately made of reftitution; but this he declined, faying, that the nails were at Eparre: however, Mr. Banks appearing to be much in earneft, and using fome threatening figns, he thought fit to produce one of them. He was then taken to the fort, to receive fuch judgment as should be given against him by the general voice. After fome deliberation, that we might not appear to think too lightly of his offence, he was told, that if he would bring the other four nails to the fort, it should be forgotten. To this condition he agreed; but I am forry to fay he did not fulfil it. Instead of fetching the nails, he removed with his family before night, and took all his furniture with him. As our long-boat had appeared to be leaky, I thought it neceffary to examine her bottom, and to my great surprize, found it fo much eaten by the worms, that it was neceffary to give her a new one; no fuch accident had happened to the Dolphin's boats, as I was informed by the officers on board, and therefore it was a misfortune that I did not expect: I feared that the pinnace alfo might be nearly in the fame condition; but, upon examining her, I had the fatisfaction to find that not a worm had touched her, though fhe was built of the fame wood, and had been as much in the water; the reason of this difference I imagine to be, that the long-boat was paid with varnish of pine, and the pinnace painted with white lead and oil; the bottoms of all boats therefore which are fent into this country fhould be painted like that of the pinnace, and the fhips fhould be supplied with a good stock, in order to give them a new coating when it should be found neceffary. 1769. May. Having received repeated meffages from Tootahah, that Wednef. 24. if we would pay him a vifit he would acknowledge the favour by a prefent of four hogs, I fent Mr. Hicks, my First Lieutenant, to try if he could not procure the hogs upon eafier terms, with orders to fhow him every civility in his power. Mr. Hicks found that he was removed from Eparre to a place called TETTAHAH, five miles farther to the westward. He was received with great cordiality; one hog was immediately produced, and he was told that the other three, which were at some distance, should be brought in the morning. Mr. Hicks readily consented to stay; but the morning came without the hogs, and it not being convenient to stay longer, he returned in the evening, with the one that he had got. On the 25th, Tubourai Tamaide and his wife Tomio made Thursday 25. their appearance at the tent, for the first time fince he had been detected in ftealing the nails; he feemed to be under some discontent and apprehension, yet he did not think fit to purchase our countenance and good-will by restoring the four which he had fent away. As Mr. Banks and the other Gentlemen treated him with a coolness and referve which did not at all tend to restore his peace or good-humour, his stay was short, and his departure abrupt. Mr. Monkhouse, the Surgeon, went the next morning in order to effect a reconciliation, by perfuading him to bring down the nails, but he could not fucceed. VOL. II. 02 S CHAP. 1769. May. CHA P. XIII. Another Vifit to Tootahab, with various Adventures: Extraordinary Amusement of the Indians, with Remarks upon it: Preparations to obferve the Tranfit of Venus, and what happened in the mean time at the Fort. ΟΝ N the 27th, it was determined that we should pay our visit to Tootahah, though we were not very confident Saturday 27 that we fhould receive the hogs for our pains. I therefore fet out early in the morning, with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and three others, in the pinnace. He was now removed from Tettahah, where Mr. Hicks had feen him, to a place called ATAHOUROU, about fix miles farther, and as we could not go above half way thither in the boat, it was almost evening before we arrived: we found him in his usual state, fitting under a tree, with a great crowd about him. We made our prefents in due form, confifting of a yellow stuff petticoat, and fome other trifling articles, which were graciously received; a hog was immediately ordered to be killed and dressed for fupper, with a promife of more in the morning: however, as we were lefs defirous of feafting upon our journey than of carrying back with us provifions, which would be more welcome at the fort, we procured a reprieve for the hog, and fupped upon the fruits of the country. As night now came on, and the place was crowded with many more than the houfes and canoes would contain; there being Oberea with her attendants, and many other travellers whom we knew, we began to look out for lodgings. Our party confifted |