servants or slaves. I doubt if this be sufficient to conclude that they pay them divine worship, and that the servants or slaves are not allowed the same gods as men of more elevated rank. I never heard that Tupia made any such distinction, or that they worshipped any visible thing whatever. Besides, these were the first wooden gods we had seen in any of the isles; and all the authority we had for their being such was the bare word of perhaps a superstitious person, and whom we were likewise liable to misunderstand. It must be allowed that the people of this isle are, in general, more superstitious than at Otaheite. At the first visit I made the chief after our arrival, he desired I would not suffer any of my people to shoot herons and woodpeckers; birds as sacred with them as robin-redbreasts, swallows, &c. are with many old women in England. Tupia, who was a priest, and well acquainted with their religion, customs, traditions, &c., paid little or no regard to these birds. I mention this because some amongst us were of opinion that these birds are their Eatuas, or gods. We, indeed, fell into this opinion when I was here in 1769, and into some others still more absurd, which we had undoubtedly adopted if Tupia had not undeceived us. A man of his knowledge and understanding we have not since met with, and consequently have added nothing to his account of their religion, but superstitious notions.

The people, knowing that we should sail soon, began, on the 31st, to bring on board more fruit than usual. Amongst those who came was a young man who measured six feet four inches and six-tenths; and his sister, younger than he, measured five feet ten inches and a half. A brisk trade for hogs and fruit continued on the 1st of June. On the 2d, in the afternoon, we got intelligence that, three days before, two ships had arrived at Huaheine. The same report said the one was commanded by Mr. Banks, and the other by Captain Furneaux. The man who brought the account said he was made drunk on board one of them, and described the persons of Mr. Banks and Captain Furneaux so well, that I had not the least doubt of the truth, and began to consider about sending a boat over that very evening, with orders to Captain Furneaux, when a man, a friend of Mr. Forster, happened to come on board, and denied the whole, saying it was wa warre, a lie. The man from whom we had the intelligence was now gone, so that I could not confront them, and there were none else present who knew anything about it but by report; so that I laid aside sending over a boat till I should be better informed. This evening we entertained the people with fire-works, on one of the little isles near the entrance of the harbour.

I had fixed on the next day for sailing, but the intelligence from Huaheine put a stop to it. The chief had promised to bring the man on board who first brought the account; but he was either not to be found, or would not appear. In the morning, the people were divided in their opinions; but in the afternoon all said it was a false report. I had sent Mr. Clerke, in the morning, to the farthest part of the island, to make inquiries there: he returned without learning anything satisfactory. In short, the report appeared now too ill-founded to authorise me to send a boat over, or to wait any longer here; and, therefore, early in the morning of the 4th, I got everything in readiness to sail. Oreo, the chief, and his whole family, came on board, to take their last farewell, accompanied by Oo-oo-rou, the Earee de hi, and Boba the Earee of Otaha, and several of their friends. None of them came empty; but Oo-oo-rou brought a pretty large present, this being his first and only visit. I distributed amongst them almost everything I had left. The very hospitable manner in which I had ever been received by these people, had endeared them to me, and given them a just title to every thing in my power to grant. I questioned them again about the ships at Huaheine; and they all, to a man, denied that any were there. During the time these people remained on board, they were continually importuning me to return. The chief, his wife, and daughter, but especially the two latter, scarcely ever ceased weeping. I will not pretend to say whether it was real or feigned grief they showed on this occasion. Perhaps there was a mixture of both; but were I to abide by my own opinion only, I should believe it was real. At last, when we were about to weigh, they took a most affectionate leave. Oreo's last request was for me to return; when he saw he could not obtain that promise, he asked the name of my Marai (burying-place). As strange a question as this was, I hesitated not a moment to tell him Stepney; the parish in which I live when in London. I was made to repeat it several times over till they could pronounce it: then, Stepney, Marai no Toote, was echoed

through a hundred mouths at once. I afterwards found the same question had been put to Mr. Forster by a man on shore; but he gave a different, and, indeed, more proper answer, by saying, no man, who used the sea, could say where he should be buried. It is the custom at these isles for all the great families to have burial-places of their own, where their remains are interred. These go with the estate to the next heir. The Marai at Oparree at Otaheite, when Tootaha swayed the sceptre, was called Marai no Tootaha; but now it is called Marai no Otoo. What greater proof could we have of these people esteeming us as friends, than their wishing to remember us, even beyond the period of our lives? They had been repeatedly told that we should see them no more; they then wanted to know where we were to mingle with our parent dust.

As I could not promise, or even suppose, that more English ships would be sent to those isles, our faithful companion, Oedidee, chose to remain in his native country. But he left us with a regret fully demonstrative of the esteem he bore to us; nor could anything, but the fear of never returning, have torn him from us. When the chief teased me so much about returning, I sometimes gave such answers as left them hopes. Oedidee would

instantly catch at this, take me on one side, and ask me over again. In short, I have not words to describe the anguish which appeared in this young man's breast, when he went away. He looked up at the ship, burst into tears, and then sunk down into the canoe. The maxim that a prophet has no honour in his own country was never more fully verified than in this youth. At Otaheite he might have had anything that was in their power to bestow; whereas here he was not in the least noticed. He was a youth of good parts, and, like most of his countrymen, of a docile, gentle, and humane disposition; but, in a manner, wholly ignorant of their religion, government, manners, customs, and traditions; consequently, no material knowledge could have been gathered from him, had I brought him away. Indeed, he would have been a better specimen of the nation, in every respect, than Omai. Just as Oedidee was going out of the ship, he asked me to Tatou some Parou for him, in order to show the commanders of any other ships which might stop here. I complied with his request, gave him a certificate of the time he had been with us, and recommended him to the notice of those who might touch at the island after me.

We did not get clear of our friends till eleven o'clock, when we weighed, and put to sea; but Oedidee did not leave us till we were almost out of the harbour. He staid in order to fire some guns; for it being his Majesty's birth-day, we fired the salute at going away.

When I first came to these islands, I had some thought of visiting Tupia's famous Bolabola. But as I had now got on board a plentiful supply of all manner of refreshments, and the route I had in view allowing me no time to spare, I laid this design aside, and directed my course to the west; taking our final leave of these happy isles, on which benevolent nature has spread her luxuriant sweets with a lavish hand. The natives, copying the bounty of nature, are equally liberal; contributing plentifully and cheerfully to the wants of navigators. During the six weeks we had remained at them, we had fresh pork, and all the fruits which were in season, in the utmost profusion; besides fish at Otaheite, and fowls at the other isles. All these articles we got in exchange for axes, hatchets, nails, chisels, cloth, red feathers, beads, knives, scissars, looking-glasses, &c., articles which will ever be valuable here. I ought not to omit shirts as a very capital article in making presents; especially with those who have any connexions with the fair sex. A shirt here is full as necessary as a piece of gold in England. The ladies at Otaheite, after they had pretty well stripped their lovers of shirts, found a method of clothing themselves with their own cloth. It was their custom to go on shore every morning, and to return on board in the evening, generally clad in rags. This furnished a pretence to importune the lover for better clothes; and when he had no more of his own, he was to dress them in new cloth of the country, which they always left ashore; and appearing again in rags, they must again be clothed. So that the same suit might pass through twenty different hands, and be as often sold, bought, and given away.

Before I finish this account of these islands, it is necessary to mention all I know concerning the government of Ulietea and Otaha. Oreo, so often mentioned, is a native of

Bolabola; but is possessed of Whenooas or lands at Ulietea; which, I suppose, he, as well as many of his countrymen, got at the conquest. He resides here as Opoony's lieutenant; seeming to be vested with regal authority, and to be the supreme magistrate in the island. Oo-oo-rou, who is the Earee by hereditary right, seems to have little more left him than the bare title, and his own Whenooa or district, in which, I think, he is sovereign. I have always seen Oreo pay him the respect due to his rank; and he was pleased when he saw me distinguish him from others.

Otaha, so far as I can find, is upon the very same footing. Boba and Ota are the two chiefs; the latter I have not seen; Boba is a stout, well-made young man; and we are told, is, after Opoony's death, to marry his daughter, by which marriage he will be vested with the same regal authority as Opoony has now; so that, it should seem, though a woman may be vested with regal dignity, she cannot have regal power. I cannot find that Opoony has got anything to himself by the conquest of these isles, any farther than providing for his nobles, who have seized on best part of the lands. He seems to have no demand on them for any of the many articles they have had from us. Oedidee has several times enumerated to me all the axes, nails, &c. which Opoony is possessed of, which hardly amount to as many as he had from me when I saw him in 1769. Old as this famous man is, he seems not to spend his last days in indolence. When we first arrived here, he was at Maurana; soon after, he returned to Bolabola; and we were now told he was gone to Tubi.

I shall conclude this account of these islands with some observations on the watch which Mr. Wales hath communicated to me. At our arrival in Matavai Bay in Otaheite, the longitude pointed out by the watch was 2° 8′ 38′′ too far to the west; that is, it had gained, since our leaving Queen Charlotte's Sound, of its then rate of going, 8' 34". This was in about five months, or rather more, during which time it had passed through the extremes of cold and heat. It was judged that half this error arose after we left Easter Island; by which it appeared that it went better in the cold than in the hot climates *.

BOOK III.

FROM ULIETEA TO NEW ZEALAND.

CHAPTER I.-PASSAGE FROM ULIETEA TO THE FRIENDLY ISLES; WITH A DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL ISLANDS THAT WERE DISCOVERED, AND THE INCIDENTS WHICH HAPPENED IN THAT TRACK.

On the 6th, being the day after leaving Ulietea, at eleven o'clock A. M., we saw land bearing N.W., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to be a low reef island about four leagues in compass, and of a circular form. It is composed of several small patches connected together by breakers, the largest lying on the N.E. part. This is Howe Island, discovered by Captain Wallis, who, I think, sent his boat to examine it; and, if I have not

* Capt. Fitzroy, in the Appendix to the surveying voyages of the Adventure and the Beagle, page 326, gives it as his opinion," confirmed by eight years' observations of the movements of chronometers," that "temperature is the chief, if not the only cause (generally speaking), of marked changes of rate: the balances of but few watches being so well compensated as to be proof against long continuance of higher or lower temperature." In connexion with this subject, Capt. Fitzroy has the following remarks, deserving of great attention by all travellers and readers of travels, and which serve to illustrate the observations in the text, though not fully to explain the result there noticed :-"Some chronometrical measurements have erred, and caused much perplexity in the following manner :-The chronometers were rated in air whose average temperature was-let us suppose for example,

seventy. They were then carried through air either considerably hotter, or considerably colder, and again rated in a temperature nearly equal to that specified. The rates were not found to differ much, and it was supposed that the chronometers had been going extremely well; though, in truth, the rates of most of the watches had differed extremely (from those found in port) during the voyage; but they had returned nearly to the old rates upon reaching nearly equal temperature. And this has happened, more or less, to every ship carrying chronometers across the equator; especially when going to Rio de Janeiro with the sun to the northward of the line." The consideration of this fact will account for many errors into which navigators, depending solely on their chronometers for their longitude, have been and are continually liable to fall.-ED.

been misinformed, found a channel through, within the reef, near the N.W. part. The inhabitants of Ulietea speak of an uninhabited island, about this situation, called by them Mopeha, to which they go at certain seasons for turtle. Perhaps this may be the same; as we saw no signs of inhabitants upon it. Its latitude is 16° 46′ South; longitude 154° 8' West.

From this day to the 16th we met with nothing remarkable, and our course was West southerly; the winds variable from the North round by the East to S. W. attended with cloudy, rainy, unsettled weather, and a southerly swell. We generally brought-to, or stood upon a wind, during night; and in the day made all the sail we could. About half-an-hour after sunrise this morning, land was seen from the topmast head, bearing N.N.E. We immediately altered the course and steering for it, found it to be another reef island, composed of five or six woody islets, connected together by sand-banks and breakers, inclosing a lake, into which we could see no entrance. We ranged the West and N. W. coasts, from its southern to its northern extremity, which is about two leagues; and so near the shore, that at one time we could see the rocks under us; yet we found no anchorage, nor saw we any signs of inhabitants. There were plenty of various kinds of birds, and the coast seemed to abound with fish. The situation of this isle is not very distant from that assigned by Mr. Dalrymple for La Sagitaria, discovered by Quiros; but, by the description the discoverer has given of it it cannot be the same. For this reason I looked upon it as a new discovery, and named it Palmerston Island, in honour of Lord Palmerston, one of the Lords of the Admiralty. It is situated in latitude 18° 4′ South, longitude 163° 10′ West.

At four o'clock in the afternoon we left this isle, and resumed our course to the W. by S. with a fine steady gale easterly, till noon on the 20th, at which time, being in latitude 18° 50', longitude 168° 52', we thought we saw land to S.S.W. and hauled up for it accordingly. But, two hours after, we discovered our mistake, and resumed our course W. by. S. Soon after we saw land from the mast-head in the same direction; and, as we drew nearer, found it to be an island which, at five o'clock, bore West, distant five leagues. Here we spent the night plying under the topsails; and, at daybreak next morning, bore away, steering for the northern point, and ranging the West coast at the distance of one mile, till near noon. Then, perceiving some people on the shore, and landing seeming to be easy, we brought-to, and hoisted out two boats, with which I put off to the land, accompanied by some of the officers and gentlemen. As we drew near the shore, some of the inhabitants, who were on the rocks, retired to the woods, to meet us, as we supposed; and we afterwards found our conjectures right. We landed with ease in a small creek, and took post on a high rock to prevent a surprise. Here we displayed our colours, and Mr. Forster and his party began to collect plants, &c. The coast was so overrun with woods, bushes, plants, stones, &c. that we could not see forty yards round us. I took two men, and with them entered a kind of chasm, which opened a way into the woods. We had not gone far before we heard the natives approaching; upon which I called to Mr. Forster to retire to the party, as I did likewise. We had no sooner joined, than the islanders appeared at the entrance of a chasm not a stone's throw from us. We began to speak, and make all the friendly signs we could think of to them, which they answered by menaces; and one of two men, who were advanced before the rest, threw a stone, which struck Mr. Sparrman on the arm. Upon this two muskets were fired, without order, which made them all retire under cover of the woods; and we saw them no more.

After waiting some little time, and till we were satisfied nothing was to be done here, the country being so overrun with bushes that it was hardly possible to come to parley with them, we embarked and proceeded down along shore, in hopes of meeting with better success in another place. After ranging the coast for some miles without seeing a living soul, or any convenient landing-place, we at length came before a small beach, on which lay four canoes. Here we landed by means of a little creek, formed by the flat rocks before it, with a view of just looking at the canoes, and to leave some medals, nails, &c. in them, for not a soul was to be seen. The situation of this place was to us worse than the former. A flat rock lay next the sea; behind it a narrow stone beach; this was bounded by a perpendicular * Captain Wallis did not land on this island, being deterred from attempting to do so by the breakers.-ED.

rocky cliff of unequal height, whose top was covered with shrubs; two deep and narrow chasms in the cliff seemed to open a communication into the country. In or before one of these lay the four canoes which we were going to look at; but in the doing of this, I saw we should be exposed to an attack from the natives, if there were any, without being in a situation proper for a defence. To prevent this as much as could be, and to secure a retreat in case of an attack, I ordered the men to be drawn up upon the rock, from whence they had a view of the heights; and only myself, and four of the gentlemen, went up to the canoes. We had been there but a few minutes, before the natives, I cannot say how many, rushed down the chasm out of the wood upon us. The endeavours we used to bring them to a parley were to no purpose; for they came with the ferocity of wild boars, and threw their darts. Two or three muskets, discharged in the air, did not hinder one of them from advancing still farther, and throwing another dart, or rather a spear, which passed close over my shoulder. His courage would have cost him his life, had not my musket missed fire; for I was not five paces from him when he threw his spear, and had resolved to shoot him to save myself. I was glad afterwards that it happened as it did. At this instant, our men on the rock began to fire at others who appeared on the heights, which abated the ardour of the party we were engaged with, and gave us time to join our people, when I caused the firing to cease. The last discharge sent all the islanders to the woods, from whence they did not return so long as we remained. We did not know that any were hurt. It was remarkable, that when I joined our party, I tried my musket in the air, and it went off as well as a piece could do. Seeing no good was to be got with these people, or at the isle, as having no port, we returned on board, and having hoisted in the boats, made sail to W.S.W. I had forgot to mention, in its proper order, that having put ashore a little before we came to this last place, three or four of us went upon the cliffs, where we found the country, as before, nothing but coral rocks, all overrun with bushes; so that it was hardly possible to penetrate into it, and we embarked again with intent to return directly on board, till we saw the canoes; being directed to the place by the opinion of some of us, who thought they heard some people.

The conduct and aspect of these islanders occasioned my naming it Savage Island*. It is situated in the latitude 19° 1' South, longitude 169° 37' West. It is about eleven leagues

All

in circuit; of a round form, and good height; and hath deep waters close to its shores. the sea-coast, and as far inland as we could see, is wholly covered with trees, shrubs, &c.

The natives of Savage Island are still, it appears, deserving of the title bestowed on them by Cook, being described by Mr. Williams as the most wretched and degraded of any nation he had ever seen except the Abori

gines of New Holland, and as having lost none of their ferocity of disposition. A fuller notice of the little that is known of these people will be given in its proper place in the Appendix.-ED.