*w!-t fubftantives. In confequence of this remark, I fliall
always in the fequel either omit this prefix, or feparate
it from the word itfelf by a hyphen : and I cannot help
taking notice that M. de Bougainville has been fortunate
enough to catch the name of the ifland without the additional
O, and expreffed it as well as the nature of the
French language will permit, by Tam, which, with the
addition of a flight afpirate, we pronounce Taheitee, or
Tahitee.
Seeing an opening in the reef before us, which was the
entrance to the harbour of Whai-Urua, in the lefler penin-
fula of O-Taheitee, we fent a boat to found in it, which
found convenient anchorage. The boat afterwards proceed,
ed to the fhore, where a croud of the natives gathered
round it, and we heard the fqueaking of pigs, which was
at this time a more welcome found to us, than the mufic
of the moft brilliant performer. Our people, however,
were not fo fortunate as to purchafe any of them, all their
offers being conftantly refufed, under the pretext thatthefe
animals belonged to the aree, or king.
A canoe now came alongfide, of a fomewhat larger fize
than the reft, and brought a handfome man, above fix feet
high, and three women, who all came on board. The
man who immediately informed us, that his name was
©-Tai| feemed to be a perfon of fome confequence in this
part of the ifland, and we fuppofed he belonged to that
clafs
clafs of vaffals, or freeholders, who are called Manahounas
in the firft voyage of captain Cook. He came on the
quarter-deck, to all appearance thinking, that a place where
our chiefs were Rationed, beft became him. He was remarkable
fairer than any of the natives we had yet feen, and
refembled in colour the Weft Indian Meftizos. His features
were really handfome and regular; he had a high forehead,
arched eyebrows, large black eyes, fparkling with expref-
fion, and a well-proportioned nofe; there was fomething
remarkably fweet and engaging about his mouth; the lips
were prominent, but not difagreeably large ; and his beard
was black, and finely frizzled ; his hair was of a jetty colour,
and fell in ftrong curls down his neck; but feeing
that we all had ours queued, he made ufe of a black filk
neckcloth, which Mr. Clerke made him a prefent of, to imitate
our fafhion. The body was in general well proportioned,
though fomewhat too lufty, and his feet were rather
too large to harmonize perfectly with the reft. By
the help of vocabularies we afked this man feveral quef-
tions. One of the firft was, whether Tootahah was well |
to this we were anfwered, that he was dead, being killed
by the men of Tiarraboo, or the fmaller peninfula, and
that O-Aheatua was s-aree, or the king of the latter; which
was confirmed by all the other natives. Of his three female
companions, one was his wife, and the other two
his fitters: the latter took great pleafure in teaching us to
L 1 a cal1
*77 3*
A ugust,