»773»
S e p t e m b e r .
A VOY AGE ROUND THE WORLD.
other hand were fo fcarce here, that we rarely got plan-
tanes, bread-fruit, and coco-nuts, but contented ourfelves
•with fome good yams, which when boiled fupplied the
place of bread. Towards noon we reached Oree’s houfe,
after walking along a beach of fmall white fhell fand,
amidft a low kind of coco-palms, affording a good deal of
fhade, which is always acceptable in thefe climates. Captain
Cook had been more fuccefsful in trading than all
the other parties, fo that when we returned into the boat,
we had fcarce room enough to fit in it. In the afternoon
we returned to Oree’s houfe, where we found him fur-
rounded by a great number of the principal people- of the
ifland. They appeared to be fo exadtly like the Tahei-
tians, that we could perceive no difference, nor could
we by any means verify that affertion of former navigators,
that the women of this ifland were in general fairer and
more handfome * ; but this may vary according to cir-
cumflances. They were however not fo troublefome in
begging for beads and other prefents, nor fo forward to
beftow their favours on the new comers, though at our
landing and putting off, fome of the common fort frequently
performed an indecent ceremony, which is def-
cribed in the accounts of former voyagers, but without
any of the preparatory circumftances which Ooratooa had
* See Hawkefworth, vol. II. p. 254.
pracpraftifed
f . We had likewife much lefs reafon to extol
the hofpitality of the inhabitants, their general behaviour
being rather more indifferent, and the Taheitian cuftom of
reciprocal prefents almoft entirely unknown. On our
walks we were unmolefted, but their conduct was bolder
and more unconcerned than that of the Taheitians, and the
explofion, as well as the effedts of our fowling-pieces did
not ftrike them with fear and aftonifhment. Thefe differences
were certainly owing to the various treatment which
the people of both iflands had met with on the part of
Europeans. There were, however, not wanting inftances
of hofpitality and good-will even here. A chief, named
'Townua, entreated my father to come to his houfe, which
lay in the interior part of the plain. He accepted the invitation,
and was very well entertained; befides having an
opportunity of purchafing one of thofe targets or breaft-
plates which I have already mentioned.
Oree came on board early the next morning with his
fons, the eldeft of them a handfome little boy, about eleven
years old, who received our prefents with great indifference
; but he, as well as all the people of the ifland, were
highly delighted with the bagpipe, and required it to be
conftantly played. With Oree, who now went by the name
of Cookee, as he had done whilft the Endeavour lay here *,
t See Hawkefworth, vol. II. p. 125. See alfo vol. I. p, 438, 440. T h e y
lifted up th e ir garments from th e knee to th e waift.
* See Hawkefworth, vol. I I . p. 251.
1773-
September.
Sunday 5.
we