*773*
'Se p t e m b e r .
Sunday is-
Monday 13.
'’Tuefday 14.
their dulcineas were all of one name, which frequently
occafion fome pleafant miftakes.
We fpent the two next days in various rambles along
the Ihores, in which we found many deep creeks towards
the northern part, with marlhes at the bottom, where wild-
ducks and fnipes refided in great plenty. Thèfe birds were
more flay than we expected, which we foon learnt was
owing to their being much purfued by the natives, who
looked upon them as dainty bits. On the firft of thefe
days we were likewife entertained with another heeva or
dramatic dance, by the fame perfons who had performed ic
before. It was in every refpeél the fame with that which
we faw on the 1 1 th, only its duration was much fhorter.
On the 14th, at day-break, captain Cook fent his launch,
and captain Furneaux another boat, to the ifle of O-Taha,
which was two or three leagues diftant, and inclofed in the
fame reef within which we lay at anchor. They were in
hopes of purchafing fome fruit there, which was very fcarce
at Raietea, and to that purpofe provided lieutenant Pickerf-
gill and Mr. Rowe the mate of the Adventure, with a quan-,
tity of beads and nails. Dr. Sparrman and my father,
unwilling to mifs this opportunity of examining another
ifland, likewife embarked with them.
Orea, the chief of this part of the ifland, having invited
us to come and dine on fhore? the captains, with feveral
officers and paflengers of both fhips, and myfelf, went
on
j
on fhore about noon, taking with us a little pepper and
fait, fome knives, and a few bottles of wine. A great part
of the chief’s fpacious houfe was fpread with quantities
of leaves, which ferved as a table-cloth, round which
we feated ourfelves, with the principal inhabitants. We
had not waited long, before one of the common people arrived
with a hog fmoking on his fhoulders, roafted whole,
and wrapped in a large bundle of plantane-leaves, which
he threw upon the floor in the midft of us : a fecond tolled
a fmaller to us in the fame manner ; and thefe were followed
by feveral others bringing bafkets, full of breadfruit,
bananas, and the fermented pafle of bread-fruit,
called mahei. Our hoft now defired us to help ourfelves,
and in a fhort time we had cut the two hogs in pieces.
All the women, and the common fort of people, applied
to us with a begging tone for portions, and what we dif-
tributed was handed from our neighbours, to the remoteft
perfons in the croud. The men confumed their {hare with
every mark of a good appetite, but the women carefully
wrapped theirs up, and preferved if till they fhould be
alone. The eagernefs with which they repeated their importunities,
as well as the envious looks of the chiefs,
whenever we granted the requeft, convinced us, that the
commonalty were in this ifland deprived of all forts of
luxuries and dainties. We all agreed that the pork which
* was fet before us, tailed infinitely better, than if it had been
drefled