j B2 a v o y a g e uot jnd t h e w o r l d .
march t0 collect as many feathered caps, as he could meet with,
especially thofe which had the feathers of a man of war
bird, that bird being very Scarce about Taheitee, and much
■ valued on account of its gloffy black colour.
Whilft captain Cook continued in the cove, another trade
for potatoes was carried on at the watering-place. Here
the defire of poffeffing our goods, made fome of the natives
guilty of a crime againft their own countryman. A field
of Sweet potatoes was Situated clofe to the well, and a con-
fiderable number of people of different ages and Sizes,
bulled themfelves in digging them up, and bringing them
for Sale to our people. They had carried on this occupation
for fome hours, when another native arrived, who was
in a vehement paflion with them, and drove them all away,
remaining alone to dig the roots up himfelf. He was the
owner of the field, whom the reft had robbed of the fruits
of his labour, finding an eafy method to difpofe of their
ftolen goods. It is not to be doubted that thefe offences
againft the laws of civil Society, are Sometimes committed
even at the Society Ifles, becauSe the inhabitants have often
told us, that they inflicted a capital punilhment upon Such
offenders ; but we never Saw any inftances of it there. On
this occafion at Eafter Illand, we did not obferve that they
annexed any penalty to the crime, though we Saw it committed.
Perhaps this is owing to the different degree of
civilization of thofe two cogeneric tribes.
We
We went on board at noon, where we dined- on fome jj” *;
fowls and potatoes, which we found delicious after the
fatigues of the morning. We obferved a few natives on
board, who had ventured to fwim off, though the fhip lay
about three quarters of a mile, from the Chore. They ex-
prefled the moft unbounded admiration at every thing
they faw, and every one of them meafured the whole
length of the veffel from head to Item, with his extended
arms; Such a great quantity of: timber of So ftupendous a
fize, being altogether incomprehenfible to people whofe
canoes were patched of many Small bits, of wood. Among
them was one woman, who had arrived on board in the
fame manner, and carried on a particular traffic of her
own. She vifited Several of the inferior officers, and then
addreffed herfelf to the Sailors, emulating: the famous exploits
of Meffalina.*;• A- few Englifh rags, and fome pieces
of Taheitee. cloth, were the Spoils which fhe carried away
with her, being, fetched off by a man in-the patched canoe,
which was perhaps the only one in the illand. Another of
her country-women had vifited our fhip the day before,
and been equally unbounded in her revels, It remained a*
doubt with us, whether we fhould moft admire their fuccefs
among a. fickly crew, exhaufted by the long continuance o f
a1 noxious diet, or their own fpirit and infatiate temper.
* S * e PIin. Hift, Nat. lib. x. c: 63. T a c i t f Anna], lib.' xi. Juvenal. Sat. vi,
■ ■ . laffata .viris,. nee fatiata receffit.
In