41 0 A V O Y A G E R O U N D T H E WO R L D.
septimeir. feet high s within the enclofure the natives had fiuck in
the ground fome other flicks befet with large trumpet-
fhells. We enquired for what purpofe this- fpot was fo
enclofed, and were told that the chiefs of the diftriCt were
buried in that ground. As we found numerous burying-
places on the hills, it appears to be a general cuftom
with the natives, to commit their dead bodies to the
earth. This manner of difpofing of the dead, feems indeed
much more judicious than that of Taheitee, where they
expofe them above ground, till all the fleQi is perfectly
putrified. If the mortality were more confiderable, than
we have reafon to believe it in that happy ifland, this
cuftom might have the moft pernicious confequences, and
produce a dreadful epidemical diftemper. Europeans,
above all, Ihould be extremely cautious of communicating
any contagious diforder to the people whom they vifit in
the South Seas. Such a difeafe as the fmall pox, for example,
would undoubtedly make dreadful havock, and gO'
near to deftroy the whole race of Taheitians..
The acrimony of the poifon which we had received, into
the body, by tailing the liver of the filh, had fo much;
weakened us, that we were entirely exhaufted towards
evening, and obliged to- fit down repeatedly, in order t<a>
recruit our wafted fpirits. We ftill felt returns of dizzinefa
which made us. unfit for any kind of refearches, in fpite of
ourHelves, and even deprived us of the power of thinking^
judging*
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD. 4 11
judging, and remembering, as well as of the perfeCt ufe of September.
our external fenfes. I cannot mention this misfortune,
without lamenting once more, that it befell us in a country
newly difcovered, where we had more need than ever
of perfeCt health, and of all our attention and difcernment,
in order to make the moft of the few moments which we
were allowed to fpend among a people wholly different
from all we had hitherto feen. The reader, who perhaps
may find lefs food for his curiofity in this part of our narrative,
than he expected, is requefted to confider our unhappy
fituation at that time, when all our corporeal and
intellectual faculties were impaired by this virulent poifon.
^Ve came back before it was dark to the fhip, which the natives
left foon after our return. A few of them only went
off in canoes ; for, as the wind blew very hard, the greateft
number had come on board fwimming, and returned the
fame way. We faw forty or fifty put off together, and in
fpite of the great agitation of the water, fwim to the fhore;
it blew fo hard the next morning, however, that none of
them came back to the fhip.
- We went afhore again, though we were much wetted in suncUy «•
our ptiffage thither, and took a walk to the weftward. On
this excurfion we faw a great number of birds, and enriched
our collection with many new fpecies. It is not to be doubted,
that the vicinity of fuch an extenfive continent as that of
New Holland, contributes to encreafe the variety of animal
G g g 2 and