$4 ’
'774. hulls of a double canoe, and April. provided with wicker-work
at both ends, where the water freely entered.
Some tents were now edablifhed once more on Point
Venus, for the purpofe of making adronomical obferva-
tions, as well as for the convenience of trading, wooding,
and watering. The captain, Dr. Sparrman, and my father
went On fhore, whild I remained on board fo ill that I
could fcarcely crawl about. I amufed myfelf, however,
in trading out of the cabin windows, and by that means
collected a number of curious fifh, whilft they brought
homemothing new from their excurfion. They had found
the appearance of the whole country much improved ;
the verdure luxuriant, many trees ftill loaded with fru it;
the brooks full of water, and a great number of new
houfes built. Mahine, who went on fhore with them, did
not return at night, having found feveral of his relations,
and particularly a filler, named Teioa, one of the prettied;
women on the whole ifland, who was married to a tall,
well-made man, called Noona, of the better clafs of people,
and native of Raietea. His houfe was very large, and near
our tents, being only about a hundred yards beyond the
river. Mahine had laid afide his European cloaths before
he went on fhore, and put on the elegant new drefies his
friends had brought him, with a degree of pleafure and
eagernefs, in which a natural predilection for the manners
of his country was very confpicuous. There are many inftances
fiances among different nations in an imperfeCt date of
civilization, and likewife among favages, that the force of
habit produces this effeCt. It is no wonder that a native
of the Society Ides fhould prefer the happy life, the whole-
fome diet, and the fimple drefs of his countrymen, to the
eondant agitation, the naufeous food, and the coarfe auk-
ward garments o f a fet of feafarjng Europeans ; when we
have feen Efkimaux return with the utmod ardour to their
own defolate country, to greafy feal-fkins, and rancid train-
oil, after having been entertained with fubdantial viands,
the pomp of drefs, and the magnificence of London. Mahine
had indeed found the happinefs and pleafure which
he had expected. He was courted and looked upon as a
prodigy by all the Taheitians who faw him ; he was feaded
with their choiced meats, he received feveral changes of
drefs, and revelled among the nymphs of the land. Serv
fible to pleafure, like all the children of nature, but debarred
the fight of his pretty countrywomen for a long
while, and perhaps tindlured with a double relifh for fen-
fuality by his acquaintance with failors, the facility of gratifying
every wifh had endeared the country to him, and
captivated him more than any thing elfe. Befides thefe
incitements, the Chip, in a warm climate, was but an uncomfortable
abode at night. There he would have been :
pent up in a narrow, clofe, ill-fcented cabin ; whereas on
the fhore he breathed a pure air, delicioudy perfumed by
the
1774-
A pril.