7 6
AVkil, Englifh goods, in exchange for their provifions and curiofi-
ties. The feathered head-drefles of the two laft iflands, and
the bafkets, clubs, and painted cloth of the former, pleafed
them exceffively; nay, they were eager to poflefs the mats
of Tonga-Tabboo, though in general they perfectly resembled
their own manufacture. Our failors therefore frequently
took advantage of their difpofition, and gave
them the fame mats under another name, which they had
formerly purchafed in their own iiland, or in the Society
Iflands. Thus there is a fimilarity in the general inclinations
of human nature, and particularly in the defires of all nations
who are not in a ftate of Savage barbarifm, but
have the advantage of civilization. The refemblance will
appear ftill more perfect, i f we relate with what eagernefs
the Taheitians liftened to the accounts of their youthful traveller.
They always attended him in crouds, their oldeft
men efteemed him highly, and the principal people of the
ifland, not excepting the royal family, courted his company.
Befides the pleafureof hearing him, they had likcwife that
of obtaining a number of valuable prefents from him, which
coft them only's few kind expreffions.. His time was fo
agreeably taken up on Shore, as he found new friends in
every hut, that he feldom came on board, unlefs to fetch a
new fet of prefents, or to lhew the fhip to his acquaintance,
and to introduce them to captain Cook and his Shipmates.
His ftories, however, were too wonderful Sometimes to find
ready
ready belief among his audience, who now and then applied Ay
to us for a confirmation of his account.. The rain converted
into Slone, the folid white rocks and mountains which
we melted into frefli water, and the perpetual day of the
antardlic circle, were articles which even ourfelves could
not perfuade them to credit. The account o f canibals in
New Zeeland was more eafily believed, though it filled them
with horror. He brought on board a company of the natives
during my father’s abfence on the hills, who were
come on purpofe to See the head of the New Zeeland boy,
which Mr. Pickerfgill had preferved in Spirits. He readily
gratified them with the fight, and their report brought great
numbers to See it. I was prefent when it was Shewn, and
it Struck me to hear them give it a peculiar name in their
language. They unanimously called it tefae-at, which appears
to be equivalent to “ man eater. ’ The refult of my enquiries
among many of the chiefs and moft intelligent people,
on this extraordinary circumstance, was the following. They
Said they had a traditional report among them, that in an '
indefinite but very remote period of time, there were man-
eaters upon their ifland, who made great havock among
the inhabitants, and were a very ftrong robuft people ; but
that this race had long Since been entirely extinft. The
fame account was confirmed to me in the ftrongefl terms,,
on my return to England, by o-Mai, with whom I happened
to converfe upon the fubjedt. The influence of this fadt
upon