A V O Y n S A G E R O U N D T H E WOR LD.
M a t , This old chief appeared to be much more indolent at
this time than at our firft vifit, and his intellects feemed to
be confiderably impaired. His eyes were red and inflamed,
and his whole body lean and fcaly. We were not long at
a lofs to account for this change, having obferved that he
was now much addicted to the intoxicating pepper-draught,
of which he drank great quantities, prepared exceflively
ftrong. Mahine had the honour of drinking with him for
feveral nights together, and received fuch a lhare of his
naufeous beverage, that he commonly awoke the next morning
with a violent head-ache. .
We made another excurfion to the fame place the next
day, and brought back a number of corals, fliells, and
echini, which the natives had gathered for us on the fea-
fhore. We received prefents of hogs and targets from different
chiefs, who came on purpofe to vifit their old ac-
quaintances, and would not fell or part with their goods,
till they faw their friend for whom they were deftined.
The next day we took a walk up one of the hills, which
is every where planted with bread-trees, pepper and mulberry
trees, yams and eddoes. The mulberry or cloth-trees
were cultivated with particular attention ; the ground between
them was carefully weeded, and manured with
broken decayed fliells and coral, and the whole .plantation
furrounded with a deep furrow or channel, in order to
drain it. In many places they had burnt away ferns and
various
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD. 119
various fhrubs, in order to prepare the ground for future m” ».
plantations. At a confiderable height upon the hill we
found a houfe, the inhabitants of which, an old woman
and her daughter, hofpitably entertained us. We gave
them feveral beads and nails, and fome red.feathers, which
laft were rather accepted as a curiofity, than as things of
great value. This opinion was general among the people
at Huahine; they wanted hatchets in exchange for their
hogs, and fmaller iron tools for other provifions, and as
we were well flocked with animals, we did not like their
price, though it was the fame which we had formerly
given. Since red feathers have really no intrinfic value, and
are only ufed for ornament, we have another convincing
proof of the fuperior affluence and luxury of the Taheitians,
in the great eagernefs which they exprefied to purchafe
[ them. The difference is obvioufly owing to the excellence
of their country, compared to Huahine, where the ambient
plain is fo narrow and inconfiderable, that the natives are
obliged to cultivate the hills.
Several bold thefts were committed, during the following
days, by the natives, for which it was not in our power
to obtain redrefs. Some other attempts however were pu-
nifhed. A party of petty officers were gone to take the di-
verfion of fhooting on a hill, and had a marine with them,
who carried fome hatchets and nails in a bag. A native
who attended them, feeing that their fowling-pieces miffed
fire