130
jg>* prefcribed abftinence, by fuffocating their unfortunate off-
fpring immediately after birth.
The arreoys enjoy feveral privileges, and are greatly re-
fpefted throughout the Society Iflands and Taheitee; nay,
they claim a great fliare of honour from the very circum-
ftance of being childlefs. Tupaya, when he heard that the
king of England had a numerous offspring, declared he
thought himfelf much greater, beeaufe he belonged to the
arreoys*. hi moft other countries the name of a parent
gives honour and refpect; but when an arreoy, at Taheitee,
emphatically beftows it, it is meant as a term of contempt
and reproach. The arreoys keep great meetings at Rated
times, travelling from one ifland to another. They feaft
on the choiceft vegetables, and on plenty of pork, dog's
fleflt, fifh, and poultry, which is liberally furnifhed by the
towtows, or lower clafs, for their entertainment. The
pepper-root drink is prepared and fwallowed in furprifing
quantities on thefe occafions. Wherever they go, the train
of fenfiial pleafure waits upon them. They are amufed
with mufic and dances, which are faid to be particularly
lafcivious at night, when no other fpedtators befides them-
felves are admitted.
In a country fo far emerged from barbarifm as Taheitee,
it cannot be fuppofed that a fociety would have maintained
* This anecdote I have heard from captain- Cook, ia conv-erfation,.
itfelf
itfelf to the prefent time, which appears fo injurious to the
reft of the nation, unlefs its advantages were fo confider-
able, as to require its continuance. Two reafons feem to
favour the exiftenceof arreoys, and both are in fomemeafure
connected together. The firfl: appears to be the neceifity of
entertaining a body of warriors, to defend their fellow-
citizens from the invafions and depredations of enemies.
This is confirmed by the circumftance, that all the arreoys
are warriors ; but as love might be fuppofed to enervate
them, they were reftrained to that celibacy, which they have
fince found it too difficult to obferve. The fecond reafon
for .the ajlociation of the arreoys, feems to be to prevent the
too rapid propagation of the race of chiefs. An intelligent
man, who perhaps was once the law-giver of Taheitee,
might forefee, that the common people would at length
groan under the yoke o f this numerous and ever-multiplying
breed of petty-tyrants *. To oblige a part of them to
a frngle life, was the fhorteft means of obtaining this end ;
but certain glaring advantages were to be held out, to make
them fubmit without reluftance to fuch a reftraint. From
hence we may derive that high efteem with which the
whole nation honours the order of arreoy ; and ljkewife account
for their authority, and for their gluttony in eating,
which has been the privilege of warriors in every country,
* See vol. I . p. 367.
S 2 before