*774* Mar,. before they became the tools of tyranny. When the arreoy*
had once fo far departed from the laws of their firft
inftitution, as to admit the commerce with the fex, it
is eafy to conceive, that, by infenfible degrees-, they have
almoft wholly loft the original chafte and fober fpirit of the
order. They are at prefenr, without doubt, the moft
luxurious fet of people in the ifland; though I have not
found the leaft reafon to charge them with a refinement in
voluptuoufnefs, which is at once improbable, and inconfift-
ent with the tendernefs of the whole people. We have'
been told a wanton tale of promifcuous embraces, where'
every woman is common to every man : but when we enquired
for a confirmation of this ftory from the natives,: we'
were foon convinced that it muft, like many others, be con-
fidered as the groundlefs invention of a- traveller’s- gay1
fancy.
Some arreoys are married'to a woman, in the fame manner
as Mahine was to the daughter ofToperree*; but,
others keep a temporary miftrefs. Many may perhaps^
revel in the arms of feveral proftitutes, which are to be men
with in all the iflands. This diflolute pleafure is however
much more frequent in every civilized country of Europe;
but I apprehend it would not authorife an aflertion, that in>
Europe there exifts a fociety of men and women,, who prac-
* See page 89.
life a particular refinement of fenfuality When we mIy.
confider the whole charaXer of the Taheitians ; when we re-
eolleX their gentlenefs, their generofity,. their affeXionate
friendfhip, their tendernefs, their pity, we cannot reconcile
thefe qualities to the murder of their own offspring.
We fhudder at the ftern inhumanity of the father, but much-
more fo at the obdurate heart of the mother, where the
voice of nature, and of powerful inftinX, fhould cry aloud
for mercy and proteXion, The paths of virtue are but too
eafily forfaken ; ftill we are at a lofs to conceive, how a people
fo much left to nature, could arrive at. fuch a deteftable
pitch of depravity : but cuftom,
That monfter cuftom, who all'fenfe doth eat
Of Habits evil 1 — - Shakespeare,.
gradually blunts every feeling, and overcomes the flings of
remorfe. We had no fooner learnt that fuch an unnatural,
and barbarous practice ftigmatized the fociety of arreoy,
than we reprehended our young friend Mahine for valuing
himfelf on being a member of fuch a deteftable body. We
endeavoured to point out the immorality and cruelty of this-
practice, and made ufe of every argument which our reflexions
could furnilh, or our words exprefs. We eafily
fucceeded in convincing him, and obtained a promife that
he would not kill his children, but feparate from the fo--
See Hawkefworth, vol. II, p. 207,. &c,