412 R E M A R K S O N t h e
m a n n e r s that e f an Arreeoy; * they all belong to the clafs o f warriors: as-
foon as an Arreeoy from another country appears, he is kindly
received by the firft Arreeoy, whom he meets ; they exchange
prefents in cloth and garments, and he is entertained by his new
hoft, with all the demonftration o f friendlhip, and with the moll
unbounded hofpitality. A t certain Hated times of the year the
Arreeoys o f one illand remove to another, and there the days are
fpent in great fealls, wherein a profulion o f the dainties o f the
country are confirmed, and the nights are Ipent iin mulic and
dances, which are faid to be remarkably Jafcrvious, and likewife
in the embraces o f feme girls,, who officiate on thefe occafions
like the prielteffes and nymphs o f the Paphian and Amathufian,
Goddefs among the Greeks. We law above feventy canoes failing
in one day from Huaheine to Raietea, with more than feven
hundred people o f both fexes on board, in order to affiit at one o f
thefe fealls; when we arrived at Raietea, we found thefe Arreeoys
removed from the Eallern fide o f the illand, where they firll had
landed to its Weltern Ihore, and there we faw every houfe and
fhed crowded with people, and in every large houfe we obferved
heaps o f provifions piled up, which were preparing by their women;
and filhes, fowls, hogs, and dogs, were likewife dreffed on this
folemn
P
f Sec George Forfter’s Voyage round -the World, vol. ii. p. 130,
PI U M A X S P E C I E S. 4i3
folemn occafion. During the night we could fee thefe houfes manners
illuminated, and frequently heard the found of their drums,
which are ufed at their dramatic dances. And in a few days
afterwards they removed to Q-'taha, and we were told, that they
would even go as far as Bora-bora, before they would think of
returning. So that feveral weeks mull be fpent in tbefe fealls of
Arreeoys. I t is impoffible that the frequent cohabitation with
women, Ibould not now and then be produflive o f an offspring ;
nay fome o f the modern Arreeoys, are fo. far degenerated, that they
regularly keep a miltrefs, which, to all- intents and purpofes, is
fimilar to a temporary wife, fuch as Muhammedans are ufed to
marry for a certain time only.* But as this cuilom. was contrary
to the fpirit of the original inftitution. o f Arreeoys, the Sages of the
nation made another law, according to which, all infants, the off-
fpring o f the connexion o f the Arreeoys with women, Ihould be in-
liantly killed after their birth becaufe, the increafe o f the Arees
was thought to be detrimental to the Hate, and the original engagements
o f the Arreeoys, never to cohabit with women, would
elfe have been entirely defeated.. Boba, the chief of O-Taha, was
an1 Arreeoy, and neverthelefs kept Teiaamai, as a millrefs, who was
with child, by him, at our fecond return to the Society-illands, and
told
* Chardin Voyage, vol. ii. p. a6l, 163, do 1’ edit, in lame., do 171«. Arfer.