m a n n e r s eagernefs, making it a kind o f occupation neceffary for their
exiftence.; they like them roam over the fertile plains o f their rile,
in quell o f youth and beauty, and employ all the arts and guiles
known in civilized countries, in .order to debauch the unwary
young females, When we failed i from O - T a h e i t e e to
H u a h e i n e and R a i e t e a In the year 1774»' a. female o f
the laft mentioned ifland embarked with us at Taheitee in order
toVreturn'toTier native ifland. When we approached Raietea, Ihe
became v e r y apprehenfive, and told me Ihe expected to be beaten
By her .father and mother, having been very naughty, and run
away from them about a year and a half before, with a young
Jrreeoy o f the family of the chiefs, who afterwards negleded
h e r : * fee was at Taheitee in the family o f Tootaha s mother,
and got her livelihood by working at the manufactory o f the
Taheiteah cloth, and at the fame time ferved for the gratification
o f the young men; in which profellion fee likewile attended our
fe ip ; and having on her return made her peace with her parents,
fee took a trip jto O - T a h a , when the Arreoys removed t o . that
illand,
* Capt. Cook ferns to have expreffed himfilf in filch a manner, that his readert mult
underhand that this girl was a native of O-Taheitce, and had run away from her parents in
ourihip; which couldnot.be the .cafe, fincc both her parents lived at Raietea; and though
-the circumftance’happened as .I related, it is equally probable, that her countrymen aimed
a flroke of fiitirc at her for running away with an arreeoy. See Cook’s Voyage, p. 3 56-
ifland ■, but returned again in a few days to Raietea; which inltance, manners
ih my opinion, clearly proves that luxury and fenfuality naturally
lead men to the moil irregular and violent defires o f gratifying
their fenfual appetites, ruining innocent young women, and of
deitroying the peace and happinefs o f families.
Among the innocent and harmlefs indulgences may be reckoned,
the common practice o f thefe iflanders to rub and chafe the wearied
limbs o f perfons who have walked much, or ufed feme violent exer-
cife. This gentle chafing ahd preifirtg hinders the heated limbs
. from growing fuddenly cold, and becoming fluff from a too hidden
tranfition from one extreme to the other ; and, as in thefe exertions,
commonly a few mu-fcles have been too much employed, and others
lefs, it cannot but happen, that the equilibrium mult be loll between
the parts too much llrained, and thofe which are fo very little
employed, which might caufe dangerous effects, by cramps, con-
Vulfions, and other fymptoms, Th e operation likewife invigorates
the whole frame, and refrefees fo much, that in the beginning I
could not perfuade myfelf, that this gentle fqueezing of the tired
limbs feould produce fo falutary an effedt, had I not frequently had
the experience * . When we had walked a great deal in our excur-
I I h h flops,
* The Chinefe Are equally fonddf thé fame operation-. See OJbecVs Voyage, vol. I. p. 231.
Nor is it unknown, that the oriental nations ufe-this rubbing' Or chaijng. in their public
baths ; which is fald fometimes to caufe fo exquifitcly agreeable a fenfiition, that the operated
perfon is very nearly intranced; Mr; Lockyer, purler of the Ceres Eaft-Indiamatij communicated
tlxis circumlhmce to me;