June’ 0n tlle lot^>tlle ceremony was to be performed, in honour
I— ■— ’ o f the old woman whofe fepulchral tabernacle has juft been
Saturday 10. - _ , , . _ J N
defcribed, by the chief mourner; and Mr. Banks had fo
great a curiofity to fee all the myfteries of the folemnity, that
he determined to take a part in it, being told, that he could
be prefent upon no other condition. In the evening, therefore,
he repaired to the place where the body lay, and was
received by the daughter of the deceafed, and feveral other
perfons, among whom was a boy about fourteen years old,
who were to affift in the ceremony. Tubourai Tamaide was
to be the principal mourner ; and his drefs, which was extremely
fantaftical, though not unbecoming, is reprefented
by a figure in one of the plates. Mr. Banks was ftripped o f his
European clothes, and a fmall piece of cloth being tied round
his middle, his body was fmeared with charcoal and water,
as low as the fhoulders, till it was as black as that of a ne-
groe : the fame operation was performed upon feveral others,
among whom were fome women, who were reduced to a
ftate as near to nakednefs as himfelf; the boy was blacked
all over, and then the proceffion fet forward. Tubourai
Tamaide uttered fomething, which was fuppofed to be a
prayer, near the body ; and did the fame when he came up
to his own houfe: when this was done, the proceffion was
continued towards the fort, permiffion having been obtained
to approach it upon this occafion. It is the cuftom of the
Indians to fly from thefe proceffions with the utmoft precipitation,
fo that as foon as thofe who were about the fort,
faw it at a diftance, they hid themfelves in the woods. It
proceeded from the fort along the fhore, and put to flight
another body of Indians, confifting of more than an hundred,
every one hiding himfelf under the firft Ihelter that he
could find: it then crofled the river, and entered the woods,
palling feveral houfes, all which were deferted, and not a
® Angle
Angle Indian could be feen during the reft of the proceffion, 1769-
which continued more than half an hour. The office that Mr. —>
Banks performed, was called that of the Nineveh, of which
there were two befides himfelf; and the natives having all
difappeared, they came to the chief mourner, and faid
imatata, there are no people, after which the company was
difmifled to walh themfelves in the river, and put on their
cuftomary apparel.
On the 12th, complaint being made to me, by fome of the Mondl>’
natives, that two of the feamen had taken from them feveral
bows and arrows, and fome firings of plaited hair, I examined
the matter, and finding the charge well fupported,
I punilhed each o f the criminals with two dozen lalhes.
Their bows and arrows have not been mentioned before,
nor were they often brought down to the fort: This day,
however, Tubourai Tamaide brought down his, in confe-
quence of a challenge which he had received from Mr. Gore.
The Chief fuppofed it was to try who could fend the arrow
fartheft; Mr. Gore, who beft could hit a mark: and as Mr.
Gore did not value himfelf upon fhooting to a great diftance,
nor the Chief upon hitting a mark, there was no trial of
{kill between them. Tubourai Tamaide, however, to fhew
us what he could do, drew his bow, and fent an arrow, none
of which are feathered, two hundred and feventy-four yards,
which is fomething more than a feventh, and fomething lefs
than a fixth part of a mile. Their manner of fhooting is
fomewhat fingular; they kneel down, and the moment the
arrow is difcharged, drop the bow.
Mr. Banks, in his morning walk this day, met a number
of the natives whom, upon enquiry, he found to be travelling
muficians; and having learnt where they were to be at
night, we all repaired to the place. The band confifted of
V ol. 9 U two