March. confequence. I made them fome very acceptable prefents ; and a trade for
-—v— - f provifions and fuel was foon eftabhfhed. Certain of the natives, who had
permiffion to come within our lines, were employed in filling and rolling
our water-calks to and from the boats ; for which fervice they feemed
highly gratified by the reward o f a few beads or fmall nails.
Having no reafon to be apprehenfive o f any interruption to the harmony
and good underftanding that feemed to exift, and the afternoon being
invitingly pleafant; with Mr. Menzies, our new Ihip-mate Jack, and
Rehooa, I proceeded along the river-fide, and found the low country
which ftretches from the foot of the mountains towards the fea, occupied
principally with the taro plant, cultivated much in the fame manner as
at Woahoo ; interfperfed with a few fugar canes o f luxuriant growth,
and fome fweet potatoes. The latter are planted on dry ground, the
former on the borders and partitions o f the taro grounds, which here,
as well as at IVoahoo, would be infinitely more commodious were they
a little broader, being at prefent fcarcely o f fufficient width to walk
upon. This inconvenience may poffibly arife from a principle o f (economy,
and the fcarcity o f naturally good land. The fides o f the hills
extending-from thefe plantations to the commencement of the foreft, a
fpace comprehending at leaft one half of the ifland, appeared to produce
nothing but a coarfe fpiry grals from an argillaceous foil, which had the
appearance of having undergone the afition of fire, and much refem-
bled that called the red dirt in Jamaica, and there confidered little better
than a caput mortuum. Mott of the cultivated lands being confi-
derably above the level of the river, made it very difficult to account
for their being fo uniformly well watered. The; fides of the hills afforded
no running ftreams; and admitting there had been a collection of
water on their tops, they were all fo extremely perforated, that there
was little chance o f water finding any palfage to the taro plantations.
Thefe perforations, which were numerous, were vifible at the termination
of the mountains, in perpendicular cliffs abruptly defcending to the
cultivated land ; and had the appearance o f being the effect o f volcanic
eruptions, though I ffiould fuppofe of very ancient date. As we proceeded,
our attention was arrefted by an objeCt that greatly excited our
admiration,
admiration, and at once put an end to all conjefture on the means to
which the natives reforted for the watering o f their plantations. A lofty i---- -—
perpendicular cliff now prefented itfelf, which, by rifing immediately
from the river, would have effectually flopped our further progrefs into
the country, had it not been for an exceedingly well conftrufted wall of
ftones and clay about twenty-four feet high, raifed from the bottom by the
fide o f the cliff, which not only ferved as a pafe into the country, but alfo
as an aqueduCt, to convey the water brought thither by great labour from
a confiderable diftance; the place where the river defcends from the mountains
affording the planters an abundant ftream, for the purpofe to
which it is fo advantageoufly applied. This wall, which did no left credit
to the mind of the projector than to the (kill of the builder, terminated
the extent of our walk ; from whence we returned through the plantations,
whofe highly-improved ftate impreffed us with a very favorable opinion
of the induftry and ingenuity of the inhabitants.
On our arrival at the beach, I had the comfort of finding all things in
perfectly good order. As the trading and working party were extremely
well lodged, it was reafonable to believe that our bufinefs would not only be
much facilitated, but that a more plentiful fupply of refrefhments would,
probably, be procured, by allowing them to remain on Ihore. This induced
me to leave Mr. Puget in charge o f the party, and I returned on
board perfectly fatisfied with the fafety of their fituation.
Like our treatment at Woahoo, our reception here was not of that
hearty, friendly nature, I had been accuftomed to experience from our
fouthern friends. The eagernefs, nay even avidity, with which the men
here affifted in the proftitution o f the women; and the readinefs of the
whole fex, without any exception, to furrender their perfons without the
leaft importunity, could not fail, at the moment, to incur our cenfure
and diflike; and, on reflection, our difguft and averfion. I have read
much, and feen fomething in my feveral vifits to this ocean, of the ob-
fcenity attributed to the inhabitants of Otaheite and the Society iflands;
but no indecency that ever came under my obfervation, could be compared
with the exceffive wantonnefs prefented in this excurfion. Had
this levity, now fo offenfively confpicuous, been exhibited in my former
Z 2 vifits