Febm^y. *™S t]len rePeated a-prayer in a low tone, of voice with the greatefl foi
----- > lemnity, and in the middle of it he took tip a live pig tied by the-legs,
and with one effort dafhed it to death againft the ground; an operation
which mull be performed without the fmallelt interruption or cry from
the viftim, or without the prevailing lilence being broken by any nolle
whatfoever, though of the moil trivial kind. This part of thefervice is
fuppofed to announce their being on terms of friendlhip with the gods)
on which the further ceremonies;were carried into execution;' A number
of hogs, plantains, and cocoa-nuts, were then coftfecrated for the
principal chiefs and prielts; the more- common productions, fuch as
filh, turtle, fowls, dogs, and the feveral efculent roots, that compofe
their food during the intervals-between thefe more faered taboo’Sj were
not now ferved up, but for the firft time fine« our arrival, they fared
fumptuoufly on thofe more delicious articles. The intermediate' day
Thurfday»3. and the fecond night were palled in prayer, during which we found no
difficulty in complying with the prefcribed regulations; and foon after
Friday 14. the fun arofe on the 14th, we were abfolved from any further attention
to their faered injunctions^
Saturday .5. Molt of our Indian friends returned to our party the following day ;
and as we all now fed alike on confecrated pork, they Were enabled to
be infinitely more fociable. Our mode o f cookery was generally preferred,
as far as related to the dreffing of fifh, flefh, or fowls; but with refpefit to
roots and the bread fruit, they certainly preferved a fuperiority.
Tahcmrmtoo was amongft the molt conftant of our guefts; but his1
daughter, the difgraced queen, feldom vifited our fide of the bay. I
was however not ignorant of her anxious defire for a reconciliation With
Tdmcmhmaah; nor was the fame wifh to be mifunderftood in the conduit
and behaviour of the king, in whofe good opinion and confidence
I had now acquired fuch a predominancy, that I became acquainted
with his moft fecret inclinations and apprehenfions.
His unfhaken attachment and unaltered affeftion for Takowmannoo, was
confeffed with a fort of internal felf conviction of her innocence. He
acknowledged with great candour, that his own conduit had not been'
exaftly fuch as warranted his having infilled upon a feparation from his-
3 queen;
queen; that although it could not authorize, it in fome meafure pleaded
in excufe for, her infidelity; and, for his own, he alledged, that his high s —.— ’
rank and fupreme authority was a fort of licence for fuch indulgences.
An accommodation, which I confidered to be mutually wifhed by both
parties, was urged in the ftrongefl terms by the queen’s relations. To
effeCt this defirable purpofe, my interference was .frequently folicited by
them; and, as it concurred with my own inclination, I refolved on embracing
the firlt favorable opportunity to ufe my befl endeavours for
bringing a reconciliation about. For although, on our former vifit, Ta-
howmannoo had been.regarded with the moft favorable imprelfions, yet*
whether from her diflreffes, or becaufe fhe had really improved in her
perfonal aecomplifhments, I will not take upon me to determine, but.
certain it is;; that one, or both of thefe circumltances united, had fo far
prepolfeffed us all in her favor, and no one more fo than myfelf, that
it had been long the general wilh to fee her exalted again to her former
dignities. This defire was probably not a little heightened by the
regard we entertained for the happinefs and repofe of our noble and
generous friend Tamaafimacih; who was likely to be materially affeCted
not only in his domeftic comforts,. but in his political fituation, by receiving
again and reinftating his confort in her former rank and confe-
querice.
I was convinced, beyond all doubt, that there were two or three
of the moft confiderable chiefs of the. illand, whofe ambitious views
were inimical to the interefts and authority o f Tamaahnaah; and it was
much to be apprehended, that if the earnelt folicitations of the queen s
father; (whofe condition and importance was next in confequence to that
o f the king) Ihould continue to be rejected, there could be little doubt of
his adding great Itrength and influence to the difcontented and turbulent
chiefs, which would operate highly to the prejudice, if. not totally to the
deftruCtion, of Tamaahniaah’s regal power; efpecially as the adverfe party
feemed to form a conftant oppofition, confiding of a minority by no
means to be defpifed by the executive power, and which appeared to be
a principal conftituent part of the Owhyhean politics.
V o l . III. E For