oaober was the commander; but, certain it is, lie was not long on
<----.----' deck before he fingled me out from all the other gentlemen, Monday .4. 0
making me a prelent of lome cloth, and other things he
had about him: and, as a greater teftimony -of friendfliip,
we now exchanged names ; a cuftom which is praftifed at
■ Otaheite, and the Society Ides. We were lucky, or rather
we may thank the natives, for having anchored before a
narrow creek in the rocks which line the ihore. To this
creek we were conduced by my friend Attago; and there
we landed dry on the beach, and within-the breakers, in the
face of a vaft crowd of people, who received us in the fame
friendly manner that thofe ©f MidcHeburg had done.
As foon as we were landed, all the gentlemen fet out into
the country, accompanied by fome of the natives. But the
moft of them remained with Captain Turneaux and me, who
amufed ourfelves fome'-time in diftributing prefents amongft
them; efpecially to fuch as Attago pointed out; which were
not many, but who, I afterwards found, were of fuperior
rank to himfelf. At -this time, however, he feemed to be the
principal perfon, and to be obeyed as fuch. After we had
fpent fome time on the beach, as we complained of the
heat, Attago immediately conduced and feated us under the
fhade of a tree, ordering the people to form a circle round
us. This they did, and never once attempted to pufh them-
felves upon us like the Otaheiteans.
After fitting here fome time, and diftributing fome prefents
to thofe about us, we fignified our defire to fee the
country. The chief immediately took the hint, and conduced
us along a lane that led to an open green, on the one
fide of which was a houfe of worlhip built on a mount that
had been raifed by the hand of man, about fixteen or
eighteen
eighteen feet above the common level. It had an oblong
figure, and was inclofed by a wall or parapet of done, about
three feet in height. From this wall the mount rofe with
a gentle Hope, and was covered with a green turf. On the
top of it flood the houfe, which had the fame figure as the
mount, about twenty feet in length, and fourteen or fixteen
broad. As foon as we came before the place, every one
feated himfelf on the green, about fifty or fixty yards from
the front of the houfe. Prefently came three elderly men ;
who feated themfelves between us and if, and began a
fpeech, which I underftood to be a prayer, it being wholly
diredled to the houfe. This lafted about ten minutes; andl
then the priefts, for fuch I took them to be, came and far
down along with us, when we made them prefents of fuch
things as were about us. Having- then made figns to them
that we wanted to view the premifes, my friend Attago immediately
got up, and going with us, without (hewing the?
lead backwardnefs, gave us full liberty to -examine every
part of it..
Monday 4.
In the front were two (hone fteps leading to the. top of. the*
wall; from this the afcent to the houfe was eafy, round-
which was a fine gravel walk. The houfe was built, in alb
refpedls, like to their common, dwelling-houfes; that is,
with pods and rafters ; and covered with palm thatch. The.
eaves came down within about three-feer of’ the ground,,
which fpace was filled up with ftrong matting made o f palm
leaves as- a wall. The floor of the houfe was laid with fine
gravel; except in the middle, where there was an oblong
fquare of blue pebbles, raifed about fix inches higher than-
the floor. At one corner of the houfe flood an image rudely
carved in wood, and on one fide lay another; each about twofees;