Indeed, it can hardly be other wife; an eafy freedom prevails
among all ranks of people ; they feel no wants which
they do not enjoy the means of gratifying ; and they live in
a clime where the painful extremes of heat and cold are
equally unknown. If Nature has been wanting in any
thing, it is in the article of frefh water, which, as it is fhut
up in the bowels of the earth, they are obliged to dig for.
A running ftream was not feen, and but one well, at Amfter-
dam. At Middleburg, we faw no water, but what the natives
had in velTels ; but, as it was fweet and cool, 1 had no
doubt of its being taken up upon the illand ; and, probably,
not far from the fpot where I faw it.
So little do we know of their religion, that I hardly dare
mention it. The buildings called AJiatoueas, before mentioned,
are undoubtedly fet apart for this purpofe. Some of
our gentlemen were of opinion, that they were merely bury-
ing-places. I can only fay, from my own knowledge, that
they are places to which particular perfons directed fet
fpeeches, which I underftood to be prayers, as hath been
already related. Joining my opinion with that of others, I
was inclined to think that they are fet apart to be both
temples and burying-places, as at Otaheite, or even in
Europe. But I have no idea of the images being idols ; not
only from what I faw myfelf, but from Mr. Wales’s informing
me that they fet one of them up, for him and others to
fhoot at.
One circumftance fhewed that thefe AJiatoueas were frequently
reforted to, for one purpofe or other. The areas, or
open places, before them, being covered with a green fod,
the grafs on which was very fhort. This did not appear to have
been cut, or reduced by the hand of man, but to have been
prevented in its growth, by being often trod, or fat upon.
It
It cannot be fuppofed that we could know much, either „I7U . , Oftober. of their civil or religious policy, in fo fhort a time as four '— v—
or five days, efpecially as we underftood but little of their
language ; even the two iflanders we had on board could
not at firft underftand them; and yet as we became the
more acquainted with them, we found their language was
nearly the fame fpoken at Otaheite and the Society Ifles.
The difference not being greater than what we find betwixt
the moft northern and weftern parts of England, as will
more fully appear by the vocabulary.
C H A P . IV.
PaJJuge from Amfierdam to ijucen Charlotte's Sound., with
an Account o f an hiterview with the Inhabitants, and
the fin a l Separation o f the two Ships.
A BOUT the time we were in a condition to make fail, Thurfda
a canoe, conduced by four men, came along-fide,
with one of thofe drums already mentioned, on which one
man kept continually beating; thinking, no doubt, the
mafic would charm us. I gave them a piece of cloth, and a
nail, for the drum j and took the opportunity to fend to my
friend Attago fome wheat, peafe, and beans, which I had
forgot to give him when he had the other feeds. As foon
as this canoe was gone, we made fail to the -fouthward,
having a gentle gale at S. E. by E.; it being my intention to
proceed diredtly to Queen Charlotte’s Sound in New Zealand,
there to take in wood and water,- and then to go on
farther difeoveries to the South and Eaft.
VOL. I. G g In