W7- of the men (if it is- to be called dancing); although it does
—5----i not confift much in moving the feet, as we do, has a tlioufand
different motions with the hands, to which we are
entire ftrangers ; and they are performed with an eafe and
grace which are not to be defcribed, nor even conceived,
but by thofe who have feen them. But I need add nothing
to what has been already faid on this fubjeit, in the account
of the incidents that happened during our flay at the
iilands *.
Whether their marriages be made lading by any kind of
folemn contrail, we could not determine with precifion; but
* If, to the copious defcriptions that occur in the preceding pages, of the particular
entertainments exhibited in Hapaee and Tongataboo, we add the general view
o f the ufual amufements of the inhabitants of thefe iilands, contained in this paragraph,
and compare it with the quotation from the Jefuit’s Letters, in a former note
(p. 255.)» we fhall be ftill more forcibly ftruck with the reafonablenefs of tracing
fuch Angularly refembling cuftoms to one common fource. The argument, in
confirmation of this, drawn from identity of language, has been already illuftrated, by
obferving the remarkable coincidence of the name, by which the Chiefs at the Caroline
Iilands, and thofe at Hamao, one of the Friendly ones, are diftinguiihed. But the
argument does not reft on a fingle inftance, though that happens to be a very ftriking
one. Another of the very few ipecimens of the dialeit of the North Pacific Illanders,
preferved by father Cantova, furnilh'es an additional proof. Immediately after the'
pall'age above referred to, he proceeds thus : 44 Ce divertiflement s’appelle, en leur
44 langue, tanger faifil; qui veut dire, la plainte des femmesY” Lettres Edifiantes & Cu-
rieufes, Tom. xv. p. 315. Now it is very remarkable, that we learn from Mr. An-
derfon’s colle&ion of words, which will appear in this' chapter, that la plainte des
femmes, or, in Engliih, the mournful fong of the women, which the inhabitants of the
.Caroline Iilands exprefs in their language tanger faifil, would, by thofe of Tongataboo,
be exprefled tangee vefaine.
If any one ihould ftill doubt, in fpite of this evidence, it may be recommended to
his conlideration, that long' reparation, and other caufes, have introduced greater variations
in the mode of pronouncing thefe two words, at places confefledly inhabited
' by the iame race, than fubfift in the fpecimen juft given. It appears, from Mr. An-
derfon’s vocabulary, printed in Captain Cook’s fecond voyage, that what is pronounced
tangee at the Friendly 111 an ds, is taee at Otaheitej and the vefaine of the former, is
the waheine of the latter.
it
t h e p a c i f i c o c e a n .
it is certain, that the bulk of the people fatisfied themfelves
with one wife. The Chiefs, however, have, commonly,
feveral women*; though fome of us were of opinion,
that there was only one that was looked upon as the miflrefs
. of the family.
As female chaftity, at firft fight, feemed to be held in no
great eftimàtion, we expedied to have found frequent
breaches of their conjugal fidelity ; but we did them great
injuftice. I do not know that a fingle inftance happened
during our whole ftayf. Neither are thofe. of the better
fort, that are unmarried, more free of their favours. It is
true, there was no want of thofe o f'a different charaéter;
and, perhaps, fuch are more frequently met with here, in
proportion to the number of people, than in many other
countries. But it appeared to me, that the moft, if not all
of them, were of the loweft clafs ; and fuch of them as permitted
familiarities to our people, were proftitutes by pro-
feffion. ,
Nothing can be a greater proof o f the humanity of thefe
people, than the concern they ihew for the dead To ufe
a common expreflion, their mourning is not in words but
deeds. For, befides the tooge mentioned before,, and burnt
circles and fears, they beat the'teeth with ftones, ftrike a
fhark’s tooth into the head until the blood flows in ftraams,
and thruft fpears into the inner part of the thigh, into their
* Cantova fays of his Caroline inlanders, 44 La pluralité des femmes eft non
44 feulement permife à tous ces infulaires, elle eft encore '■une marque, d’honneür Sc
44 de diftînétion. Le Tamole de l’ifle d’Huogoleu en a neuf.”
Lettres Edifiantes & Curieufes, Torn. Xv. p. 310.
f At the Caroline Iflands, 44 Ils ont horreur de l’adultère, comme d’une grand
44 péché.” Ibid. Tom. xv. p. 310.
$ How the inhabitants of the_Caroline Iflands exprefs their grief on fuch occa-
fions, may be feen, Ibid, Tom. xv. p. 308.
40!
I777-
July.
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