C H A P. IX.
. A grand •Solemnity, called N a t c h e , in Honour of the King's Son,
performed.—The Procejfions and other Ceremonies, during i he1 firjl
Hay, deferibed.— The Manner of faffing th/e Night at the King’s
Houfe.—Continuation of the Solemnity, the next Day.— Conjectures
about the Nature of it.— Departure from Tongataboo, and Arrival
A t Eooa.—Account of that IJland, and franfaCTions there. 336
c f r m /
Advantages derived from vifiting the Friendly Ijlands—Bejl Articles
for Traffic.— Refrejhments that may be procured— The Number of
the Jflands, and their Names.—Keppel’s and Bofcawen’s IJlar.ds belong
to them.— Account of Vavcioo—of Hamoa—ofFeejee.— Voyages
of the Natives in their Canoes, fDifficulty of procuring exact Information.—
Perfons of the Inhabitants of both Sexes.— Their Colour.
—Difeafes.—Their general Character.—Manner of -wearing their
Hair—of punBuring their Bodies.— Their Clothing and Ornaments.
— Perfonal Cleanlinefs. ' of¡4
C H A P. XI.
Employments of the Women, at the Friendly Ijlands.—Of the Men._
Agriculture.—ConJlruClion of their Houfes.—Their üdrting fools.
— Cordage, and ffhing Implements.—Mufical Inftruments.— Weapons.—
Food, : and Cookery.— Amufements;.— Marriage.— Maiming
Ceremonies for the Dead.—Their Divinities.—Notions about the
. Soul, and a future State.—Their Places of Worfhip— Government.
— Manner of paying Obeifance to the King.— Account of the Royal
Family.—Remarks on their Language, and a Specimen of it.—Nautical
ahd other Obfervations. - 39°
E R R A T Ü M .
Page zo6r line 24, fo r latitude 19° 15' South, read latitude 19° 5 W South.
I N T R O D U C T I O N .
' I ' H E Spirit of difcovery, which had long animated the-
X European nations, having, after its arduous and fuc-
cefsful exertions, during the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries,
gradually fubfided, and for a confiderable time lain
dormant, began to revive in Great Britain in the late
re ign *; and recovered all its former airivity, under the
cheriihing influence, and munificent encouragement, of his
prefent Majefty.
Soon after his acceffion to the throne, having happily
clofed the deftrudtive operations o f war, he turned his
thoughts to enterprizes more humane, but not Iefs brilliant,
adapted to the feafon o f returning peace. While
every liberal art, and ufeful ftudy, flouriihed under his patronage
at home, his fuperintending care was extended to
fuch branches of knowledge, as required diftant examination
and inquiry ; and his fiiips, after bringing back vidtory
and conqueft from every quarter o f the known world, were
• * Two voyages for difcovering a North Weft paffage, through Hudfon’s Bay
were then performed ¡ one under the command of Captain Middleton, in hisMajeftyV
f l T r 1 DlfcoveT Pink> in D M , and r742. The other under
the direihon o f Captains Smith and Moore, in the flups Dobbs and California, fitted-
out by fubfcnption, in 1746, and 1747.
V o l . I. a now