December £§8 a conc^ '^ l^^> which produces a very loud found. On
1— . < hearing it, all his fubjects are obliged to b rin g food o f e very
fort to his royal refidence, in proportion to their abilities.
On fome other occafions, they carry their veneration for his
ve ry name, to an extravagant and ve ry deftruftive pitch. For
if, on his acceffion to the maro, any words in their lan gu ag e
be found to have a refemblance to it in found, they are changed
fo r others ; and i f any man be bold, enough not to comply,
and continue to ufe thofe words, not only he, but all his
relations, are immediately put to death. T h e fame feverity
is exercifed toward thofe w ho iha ll prefume to apply this
facred name to any animal. And, agreeably to this cuftom
o f his countrymen, Omai ufed to exprefs his indignation,
that the Englifli fhould giv e the names o f prince or princefs
to their favourite horfes or dogs; But while death is the
punifhment for m a k in g free w ith the name o f their fove-
reign, i f abufe be only levelled at his government, the o ffender
efcapes with the forfeiture o f land and houfes.
T h e k in g never enters the houfe o f any o f his fu b je f t s ;
but has, in every diftrift, where he vifits, houfes belonging
to himfelf. And if, at any time, he fhould be obliged by
accident to deviate from this, rule, the houfe thus honoured
with his prefence, and every part o f its furniture, is burnt.
His fubjefts not only uncover to him, when prefent, down
to the tyaift; but i f h e be at any particular place, a pole,
h a vin g a piece o f cloth tied to it, is fet up fomewhere
near, to which they pay the fame honours, His brothers
are alfo intitled to the firft part o f the ce rem o n y ; but the
women only uncover to the females o f the royal family.
In fhort, they feem even fuperftitious in their re fpe ft to him,
and efteem his perfon little lefs than facred. And it is, perhaps,
to thefe circumftances, that he owes the quiet pofi
feffion
feffion o f his dominions. .For even the people o f Tiaraboo
a llow him the fame honours as his right j though, at the
fame time, the y look upon their own C h ie f as more powerf
u l ; and fay, that he would fucceed to the government o f
the whole ifland, ihould the prefent re ign ing fam ily become
extinft. This is the more lik e ly , as Waheiadooa not only
poflefles Tiaraboo, but many diftrifts o f Opooreanoo. His
territories, therefore, are almoft equal, in extent, to thofe
o f Otoo j and he has, befides, the advantage o f a more populous
and fertile part o f the ifland. His fubjefts, alfo,
have given proofs o f their fuperiority, by frequent viftories
over thofe o f Otaheite-nooe, whom they a ffeft to l'peak o f
as contemptible warriors, eafily to be worfted, if, at any
time, their C h ie f fhould wifh to put it to the teft.
The ranks Of people, befides the Free dc hoi, and his fa m
ily , are' the. Erees, or powerful Chiefs ; the Manahoone, or
vafials ; and the Teou, or Toutou, fervants, or rather flaves.
T h e men o f each o f thefe, according to the regular inftitu-
tion, form their conneftiotjs with women o f their refpeftive
ranks ; but i f with any inferior one, w hich frequently happens,
and a child be born, it is preferved, and has the rank
o f the father, unlefs he happens to be an Free, in’ w hich
cafe it is killed. I f a woman o f condition ihould choofe
an inferior perfon to officiate as a huiband, the ehildren he
has b y he r are killed. And i f a Teou be caught in an intrigue
w ith a woman o f the blood-royal, he is put to death. The
fon o f the Free de hoi fucceeds his father in title and honours,
as foon as he is born; but i f he ihould have no children, the
brother afiumes the government at. his death. In other fa milies,
pofieffions always defcend to the eldeft fo n ; but he is
obliged to maintain his brothers and fillers, who are allowed
houfea on his eftates.
Z 2 T he