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p. 306.
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p. 312*
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p. 312.
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P- 3r4*
The Marquees confift of five iflands,. as already mentioned, and are fituated
in about 90 55’ fouth latitude, and 1390 8’ weft longitude. The trees, plants,
and other productions of them, fo far as a knowledge could be obtained, are
nearly the fame as thofe at Otaheite and the adjacent illes. The inhabitants,
collectively, are without exception the fineft race of people in this fea: for
fine fhape and regular features, they, perhaps, furpafs all other nations; never-
thelefs, the affinity of their language to that fpoken at the Society Iiles fhows
that they are of the fame extraction. The men are punCtured, or curioufly
tatto'uoed from head to foot: this makes them look dark; but the women, who
are but little punCtured, are as fair as fome Europeans; and fo are the youths
and young children, who are not punCtured at all. The men, in general, are tall:
that is, about five feet ten inches, or fix feet; and of a proper medium in bulk*
their hair, like ours, is of various colours; but they faw none red; fome have
it long, but the general cuftom is to wear it fhort, except a bunch on each fide
of the crown, which they tie in a knot. In moft otheF refpgCts, as in their drefs,
dwellings, food, weapons, &c. they are nearly fimilar to the Otaheiteans.
Hogs were the only quadrupeds they faw, and cocks and hens the only tame
fowls. However, the woods feemed to abound with fmall birds of very beautiful
plumage, and fine notes.
On Monday the 11 th o f April they weighed, and paifing the iiland of La
Dominica, fteered to the fouth. Nothing particular happened till the 17th,.
when they fell in with a firing of low iflets, connected together by a reef of
coral rocks: as they coafted along, the natives appeared in feveral places armed
with long fpears and clubs; a boat being fent on fhore, a few only of them
came to the beach, but many appeared in the ikirts of the woods, with fpears
in their hands. The prefents made them were received with coolnefs; which
plainly fhowed the vifit was not agreeable to them. Forty or fifty more, all
armed, joining their countrymen on the beach, the commanding officer of the
boat thought it prudent to embark: fome were for puihing them off, others for
detaining them; but, at laft, they fuffered them to depart at their leifure. The
boat brought on board five dogs, which feemed to be in plenty there; and
alfa fome cocoa nuts, the only fruit they faw. This iiland, which is called by
the natives Tiookea* was difcovered and vifited by Commodore Byron in 1764;^
it
it lies in latitude 14* 27’ 30” fouth, longitude 144” 56’ weft. The inhabitants,
and perhaps thofe of the low iflands, are of a much darker colour than thofe
of the higher iflands, and feem to be of a more ferine difpofition.
After paifing feveral more of thefe low illands, with which the Pacific Ocean
from latitude 20o down to 140 abounds, they re-entered Mataiva Bay, in the P* 3*7*
iiland of Otaheite> on Friday the 22d of April.
Captain Cook, at his-firft arrival, intended flaying no longer at this place p*
than was neceffary for Mr. Wale’s to regulate the watch, and make fome obfer-
vatións, thinking he fhould meet with no better fuccefs in procuring frefh
provifions, than he did the laft time he was here; but the friendly reception
he met with, and a few excurfions to the plains of Matavai and Oparee, convinced
him that he had formed a wrong judgment. He found at thefe two
places, built and building, a great number of large canoes, and houfes of every
kind; people living in fpacious habitations, who had not a place to fhelter
themfe'lves in eight months before; feveral large hogs about each houfe; and
every fign of a riling ftate. Judging, from thefe favourable circumftances, that
they fhould not mend themfelves by removing to another iiland, he refolved to
make fo long a flay as fhould be neceffary for repairing the fhip and recruiting
the flores-.
Going afhore on the 26th, they obferved a number of large canoes,in motion; p. 3x9.
but were furprized, when they arrived, to fee upwards of three hundred
ranged in order, for fome diftance, along the beach, all completely equipped,
jyid manned, befides a vail number of armed men upon the fhore. So unexpected,
an armament collected together in the fpace of one night gave rife to
various conje&ures. They landed, however, in the midll of them, and were
received by a vaft multitude, many of whom were under arms,, and many not:
the cry of the latter was Tiyo no oioo, and that of the former Tiyo no toivha-, to
which both parties added cTiyo no toote*.
Captain Cook and his officers afterwards got into their boat to take a view of
this grand fleet. The velfels of war confifted of one hundred and. fixty large
P p 2 double