on board, which he would barter with him for hogs, and fuch articles as
the iiland produced. With this anfwer he appeared well fatisfied.
p. 70. On the 8 th of June they left Anamooka, attended, for fome part of the way,
by Poolahoo and Feenoo, in their canoes, which went at a great rate; and a
number of fmaller ones: the royal.canoe was diftinguiftied from the reft by a'
fmall bundle of grafs, of a red colour, fattened to the end of a pole, and fixed
at the ftern of the canoe, in the fame manner as an enfign ftaff. And on the 10th
they anchored in the harbour of Amfterdam.
p. 72. Notwithftanding the pretenfions both of Poolahoo and Feenoo to the fovereignty
of thefe iflands, yet, on their arrival here, they were informed that a
very old man, whofe name was Malla-wagga, was their real King, but being
overwhelmed by the infirmities of old age, he was unable fo hold the reins
of government, which were, therefore, put into the hands of Poolahoo. This
p. 75. circumftance appeared very ftrange, but more'fo when they obferved that this
old man, on coming on board, paid homage to Poolahoo, by bowing and
touching his feet., ■ They afterwards heard of two others, who were faid to be
ftill fuperior.to all the former. Thefe intricacies may probably arife from their
‘ imperfedt knowledge of the language.
p. 85. As their ftay at the Friendly Iflands, this time, was of a longer duration than
in the laft voyage, they had a better opportunity of making obfervations on them,
p- 97. and their inhabitants. They obferved that their only drink is water or cocoa nut
milk, in general, but the better fort of people always take a draught of awa
• before they eat; they never faw them ufe it at any other time; and even then,
they are far more moderate than the people of Otaheitee, and make this liquor
in a cleanlier manner. There is a law or cuftom here, which forbids, at particular
times, a perfon of inferior rank to eat in. the prefence of his fuperiorff: if
fuch unexpedtedly appear, he immediately defifts, and puts his vidtuals on one
fide: as they once faw even Poolahoo do, on the entrance of two other Chiefs*
and this with a good deal of confufion. A proof that there were others on thefe
iflands who were his fuperiors.
They
They rife as foon as it is light, and the firft thing they do is to’ wafh them- P* 98-
felves in the fea, and afterwards in freifi water, which they eolledt in fmall
wells or pits dug for that purpofe; after this they fit down to their breakfaft,
which generally confifts of bread-fruit, yams, or plantains. As the heat of
the day comes on, they for the moft part fleep. Their1 firft meal being fo
early, they ufually eat again about eleven, and in the afternoon about four;
at eight in the evening, Or as foon as i t becomes dark, they fup, and retire
to reft.
Their amufements are dancing, wreftling, finging, and boxing; at all which P< 98.
they are very expert. The dances of the women are generally, if not always,
in the evening, and by torch light: upon this occafion they are well dreffed;
their heads are decorated with wreaths, compofdd of a plant.like ivory; round
the waift they wear an elegant piece of cloth, and over it a broad fringe of
plantain leaves; their movements are very regular, and they keep excellent time,
to their mufiek. The muficians fit together, forming a fmall circle, and the
women dance found them. The men very rarely intermix in the women’s p. 99-.
dances, though they once faw- Poolahoo in.the midft of them; and, notwithftanding
his corpulency, he kept as good time as the beft of them.
Their wreftling matches are much like thole of Otaheitee;. Their mode of p. 103.
challenging is by ftriking with the hollow of their right hand upon the bended
joint of their left elbow, which produces a loud hollow found, fomething
refembling that of a child’s pop-gun. Another kind o f diverfion they have, p. 105.
which is fomething fimilar to our cudgel playing, only in lieu of fticks they
ufe clubs, made of the bottom part of the cocoa nut tree, which is' hard, and
very .tough: with thefe they will engage "each other for a confiderable time;
they f e w great: dexterity in warding off and parrying the blows of their antago-
nifts; but they fometimes get terribly beaten.about the head, and, in the
courfe of the conflict, muft fuffer feverely. Such, however, is their great good
nature, that there is fcaxcely ever an inftance of a blow being given in anger»
Thefe fp.oxts, as well as their dances, are feldom exhibited but.upon parti- P- roS*
cular days, for the entertainment of the King, and hi.s Nobility, many of whom
™ * I . frequently