l l 79l\
canoe, and a prefent o f an axe giveri to .each o f the meffeng.ers, who
preferring to: go to Otaheite, left' us very reluctantly. We now fhaped
our courfe for Trevenen’s and Sir Henry Martin’s i'llands, intending to
obferve their relative fituation to Santa Chriftina, as we bad reafon
to fnppofe them erroneoufly marked in the Iketch we had on board.
Concerning the cuftoms and manners o f the people about Refo-
lution bay, we learnt but little belides, what is . already related in our
daily tranfadtions; for, except myfelf for a few hours on the fir ft
two days after our arrival, and the captain and the third mate on the
laft day o f our ftay, no perfon was on fhore from the fhip. ^uts
finding this was hke ly tt* te the. cafti* I, wrote a-number o f , queries
to Crook, whole time being likewile .much taken- up with his own
affairs, he had not leifure to make the neeeffary inquiries to anfwer
them all. But, from, bis knowledge o f the language, I think that
what he fays o f a few may be depended: upon, and they are ae^-fol-,
low ;
“ Their religious j ceremonies refeiftble thofe o f the Soteiety I'llands.
“ They have a morai in- each diftridt, where the^d^^iai;feihii|iedfhe-^
“ neath a pavement o f large ftones, but w ith fuch exceptions as in the
% eafe©f;thechief Honoo. Th e y have a multttnde o f de'ifctegy; Thofe
“ moft frequently mentioned are, Opooamanne, ©keep-,- Oenamoe,
“ Opee-peetye,. ©ncokOy .0etooW, Fatee-^tapobvglBWetyfi-^ibiki^
“ who feem fuperior to the reft, though the extent .of myi inform-«
“ a t io n is . fmdi- on this head. They oidy.offeC hags,- i f f ife e r ffe s j
“ and never men. -
“ The chief Tenae prefides over four diftridts, Ghitahoo,. Taheway,,
“ and Innamei, all opening into Refolution bay, and Onopoho; the
‘ ^adjoining valley to the fouthward. He has four brothers: Aeow-
“ taytay, Natooafeedoo, OHeephee,. and Moeneenee } but none : o f
“ them, feem invefted with any authority j and Tenae himfelf with
“ lefs than the Otaheitean chiefs.
■ “ There is no regular government, eftablifixed law, or punifhments }
“ but cuftpm is the general rule.-
“ As.to their food and manners, like mofi uncivilized nations, they
“ have no regular meals, b.ut eat when they are hungry, and here
“ “ nötf in a«'great quanta ty.?at<:a time, 'this being'their 'fierce feafon;
Whqn they have a hog, they eat o f it five op fix tinges- drday % and w^en
’*•*’ without animal food, they ufe the irodfted bimd^iöiit, fifh*r mahie,
Sfl Äiab^^thsÄ^v^lÄläe^is^ah^Ätsv. and (a pafte
■ - made?pf' a -rootcrefembling the yarn: j and this: they do often through
“ the day. The women am notlallpwecTto eatfhog, ämd' arei|«!eha“
ttjfo'lyä under other I prohihitionssas <at Otaheite, and feem much more
“ - femle^toptfteimen, and hatfhly; treated. ‘Theyareemployed: lit
‘ *■ iÄaläng*öktlsh iandrmiktingiii hui motsan, cookery ,- .except for them-
ß felws.. I haye. never öbfejVediany ®>f ethe men;, ffom the chief to
ffiftiSj t®US©&i ^t Wörk,is^sepfr:a pprfibins.maMilg .eordssand.
V;'ifte#.'-iThereft..i^leabemt,i' andrbafiein the füh, tdllingiheir ftories,
arid beguiling ftioAköS.-') t
“ T he lywflaageft>is! with hint
ethers in diftrent; pafts -©fi the .ifland.'fit'Ifc'has ibveral
Children,.1 fome o f which live with him here, and thehothdrs.-: with
“ theirMbthfefSs öbferving a pregfiantiworna®,; * I: afked . hcr hoW
many children ftie had; fhe Replied, -Three.': I wilhed to know i f
f* they were hpthe ;fame .man:; siEe.faid, Yes. I afked farther, i f he
-‘ thädahy other wife/; lhe find, i Whence d am led to tfuppofe,
thosgh-T^Snkfcbasi-‘mom^svivte -thanihriepahisrii® not- pffeli,
t? and" may be f c f privilfegb o f ithe chiefs They ffeem'to be vety
o f their, children ; when I w en t ilp -the ssaUey I fäw the
“ men often daridlihg??them upon their knees, exadlly as I have
“ obferved an old grandfather w ith us in i® country village. ■
“ Their particular cuftoms I am not yet able to . defcribe • but I
“ learn, the fon muff not touch .the 'clbthes o f the father, and rnuft
“ walk before him on the road ; and the father miiftmot touch any
“ thing, nor eat victuals which have'pafled over the head1 o f the fon-.
“ Before the age Öf puberty,-' thooperatiort ofi flitting the- prepuce iS
M performed; and all the men are tattouedj ‘even to thewery'lips and