Face of the Country.

THE iſland in general is ſurrounded by a reef of coral rocks which forms many excellent bays and harbours, with plenty of room, and depth of water ſufficient for the largeſt ſhips. The face of the land, except the ſea coaſts, is far from level; it riſes in hills quite to the middle of the iſland, and there forms [5]mountains viſible at twenty leagues diſtance, ſo high that the iſland of Huaheine to the weſt may be ſeen in a clear day though at the diſtance of forty leagues; the only low land is between the ſea and the bottom of the hills, which is of various breadths in different parts, but no where more than about a mile and a half, ſo that each of the peninſula's may be compared to a high crowned hat as it lies with its brim flat upon a table. The ſoil, except at the very ſummit of the hills, is rich and productive, being watered with a number of rivulets, and cloathed with variety of fruit-trees of fine thick foliage and lofty growth, with ſhrubberries every where of odoriferous flowers. The trees ſtand ſo thick, that the country ſeems one continued wood, and in ſome places, even the tops of the hills, though in general bare, being burnt up with the ſun, are not wholly fruitleſs. They are rocky, but woody on the ſides, and covered with fern on the tops, and the vallies covered with herbage. From the black rocks of Bi⯑ſaltes, and the appearance every where of burnt clay and ſtone, there is very good reaſon to ſup⯑poſe that the iſland has undergone a variety of changes by ſubterraneous fires;—but at preſent it wears the moſt beautiful appearance, and ſeems to be a univerſal garden.

[6]The flat lands bordering on the ſea, and ſome few of the vallies, are the only parts where the inhabitants dwell. The houſes are built with⯑out order, ſcattered up and down about fifty yards from each other, in the ſhade of fruit-trees, and each houſe has a little planta⯑tion of plantain-trees from which they make their cloth. The communications from place to place are by public paths judiciouſly formed, and carefully kept. The number of inha⯑bitants cannot be aſcertained with any degree of certainty; but from what could be collected from the natives, and the number of their war canoes, the whole iſland cannot contain leſs than two hundred thouſand inhabitants; the ſtrongeſt proof of its fertility and the richneſs of the ſpot.

Productions.

THE chief productions of this iſland, are the bread-fruit. Ba⯑nanas, or plantains of thirteen different ſorts, cocoa-nuts, yams, the curaſſol, or cuſtard⯑apple, a tree that produces fruit ſomething like the pine-apple, plenty of ſugar-canes, a ſpe⯑cies of wild indigo, a very fine red and yellow ſubſtance for dying, ginger and turmeric, and many more which ſerve for food and other pur⯑poſes: but they have no European fruit, vege⯑tables, [7]or grain of any kind. The bread-tree grows to near forty feet in height, and its leaves are large and palmated of a deep green colour on the upper ſide, and paler on the under, and bears male and female flowers, which ſhoot out ſingle at the bottom of each leaf; the male flower drops off and the female produces the fruit, which, when full grown, is as big as a man's head, weighs three or four pounds, and is, on the outſide, much like a rough melon. It bears fruit a great part of the year, ſome fit to pluck at different ſeaſons. It is generally gathered before it is ripe; and the following is the method of preparing it for uſe. Having ſcraped off the rind, they cut it into quarters, lay it between leaves, and bake it for two or three hours, it then appears inviting like a well-baked loaf, and taſtes as if made of flower. It will not keep many days, but they have a method of preſerving it for ſeveral months. They build canoes of the wood of this tree, and make a kind of cloth of the bark.

The cocoa-nut, when half ripe, yields rather more then a pint of delicious liquor; the milk and the kernel is good to eat; of the rind they make a variety of things, as by ſoaking and beating it it will become a kind of thread; and of the leaves they make bonnets and baſkets.

[8]M. De Bouganville, when he was there in 1768, perſuaded one of the chiefs to encloſe a piece of ground for a garden, had it dug, ſowed it with wheat, barley, oats, rice, maize, onions, and pot-herbs of all kinds, and gave him to underſtand of what great uſe they would be to the inhabitants if they were properly attended to; they did not thrive, for Cap⯑tain Cook, in 1773, neither ſaw nor heard of any of their product. In May, 1769, Captain Cook ſowed ſome melon ſeed, and the ſeed of other plants, but they did not come up; this might indeed have been the fate of the ſeeds which M. de Bouganville ſowed. Indeed no Eu⯑ropean ſeeds ſeem to ſucceed here but thoſe of pumkins, which the natives diſlike. M. De Bou⯑ganville alſo left a cock and hen turkey, and ſome ducks and drakes. The turkeys it is ſup⯑poſed died, as there were none in 1774, but it is preſumed the ducks bred, and encreaſed, there being plenty of them at preſent in the iſland. Captain Cook in Auguſt, 1773, left a couple of goats, male and female, and on his return, the April following, he found that the ſhe goat had two kids, and was then with kid again, that they looked fleck and well, that their hair was as ſoft and fine as ſilk, and that there was [9]great proſpect of the iſland's being ſtocked with them. They alſo put near twenty cats on ſhore.

Animals.

OF domeſtic animals they have only little hogs of the Chineſe breed, ſmall dogs, and fowls like ours: The dogs are very different from thoſe we are ac⯑quainted with, being a heavy, ſluggiſh animal of little more ſenſibility then ſheep. Of wild animals, they have only ducks, turtle-doves of a beautiful green, large pigeons of a deep blue colour, cuckoos, king-fiſhers, herons, &c. and paroquets beautifully red and green. They have alſo ſome few turtles. As to quadrupeds they have no other than rats, which abound here; nor have they any frogs, toads, ſerpents, or other venemous animals, not even a trou⯑bleſome inſect, the plague of other tropical countries, except a few ants, and of theſe but few.

Climate.

THE climate is a healthy one, and as to its heat, Reaumur's thermometer continued between 18° and 22° in April, and Farenheit's about 90° and 95° in Auguſt.

Perſons.

THE inhabitants of the iſland are a ſtout well-made people; tall, ſtrong, ſtately, and fine ſhaped: the men are fit models to paint a Hercules or a Mars from, and are generally from five feet ſeven to ſix feet high, and ſome even taller: the women are remarkably handſome and beauti⯑fully made; thoſe of diſtinction rather taller than the Engliſh, thoſe of an inferior claſs, rather below us in height. This may poſſibly proceed from their early commerce with men. Their natural complexion is a clear brunette; their features do not differ from thoſe of the Europeans, except that their noſes are rather flat, being purpoſely flattened in their infancy; their ſkin is delicately ſoft and ſmooth, their eyes are black, ſparkling, and full of expreſ⯑ſion, and ſometimes melting with ſoftneſs; though they have no crimſon in their cheeks they are delicately clear, their teeth are beau⯑tifully white and regular, which continue ſo to old age; and their breath without the leaſt de⯑gree of taint; and it is apprehended that were they leſs expoſed to the ſun and air, they would be as white as ourſelves: Nay, the ſkins of ſome few were ſeen of a dead white, [11]like the noſe of a white horſe. Theſe had white hair, eye-brows, and eye-laſhes, red and weak eyes, ſkins ſcurfy, and covered with a ſort of down, and were ſhort-ſighted; but it was ſup⯑poſed they became ſo by diſeaſe.

Their hair in general is black, which they cut ſhort round their ears, but ſome few have brown hair, and others red and flaxen, though in children it is moſtly flaxen; whereas the ori⯑ginal natives of Aſia, Africa, and America have univerſally black hair: they oil it with cocoa⯑nut oil, in which they infuſe a root that gives it the ſmell of roſes, and though they have no combs, they dreſs it neatly. The men wear their beards in many ſhapes, plucking out great part of them, but all in general have whiſkers, which they keep clean and neat, and permit to grow ſo as to flow about the ſhoulders, or elſe they tie it in a bunch upon the crown of their heads. Both men and women take great pains to take out by the roots every hair that grows in the arm-pits, and ſeem aſtoniſhed that we are not delicate enough to do the ſame. For want of combs they are too apt to be louſy, which the children and common people pick out and eat;— the only inſtance in which they are not cleanly; but thoſe who could procure combs from any [12]of Captain Cook's people, ſhewed their abhor⯑rence of this filthineſs, by combing their heads till they had totally extirpated theſe diſagreeable attendants: indeed cleanlineſs is their chief characteriſtic. Both men and women regularly bathe themſelves in running water thrice a day; as ſoon as they riſe, at noon, and before they go to reſt. They waſh their mouths at every meal, and not only their mouths but their hands, and this five or ſix times in the courſe of the meal, and they keep their clothes without either ſpot or ſtain.

Dreſs.

THE people in general, both men and women, are frequently ſeen with⯑out any other covering than a ſaſh or mantle round their waiſt; but the principal people have an additional garment, they wrap them⯑ſelves gracefully in a piece of cloth containing many yards, which hangs down as low as the knees. Some of the women wear a piece of cloth, with a hole in the middle through which they put their head, ſo that it hangs down be⯑fore and behind below the knees; over this they throw a fine white cloth, like a mantle, which is wound ſeveral times over the body, in elegant turns, below the breaſt, forming a kind [13]of tunic, one turn ſometimes falling gracefully acroſs the ſhoulders; and they know how to hang this mantle over them, ſo as to give them⯑ſelves an air of elegance and coquetry. The inferior ſort of people are known by a leſs quantity of cloth about them. Girls under four years of age go quite naked, and boys till they are ſix or ſeven. The women of diſtinc⯑tion, in the evening, uncover themſelves to the waiſt; and the men, though they ſhall have about their middle as much cloth as would cover nine or ten perſons, will frequently leave the reſt of the body quite naked; this cloth is made like paper, of macerated bark, ſpread out and beaten together. On their heads they occaſionally wear a little bonnet, made of mat⯑ting, or cocoa-nut leaves, to defend their faces from the ſun; and the women ſometimes wear ſmall turbans, and ſometimes plait their hair in threads, and wind it round their heads, ſo thick as to produce a very good effect. In this they occaſionally ſtick flowers and feathers, by way of ornament. Both men and women wear ear-rings in one ear, made of ſhell, berries, or ſmall pearls. They likewiſe let their finger nails grow, except that of the middle finger on [14]the right hand, and ſeem to pride themſelves in it.

When De Quiros firſt diſcovered this iſland, in 1606, the men were quite naked, and the women covered only from the waiſt down⯑wards with a garment made of the palm-tree; he, indeed, ſaw one man, who ſeemed to be a chief, who had on his head a kind of coronet made of ſmall black feathers, ſo fine and ſoft that they reſembled ſilk, and behind hung down a bunch of red hair ſomewhat curled, as low as the middle of his back: by which we learn that a century and a half will make ſome alterations in the cuſtoms of the natives of the South Seas as well as in Europeans.

It is a univerſal cuſtom with theſe people, both men and women, to mark their loins and breech, and back part of their thighs, with black or blue lines, in a variety of forms, which they call Tattowing. They ſtain themſelves in this manner, by puncturing or pricking the ſkin till it juſt bleeds, with a ſharp inſtrument, ſome⯑thing like a comb, and then rubbing upon the part a greaſe made of ſoot and oil, which con⯑tinues through life; ſuch as are marked with deep blue punctures have the parts rubbed with [15]the juice of a plant that gives that colour. They do not mark their children till they are about thirteen years old; and though it is a painful operation, and ſeveral days before the part is healed, they bear it Stoically, and with great reſolution; conſidering it as the higheſt orna⯑ment. They are very laviſh of this decoration, eſpecially on the breech, and take pride in ſhewing it when they grow up, either as marks of diſtinction, or proofs of their fortitude in un⯑dergoing the operation.

Food.

THEIR diet is chiefly vegetables ſuch as bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, plan⯑tains, yams, a particular kind of apple which the country affords, and other fruits; yet they occaſionally eat pork, poultry, dogs-fleſh, and fiſh. Their dogs are fed wholly on vegetables, and when killed young, and well dreſſed, are very little inferior to lamb. The ſea furniſhes them with a variety of fiſh, and their rivers yields them ſmall mullet. Small fiſh are eaten raw, and for want of ſalt they dip their meat, as they eat it, into ſea water. They are very expert at catching fiſh, which they do both by nets and lines, their hooks being made of mo⯑ther of pearl, and they have a method of in⯑toxicating [16]fiſh, by the juice of one of their plants, ſo as to catch them with the hands.

It ſeems to be handed down among them, by tradition, that in early ages, there was upon this iſland a race of cannibals, or men-eaters, who were a very ſturdy, ſtrong people; but this race has been a long time extinct. In the leſſer peninſula there is ſcarce any bread-fruit, and the people ſeem wholly to live upon nuts, not unlike a cheſnut.

Their manner of dreſſing their food is very ſingular; having procured fire by making a groove in one ſtick, and rubbing another in that groove, in the ſame manner as carpenters whet their chiſſels, till the ſmall duſt kindles, they dig a hole in the ground about ſix inches deep, and eight or nine feet in circuit; this done, they pave the bottom with pebbles, and make a fire in it: they then ſweep off the aſhes, and lay their food upon it, firſt covering it with plantain leaves, and then heaping over it the hot embers—Here it lies till it is ſufficiently baked; and when taken out, it is tender, juicy, and full of gravy. Their chief drink is water, but they ſometimes drink the juice of the co⯑coa-nut. They have an intoxicating juice, which they preſs out from the root of a plant; [17]but it is ſeldom made uſe of but by the chiefs, and by theſe not often; for drunkenneſs to them is abominable: their method of procuring this juice is diſguſting, and an exception to their natural cleanlineſs. The root is chewed by ſe⯑veral perſons till it is ſoft and pulpy, it is then ſpit out into a veſſel, and diluted with water and ſtrained, and in this ſtate it is drank.

When they ſit down to meat, it is on the ground, in the manner of the Perſians, with a large quantity of leaves ſpread by way of a cloth. Their proviſion is brought in baſkets, with two cocoa-nut ſhells, one containing ſalt water, the other freſh. No one preſumes to eat, till he has waſhed his hands and mouth, which he does often in the courſe of the meal. They carve their meat with ſhells, cutting from them, and feed themſelves with their fin⯑gers, and will eat an immoderate quantity, enough to fill five or ſix Europeans: but what is remarkable, they always eat alone, not from want of ſociableneſs, but from a notion that it is right ſo to do. If a family are to dine, each will have his ſeparate proviſion, and they will fit themſelves down at three or four yards diſtance from each other, and turn their faces different [18]ways, and not a word ſhall be heard through the whole meal.

Habitations.

THE huts of theſe people conſiſt merely of a roof, ſup⯑ported on three rows of pillars, one at each ſide, and one in the middle, and thatched with the leaves of the palm-tree; their houſes are form⯑ed like our hay-ricks, with their roofs ſloping both ways, the eaves of the roof about three or four feet from the ground; they have ſeldom any walls, but are open at the ſides and ends; ſome few are encloſed with reeds, having only a hole to enter in at, which can be ſhut up with a board; but theſe are the habitations of the principal people. Within, they are very neatly bedded with a kind of ſtraw, or hay, on which they lay mats to ſleep on; reſting their head on a block, or four-legged ſtool, by way of pillow. When dark, they burn a kind of candle, made of the kernels of an oily nut, many of which they ſtick upon a ſmall piece of ſtick like a ſkewer, one over another; when the firſt is burnt down, the one below it takes fire, and ſo to the bottom. They ſeldom ſit up longer than an hour after it is dark; and when [19]they have any ſtrangers with them they burn a light the whole night; probably, as the whole family ſleep together, that nothing improper may paſs. Their huts are encloſed by a low reed fence, and ſome of them are ſurrounded with little plantations. They are principally uſed indeed for ſleeping in, for unleſs the wea⯑ther is bad they take their meals upon the ground without or under the ſhelter of a neigh⯑bouring tree. The mantle that clothes them in the day covers them at night, and the whole family ſleeps upon the ſame floor without the leaſt partition. The maſter of the manſion and his wife in the middle, next to them thoſe who are married, along ſide of thoſe the ſingle wo⯑men, and at a little diſtance from theſe the ſingle men. The ſervants ſleep without, unleſs it rains, in this caſe they juſt creep beneath the roof.

It ſhould ſeem ſtrange that a whole family ſhould thus ſleep together in common; but when it is conſidered that the people of this iſland have not the leaſt idea of indelicacy, but gratify every paſſion publicly without any ſenſe of impropriety, the wonder will ceaſe.

Amuſements.

AFTER meals, and during the heat of the day, elderly per⯑ſons of the better ſort lie down to ſleep: in⯑deed eating and ſleeping is their general way of paſſing time, for they have little to do but to procure themſelves food, and are a very indo⯑lent people; ſo indolent as ſometimes not to feed themſelves. If they plant a few trees in the courſe of their lives it is all that is expected from them. They are not however without the more ſprightly amuſements; ſuch as muſic, dancing, wreſtling, ſwimming and diving, which they do wonderfully, (both men, women, and children of ſix years old) throwing a lance and ſhooting with a bow. In throwing the lance their ambition is to hit a mark at about twenty yards diſtance, and in uſing the bow he is the beſt archer that conveys the arrow fartheſt; and as their arrows are not feathered, they will often ſend them two hundred and eighty yards. When they draw the bow they kneel, and drop it as ſoon as the arrow is delivered.

Their muſical inſtruments are flutes only and drums: the flutes are made of the bamboo⯑cane about twelve inches long, with two holes only which they ſtop with the firſt finger of the [21]left hand and the middle one of the right. Thus they have only four notes, and of theſe they ſeem to have but one tune, and what is more remarkable, they ſound this inſtrument in the manner of our German flute, by blowing through their noſtrils.

The drum is cylindrical and formed of a hollow block of wood, ſolid at one end and co⯑vered with the ſkin of a ſhark at the other. Theſe they beat with their hands, and can tune them; they have a contrivance alſo to tune the flute, which they do by the ear with great ex⯑actneſs.

To the ſound of theſe inſtruments they ſome⯑times ſing, and ſometimes dance. Their ſongs are in couplets, and frequently extemporaneous, and from their repeating them, ſeem to be me⯑tre though without rhime. At other times they dance, and their way of dancing is not leſs ſin⯑gular than their muſic, for they twiſt and writhe their bodies into many extravagant and wanton poſtures, ſpread their legs, and ſet their arms a-kimbo, and at the ſame time diſtort their faces in a manner which no European can imitate. Much of the cleverneſs of the dances ſeems to conſiſt in the indelicacy of their attitudes, which exceeds all deſcription.

[22]Wreſtling is alſo a public diverſion, and is exhibited before the chief and principal people of the iſland. The following is a deſcription of one. When the ſpectators are ſeated round upon the ground, and a ring thus formed, the wreſt⯑lers are introduced, conſiſting of eight or ten men ſtripped all to the ſaſh that ſurrounds the waiſt. Theſe pace ſlowly round the area, and by ſtriking their left arm with the right hand, give the general challenge: particular chal⯑lenges are afterwards given, and each wreſtler ſingles out his competitor; but the conteſt, in⯑ſtead of being kept up by ſkill, ſeems merely a conteſt of ſtrength, each trying to throw the other by catching hold of the thigh, the cloth, the hair, or any other part. When the fall is given, the victor receives a plaudit from the oldeſt perſons preſent, and the conqueſt is crowned by three huzzas. Two only wreſtle at a time; and when the conteſt of theſe are over, other two begin.

They have alſo dramatic entertainments, a kind of regular interlude performed by men and women, divided into three or four acts. Theſe dramatic interludes are called by the iſlanders Heava, and they conſiſt of dancing and come⯑dy, and laſt near two hours; the ſubject matter [23]of them is of a temporary nature, ſuch as in⯑vaſions, repreſentations of women in labour, and the birth of the child, &c. &c. performed by men, and the child alſo by a man, and the dialogue is generally extemporaneous; but from their ſingular contortions and oddity of their actions, they are ſometimes very laughable. Sometimes the muſicians will travel from one part of the iſland to the other, and entertain the inhabitants at their ſeveral houſes, for which they are generally rewarded with ſuch things as they may want and which the giver has to ſpare.

Manufactures.

THE principal manufacture of this iſland is cloth, of which they have three ſorts made of the bark of three different trees, one better than the other, though manufactured in the ſame way, by ſoak⯑ing it in water and afterwards beating it out; and it ſpreads very faſt under the beater. This done, it is bleached and often dyed red or yel⯑low with the juices of particular plants. The cloth thus made is thin, cool, and ſoft, but like paper is eaſily torn: they have a way how⯑ever of mending it, by paſting pieces over the [24]fracture. They alſo make matts by way of ſum⯑mer covering.

They are likewiſe very ready in making baſkets and wicker-work, which they do very expeditiouſly. They will make baſkets of the cocoa-nut leaves in a few minutes, and alſo bon⯑nets to ſhade their faces from the ſun, not ſuch bonnets as cover the head, but merely a ſhade over the eyes which they tie round the head.

Of the bark of another tree they make ropes and lines from the ſize of a packthread to that of an inch in diameter. Of theſe they form their fiſhing-nets and tackle, and of the fibres of the cocoa-nut they make thread. The fiſh⯑hooks, as I ſaid before, are made of mother of pearl; and they make a kind of harpoon of cane, pointing them with hard wood, for they have no metal of any ſort.

Tools.

THEIR tools in general are made with ſhells and ſtone, and with theſe they will erect houſes, build canoes, and after their manner carve images. They make an adze with ſtone, a chiſel of human bone, a raſp of coral, and coral ſand ſerves them as a file or poliſher.

Boats.

THEIR canoes are of two kinds, one for ſhort trips called Ivahah, and the other for longer voyages called a Pahie. The firſt are of various ſizes, and uſed for various purpoſes, fighting, fiſhing and travel⯑ling; their ſides are perpendicular, and their bottoms flat, and they are of different breadths, but not proportionable to their length, which is from ſeventy-two feet to ten. Thoſe of ten feet long are about twelve inches wide, and thoſe of ſeventy-two feet in length are about twenty-three inches in width.

The fighting canoe is the longeſt; the head and ſtern are raiſed in a ſemicircular form with a carved image on the top, ſeventeen or eighteen feet above the ſides of the boat, which are ſeldom more than about thirty inches in height. Two of theſe canoes are always faſtened toge⯑ther at the diſtance of three feet, by ſtrong poles laſhed to the ſides. Upon theſe in the fore-part is erected a ſtage about eleven or twelve feet long, like the quarter deck of a ſhip, and rather wider than the canoes, ſup⯑ported by pillars about ſix feet high. On theſe ſtages ſtand the warriors, and from hence they throw their lances; their bows and arrows being [26]uſed only for diverſion. They alſo make uſe of ſlings. Below theſe ſtages, which ſome⯑times cover the whole canoe, ſit the rowers, ſixteen or ſeventeen in number, who paddle on with oars reſembling a baker's peel, and the ſpare men, who when any are wounded on the platform above, exchange places with them. The fiſhing canoe is from ten to forty feet in length, and ſometimes carries a ſail; and the travelling canoes are always uſed in pairs, and have generally a ſmall houſe ſix or ſeven feet ſquare, built on a ſtage in the fore-part of them, and ſometimes only an awning; for in fine weather they go a pleaſuring in theſe boats, a number together, and make a good appear⯑ance. At theſe times the veſſels are decorated with ſtreamers, and the people on board are dreſſed; thoſe who row and ſteer are dreſſed in white, thoſe who ſit upon the awning and under it, in white and red; and two men mounted on the prow of each canoe, in red only.

The Pahie or canoe for longer voyages, is bow ſided, and made with a keel at bottom; they are from thirty to ſixty feet in length but very narrow, ſcarce two feet wide. Theſe are ſometimes uſed double, and are furniſhed with ſtages for fighting, or other purpoſes. [27]Some of theſe have one maſt, and ſome two, and have ſails of matting pointed at top, ſquare at bottom, and curved at the ſide, re⯑ſembling what is called a ſhoulder of mutton ſail. Theſe veſſels have been out at ſea for eighteen or twenty days together, and might be longer, if they could ſtow ſufficient proviſions. When not in uſe they are drawn upon land, and are carefully kept under a covering of thatch, open only at the ends.

When De Quiros touched here in 1606, the ſails appeared to be latine made of palms, and the ſeams joined with thongs compoſed of the ſame wood.

When out at ſea, the Indians ſteer by the ſun in the day time, and the ſtars in the night, every one of which they know by name, and when and where they will appear: They alſo can, with ſome degree of certainty, foretell the weather, and from which quarter the wind will blow the enſuing day: They tell you that the milky way is always curved, but not in the ſame direction, and that the wind will blow the next day from that quarter oppoſite the concave part of it.

Diviſion of Time, &c.

THEY divide the year by the moon, which they call Malama, and meaſure the day by the ſun. They count by their fingers, and meaſure diſtances by the time they paſs them.

Language.

THEIR language is ſoft and harmonious, and abounds with vowels, like the Spaniſh and Italian, which they can readily pronounce; but they find a diffi⯑culty in pronouncing Engliſh. The following liſt of words will give ſome idea of it.

• Aree, a chief.
• To aree, a ſecondary chief.
• Taowaa, a prieſt.
• Midee, a child.
• Tane, a huſband.
• Huaheine, a wife.
• Eupea, a net.
• Mahanna, the ſun.
• Mama, light.
• Timahah, heavy.
• Eho mai, come to me.
• Paraow mai, ſpeak to me.
• Parahei, ſit down.
• Ainao, take care.
• Mamoa, hold your tongue.
• Wa hoèe, what is it.
• Tai poe etee noòw. Pray give me a little bread.

Diſeaſes.

WHERE food is ſimple, and there is little debauchery, there can be but few diſorders: the principal diſ⯑eaſes of this iſland are cutaneous eruptions, eri⯑ſipelas, ulcers, and a kind of leproſy. Thoſe afflicted with the laſt, ſeclude themſelves from ſociety, and live in a ſmall houſe alone. Phy⯑ſicians they have none. They run to the prieſt for cure, who generally makes uſe only of a charm and incantation. This ceremony is per⯑formed till the patient recovers or dies. If he recovers, they attribute it to the prieſt, if he dies, to the incurableneſs of the diſorder. In dangerous caſes, the neareſt relations aſſemble in the ſick man's houſe, and continue nurſing and watching him, by turns, till he dies or is out of danger. Bleeding is uſed in this iſland, but this is done by a prieſt, in the Sagittal vein on the head, the operation being perform⯑ed with a ſharp wooden inſtrument; when a ſufficient quantity of blood is taken away, they tie the head round with a bandage, which cloſes the orifice.

Their commerce with Europeans have un⯑fortunately entailed upon them the venereal diſ⯑eaſe. It is ſuppoſed to have been communi⯑cated [30]by M. De Bouganville's people; for when Captain Wallis left it, the diſorder was not known there, and when Captain Cook was there in 1769, it had made great ravage throughout the iſland; but it is believed that they have found out a ſpecific to cure it, for it is not ſo general as it was.

Diſpoſal of the Dead.

THERE are two kinds of depoſit for the dead in this iſland, one called a Tupapow, which is little leſs than a ſhed, under which the fleſh is ſuffered to putrefy; and the other called a Mo⯑rai, a kind of encloſure, with pyramidical erections of ſtone, where the bones are after⯑wards interred; and the chief ambition of theſe people ſeems to be in the magnificence of their Morai.

As ſoon as any one dies, the houſe of the deceaſed is crowded with relations. Such as are neareſt of kin, and are truly affected by the loſs are ſilent, the reſt are clamorous, at one moment with lamentations, and the next with laughing and vociferous talking; for true grief always ties the tongue. Thus is the remainder of the day and ſucceeding night ſpent, and in the morning the body is wrapt in a cloth and [31]conveyed on a bier to the ſea ſide, attended by a prieſt; there it is ſet down upon the beach, cloſe to the water, and the prieſt prays and throws the water with his hands towards the body, but not to touch it. This ceremony is continued long enough till a houſe is built, and a ſmall ſpot of ground near it railed in. With⯑in the rails poſts are ſet up to ſupport the bier, under a ſhed or covering erected for the pur⯑poſe, where the body is left covered with the cloth to putrefy.

The body being thus depoſited, the women aſſemble, and are conducted to the door of the houſe juſt mentioned by the neareſt relation, who wounds herſelf in the crown of her head, by pricking it with the tooth of a ſhark, till it bleeds plentifully, this blood is taken upon a cloth and thrown under the bier; every woman preſent follows her example, and the ceremony continues two or three days. The tears like⯑wiſe that are ſhed at theſe funeral rites, are wiped upon pieces of cloth, and appropriated to the ſame uſe, and ſome of the young folks cut off their hair, and offer it as oblations, on a preſumption that the ſoul of the deceaſed is hovering round the body, and obſervant of the love and fidelity of the mourners.

[32]When the women have performed their part, the men begin. Every relation in turn, be⯑ginning with him who is the neareſt of kin, aſ⯑ſumes the office of chief mourner; he dreſſes himſelf in a fantaſtic dreſs, ſuch a one as in England would convey the idea which nurſes affix to a ghoſt or goblin; Captain Cook has preſented one to the Britiſh Muſeum, and Dr. Forſter another to the Univerſity of Oxford: it conſiſts of drapery, ſhells, and feathers, and covers the whole body, even the face. At the death of a man, the women wear this dreſs, and at the death of a woman, the men. The chief mourner, at the head of the reſt, who are naked to the waiſt, and their bodies ſmeared with charcoal and water as low as the ſhoulders, marches in proceſſion to a great diſtance round the corpſe; and as he carries in his hand a long ſtick, the end of which is ſet with ſhark's teeth, and affects a kind of phrenzy, occaſioned by grief, the people fly before him, leſt he ſhould ſtrike and wound them with it, which he cer⯑tainly would, were they within his reach.

Theſe proceſſions are not dropped till near the expiration of five months, when the remains of the dead body are taken down, and the bones ſcraped, waſhed, and buried within or without [33]a Morai, or place of worſhip, according to the diſtinction of the deceaſed.

Even after this the prieſt continues for ſome time to pray for the departed, and is well re⯑warded by the ſurviving relations, who, as their grief for the perſon deceaſed is ſuppoſed to wear out; ſtill viſit the grave, more or leſs, and make occaſional offerings upon the altars, ſuch as food and bunches of feathers.

They go into mourning likewiſe, and call it Ceva. Their mourning conſiſts of a veil over the face, and a certain head-dreſs of feathers. When mourners go abroad, they are preceded by ſlaves, who beat caſtenets before them dolefully, giving notice of their approach to every one, who clears the way for them; but as moſt good cuſtoms are abuſed, this is no leſs ſo, for clearing the way and wearing a veil gives the married women an opportunity to intrigue, who frequently profit by the occaſion. The whole nation mourns on the death of a ſovereign, and mourning for a father is continued a length of time. Women mourn for their huſbands, but this compliment is not returned them.

Religion.

LITTLE can be ſaid of their re⯑ligion, with any certainty, as none of the Europeans who have been there were ſufficiently acquainted with their language; in⯑deed, like the Chineſe, they have a different language to expreſs their religious myſteries by, from what is ſpoken in general. The only thing rightly underſtood is, that when the moon, in their eyes, wears a peculiar appear⯑ance, they ſay it is in a ſtate of war, and at this time they have human ſacrifices. The perſon to be offered up as the victim, is generally a bad man, one who, by his evil actions, becomes obnoxious to ſociety; but as the perſon thus to ſuffer is fixed upon by the chief prieſt, it often happens that individuals fall a ſacrifice to the reſentment of this man, who, no doubt, has oratory ſufficient to repreſent him as a villain. When the people aſſemble upon any ſolemn occaſion, the prieſt enters the Morai alone, and after ſtaying there a conſiderable time, he comes out and tells the multitude that he has ſeen and converſed with the ſupreme Being, that he expects a human ſacrifice, that ſuch a one preſent is the man, and the poor wretch is [35]immediately beaten to death. At other times they ſacrifice hogs, dogs, and fowls.

It appears, that theſe people conceive that every thing in nature does and did proceed from procreation. That the ſupreme Deity, by con⯑junction with a rock, brought forth the year; that the year, by a connection with the Father of all, gave birth to the months, and theſe, by a further procreation among themſelves, the days. The ſtars, plants, &c. they ſuppoſe to have obtained their exiſtence ſomewhat in the ſame way. Their ridiculous and futile ima⯑gination leads them to believe that there are certain inferior divinities, whom they call Ea⯑tuas, two of whom firſt inhabited the earth, and were the progenitors of the firſt man, brought forth in the ſhape of a ball, but moulded into the preſent form by his mother; that inſtinct led this firſt man to beget children upon his mother, which children were females only, ſo that it was many generations before he could get a ſon, which at laſt he did out of one of his ſiſters, and thus peopled the earth.

Their inferior divinities, of which they have a great number, are ſuppoſed to be male and female. The men pay their adoration to the males, and the women to the females, and there [36]are Morais, or places of worſhip, appropriated to both, where prieſts officiate, but theſe prieſts are men. Their deities are rather ſuch as we underſtand by genii, of which they have good and bad, and they ſuppoſe that a good or evil genius preſides over each important action of their lives, deciding its determinations whether it be ſucceſsful or not. In caſes of ſickneſs, they ſeem to rely wholly upon theſe genii, and neglect any application for cure but to the prayers of the prieſts, and thus ſhew them⯑ſelves ſtrong predeſtinarians.

They ſo far believe the immortality of the ſoul, as to ſuppoſe that there are two ſeparate ſtates of exiſtence hereafter, which they conceive not to be places of rewards and puniſhments, but merely receptacles for the different claſſes of men; they have no conception that their actions here below can influence their future ſtate: and, therefore, as their view of immortality tends not to regulate their earthly conduct, their re⯑ligion muſt be diſintereſted, and their adora⯑tion riſe from an humble ſenſe of their own in⯑ſignificance, when compared to the perfection of their divinities.

The prieſthood here is hereditary; prieſts are generally choſen from ſome family of diſ⯑tinction, [37]and have the higheſt authority, in⯑ferior only to the chief. They have a ſuperior knowledge in religious myſteries, but that knowledge conſiſts in naming and claſſing their deities, and preſerving traditions. They know a little more of aſtronomy and navigation in⯑deed, and to them only is appropriated the office of tattowing, or puncturing the ſkin, and circumciſion, which with them is a ſlitting only of the prepuce, and adopted merely from motives of cleanlineſs.

Marriage is celebrated with ſome few cere⯑monies, but ſeems to be nothing more than the mutual contract of man and woman, which is continued or diſſolved as the parties ſhall agree, the prieſt having nothing to do with them.

The Morai is not only a place of burial, but alſo, as I ſaid before, a place of worſhip; and to this place the Indian comes with the greateſt humility and reverence, with ſlow ſteps and a dejected eye, inſpired with a ſenſe of his own inferiority, and the exalted excellence of the Divinity he is going to adore; and in this act diſgraces the generality of Chriſtians. Nay, they never paſs a Morai but they uncover their ſhoulders as a mark of awful reſpect. The floor of this place within is paved; without, an [38]altar or two, reſembling tables, about ſeven feet high, are raiſed pretty near the Morai, and both within the walls and without are a number of ſmall wooden ſtatues, uncouthly carved up⯑on the top of a piece of wood, which they ſtick into the ground. They do not worſhip theſe images, for they are by no means idolaters. This and the neighbouring iſlands hold parti⯑cular birds, indeed, in veneration, ſome a he⯑ron, others a king-fiſher, ſomething in the ſame manner as we do the robin or the ſwallow, but they pay not the leaſt adoration to them.

When a worſhipper enters the Morai, or approaches the altar to make his offering, he ſtrips himſelf naked to the waiſt, and all his looks and actions declare an awful reverence for the place.

Government.

THOUGH the natives of O-Taheitee live under no re⯑gular form of government, yet a kind of feudal ſyſtem ſubſiſts among them. Each of the pe⯑ninſulas has an Earee Rahie or ſovereign, and each diſtrict, of which there are forty-three in the two peninſulas, has an Earee or chief, and theſe divide the lands within their terri⯑tories among their vaſſals. The iſland former⯑ly [39]was under the command of one ſovereign; the kings of Leſſer O-Taheitee being ſprung from thoſe of the Greater: the two ſovereigns at preſent are nearly related, and that of the former ſeems as it were a tributary to the lat⯑ter. Each chief keeps a kind of court, and has a number of officers; and it is obſervable, that he ſeldom gives his deciſion in any caſe, without the advice of council. If an of⯑fence was given at any time to the people by the Europeans that viſited them, the matter was to be adjuſted with the chief before a re⯑conciliation could be brought about. The male child of a chief, as well as of the ſovereign, as ſoon as born, ſucceeds to the title of its father, and diſpoſſeſſes the parent of all his honours except that of the management of the eſtate, &c. and of conducting and carrying on the buſineſs till the boy is of age.

In caſe of an attack, every diſtrict furniſhes its proportion of fighting men, and the ſovereign commands the whole. Their weapons are ſlings, pikes, and clubs; when they fight it is with great obſtinacy, and they give no quarter; but often kill their priſoners, men, women and children, and carry off their jaw-bones as trophies, in like manner as the Indians of North America [40]do the ſcalps. If a diſpute at any time ariſes between two chiefs, it is ſettled among them⯑ſelves. Captain Cook was once preſent at a naval review, and found it conſiſted of upwards of three hundred large canoes completely equip⯑ped, and manned with near eight thouſand men; the chiefs and all thoſe on the fighting plat⯑forms, were habited in their war accoutrements, which conſiſted of a great quantity of cloth, turbans, breaſt-plates, and unwieldy helmets. The canoes were dreſſed with flags and ſtream⯑ers. This fleet was deſigned to attack a neigh⯑bouring iſland that had thrown off its indepen⯑dency on O-Taheitee. Some of the troops at Captain Cook's requeſt went through their ex⯑erciſe on ſhore. Two parties firſt began with clubs; the blows of the clubs were aimed at the legs and head, thoſe at the legs were evaded by jumping; and thoſe at the head by ſtooping, or leaping aſide: when they proceeded to uſe their ſpears or darts, they parried the puſh or dart by fixing the point of a ſpear in the ground before them, and directing the other end of it, as they foreſaw the aim was made.

There is no ſuch thing as money among them; the fruit of the trees are in common to all; the commerce of the ſeas is no way re⯑ſtrained; [41]and there ſeems to be few things that can be taken by violence or fraud. In a ſtate therefore where there is but little oppoſi⯑tion of intereſt, every paſſion being ſo readily gratified, there cannot be many crimes; of courſe a regular diſtribution of juſtice will be unneceſſary. It is true there are thefts here, but as none among theſe people can be much injured or benefited by ſuch thefts, they are not reſtrained by any public law, but the puniſh⯑ment of the criminal reſts with the injured per⯑ſon. They do not ſeem diſpoſed to rob one another, but they made no ſcruple of ſtealing from the Europeans, whenever they had an op⯑portunity; even the chiefs would ſtoop to pur⯑loin a nail or a piece of glaſs bottle; but when it is conſidered that an Indian among iron and glaſs is in the ſame ſtate of temptation with the pooreſt European among unlocked boxes of jewels and gold, it is not to be wondered at. To rate the virtue of theſe people properly, we muſt take a view of their moral ſyſtem, which is ever to conform to what they think right. If they have any notions of right and wrong, they muſt proceed from the mere dictates of na⯑ture, for leſſons they have none on this head; and as theft among themſelves is attended but [42]with little diſadvantage to the injured perſon, they think very little of it. In this light they conſidered nails and other things to Captain Cook and his people, and thought no wrong in making free with what they preſumed the per⯑ſons they took them from could not miſs. Adultery is ſometimes heard of in this iſland; and if the parties are caught in the act, the man perhaps is inſtantly ſlain by the injured huſband, if he is the ſtrongeſt of the two, and the wife eſcapes with a beating: It ſeldom hap⯑pens that the chiefs interfere. Murder indeed is ſometimes puniſhed with death, and the cri⯑minal in this caſe is hanged.

The diſtinction of rank preſerved in this iſland does not materially affect the happineſs of the people. In a country where ſcarce a ſecond garment is neceſſary, where every one can ga⯑ther fruit from the firſt tree he meets, or is at liberty to take ſome in any houſe which he enters; where the neceſſaries of life can be eaſily obtained; there can be but little envy, but little repining. The upper claſs of people, it is true, enjoy ſome dainties which the lower claſs probably cannot get at; this may hurt an individual, but cannot affect a nation at large. The diſtinction between the greateſt and the [43]loweſt man in O-Taheitee is not more than between a manufacturer in England and his workman. A chief has the command of life and death over his ſervants and ſlaves; but he very ſeldom exerciſes it, and notwith⯑ſtanding this, is more beloved than feared; a proof of the mildneſs of their government. He alone has power to plant the Babylonian willow before his houſe; for by bending down the branches of this tree, and planting them in the ground, they will ſhoot afreſh; thus the ſhade may be extended to any diſtance, and in any direction. Under theſe ſhady arches the chiefs regale, whoſe ſervants are known by wearing ſaſhes high up under the arms, which others wear only round their middle. When a chief approaches, or paſſes, it is cuſtomary for all to uncover their ſhoulders as a compli⯑ment; but this is all: the meaneſt man in the iſland addreſſes his ſovereign as freely as he would an equal, and can ſee him whenever he pleaſes: for, not depraved by the empty notions of European greatneſs, the king will often amuſe himſelf with his ſubjects, and at times will paddle in his own canoe.

Character and Cuſtoms.

AFTER what has been ſaid of theſe peo⯑ple, it cannot be ſuppoſed that chaſtity here is in much repute. Their natural ſimplicity is ſo great, that the very conjugal rites are per⯑formed in public, a whole family or houſhold reſting at night in one room. In more north⯑ern climates, girls and unmarried women are ſuppoſed to be ignorant of the buſineſs of the marriage-bed, but here it ſeems to be the very reverſe. Among their dances, where eight or ten young ſingle women can be got together, they have one which conſiſts of ſuch wanton and laſcivious geſticulations, accompanied by ob⯑ſcene diſcourſe, that one is led to think that ſuch geſtures and expreſſions muſt be taught them at the earlieſt age; but they are no ſooner married, than they leave off this fooliſh prac⯑tice. Some of the principal women of the iſland introduced themſelves to Captain Cook, and his officers, by ſeveral times taking up all their garments round them, quite to the waiſt; and as where there is no idea of indelicacy with reſpect to actions, there can be none in words, their language is groſsly obſcene, and as freely ſpoken by the women as the men. [45]The women in general are very lively in their converſation, and very chatty, and they have vivacity and underſtanding often to be witty and to play upon words.

To give the reader a ſtill better idea of their want of decency, and to convince him, that it does not ariſe from depravity of ſentiment, but from an innate ſimplicity authorized by cuſtom, I need only mention, that when Cap⯑tain Cook was there in the year 1769, and then on a viſit to the queen of the iſland, ſhe entertained him with an exhibition of a very ſingular kind, and among the ſpectators were many women of diſtinction. A young man of uncommon ſtature was directed by her to per⯑form the rites of Venus, with a little girl about twelve years old, which was done without the leaſt ſenſe of impropriety on either ſide; and though the girl ſeemed to want no inſtructions in the office, her Majeſty vouchſafed to aſſiſt at the ceremony.

But though the unmarried are ſo little re⯑ſerved, they no ſooner take a partner for life, than they are as choice of their favours as be⯑fore they are free of them; and if we conſider the ſimplicity, both of their education and dreſs, we cannot juſtly charge them with the crime of [46]unbounded licentiouſneſs. There are ſome wo⯑men of the better ſort, and ſome few even of the lower claſs, that are in this reſpect very re⯑ſerved; all I would infer is, that freedoms of the kind I mentioned, are not conſidered here as crimes of ſuch a nature as to preclude them from ſociety; and as a further proof of it, it need only be told, that a very reſpectable chief offered his wife to Captain Cook, in ex⯑change for a few red feathers, and ſhe, by the or⯑ders of her huſband, took ſome pains, by a ſtu⯑died diſplay of her charms, though artfully con⯑cealed, to captivate him. But, to ſhew that they are delicate in their notions, notwithſtand⯑ing this freedom of conduct, and that it is not every man with whom they will aſſort, take the following little anecdote. When Captain Cook was there in 1774, he had on board his veſſel a weak ſcorbutic man, with one eye, who, ſoon after his arrival, gaining a little ſtrength and ſpirits upon a vegetable diet, paid his addreſſes to a pleaſing O-Taheitean girl, lighted a candle and conducted her from the deck to his birth below; but ſhe no ſooner looked in his face, and found that he had loſt an eye, than ſhe refuſed to continue with him, led him upon deck again, introduced him to a one-eyed girl, [47]at that time there, and gave him to underſtand, that ſhe was a more ſuitable partner for him; for that, for her part, ſhe would not take up with a blind lover.

But as in every country there are ſome more diſſolute than others, ſo is it in O-Taheitee: there is a ſociety formed here of a great number of the principal people of the iſland, of both ſexes, called an Arreoy; where, to indulge their paſſions, and keep up their flame by a pleaſing variety, every woman is common to every man; and where, in order to ſtimulate deſire, frequent meetings are held among them, at which time the men wreſtle, and the women dance, and en⯑deavour, by the moſt wanton geſtures, to incite thoſe amorous paſſions that probably could not be kept alive any other way; and the paſſion once raiſed, is immediately gratified. This cuſtom may poſſibly be conſonant with their peculiar notions; but the ſequel is horrid. Should any of theſe women prove pregant, which does not often happen, the poor infant is ſmothered as ſoon as born, that it may be no interruption to thoſe diabolical pleaſures of the father and mother, who, if the child is pre⯑ſerved, are immediately excluded the ſociety: and the members of this aſſociation, inſtead of be⯑ing [48]aſhamed of the connection, pride themſelves in it, and boaſt of it as a privilege.

But as the natives of this iſland have the ge⯑neral character of being gentle, generous, ten⯑der, and affectionate, which cannot be recon⯑ciled with the murder of their own children; there may be other reaſons than unbounded li⯑centiouſneſs to countenance this ſociety: and as all the men who are members of it are warriors, ſuch an aſſociation may be political, as it ob⯑viates the attachments of both wife and child. Beſides, ſuch a ſociety might be inſtituted to prevent multiplying the chiefs of the iſland, who perhaps once were petty-tyrants, eſpecially, as a child brought forth in wedlock is a chief as ſoon as born; and the members of this aſſocia⯑tion were generally chiefs and are now perſons of the firſt diſtinction. This ſociety may thus have been inſtituted in ſound policy, and the reſpect it is held in, in the iſland, ſeems to favour the notion; but as all inſtitutions, in courſe of time, are liable to abuſe, it may be the caſe here; for the members ſeem to meet merely to indulge a voluptuous diſpoſi⯑tion. They feaſt on the choiceſt dainties, and that to exceſs; they make a free uſe of the in⯑toxicating plant; they are amuſed with muſic, [49]and laſcivious dancing, and a train of ſenſual pleaſures ſurrounds them. But, at the ſame time, they are friendly and hoſpitable to each other in the higheſt degree, and, to ſoften the crime of murder on the part of the mother, it is but juſtice to obſerve, that they never give up their children but at the entreaties and perſua⯑ſions of the reſt, and where entreaties will not prevail, force is employed, and the murder is committed in ſecret.

Polygamy is not allowed among them, ex⯑cept among the principal people of the iſland. Love being the reigning paſſion, a number of wives is the higheſt luxury. The women pay a blind ſubmiſſion to their huſbands, and though an exception is now and then to be found to the general rule, they would ſooner die than be guilty of conjugal infidelity; and ſo little is jealouſy known among them, that when a woman yields to the importunities of a ſtranger, it is generally by the huſband's perſuaſion.

As the reader probably will wiſh to know the reception the firſt European veſſel met with at this iſland, I will relate what happened to Cap⯑tain Wallis in June 1767, for, till this time, no European ſhip had touched there, except that of De Quiros in 1606; and he continued there not [50]more than two days; beſides, it being more than a century and a half ago, the viſit of Cap⯑tain Wallis may be conſidered as the firſt which the natives of this iſland ever received from a civilized people.

When Captain Wallis's ſhip brought up cloſe under the land, which the depth of water enabled him to do, he was ſoon ſurrounded by ſome hundreds of canoes, with ſeveral perſons in each. When they came within piſtol ſhot, they gazed and ſeemed to hold a council how to act; at laſt they paddled round the veſſel, ex⯑hibiting ſignals of friendſhip, and one of them made a ſpeech. Soon after this, ſome few came on board, but one of them being butted by a goat then on deck, and on turnign round ſee⯑ing the goat riſe on his legs, they all jumped over the ſides of the veſſel, in the greateſt fright, but ſoon ſwam round her and returned on board again, and the crew had enough to do to prevent their ſtealing ſundry things that lay in their way; one of them ſnatched off a gold⯑laced hat from an officer's head, leaped over⯑board, and ſwam off with it. Upon the Cap⯑tain's ſending out a boat to ſound the depth of water, the Indians, to prevent their coming on ſhore, threw ſtones into her, and wounded ſome [51]of the men, which made an officer in the boat fire his muſquet, loaded with buck-ſhot, at the Indian who threw the firſt ſtone, and wounded him on the ſhoulder. This was an alarm ſuf⯑ficient—it brought together three or four hun⯑dred canoes, with upwards of two thouſand men, armed with ſlings, and ſtones, of two pounds weight, who attacked the ſhip, and hurt ſome of the crew, but they were ſoon quieted and diſperſed by firing a few great guns at them, with the loſs only of a few Indians: they pre⯑pared for a ſecond attack, but found it in vain; in ſhort, they became ſo afraid of a gun, that was a muſquet pointed at them, thouſands would fly before it, like a flock of ſheep. Indeed, ſo great was their dread, that when a party of In⯑dians once attempted to attack an officer, then ſtrolling about on ſhore by himſelf, he put them all to flight, by preſenting his tooth-pick caſe at them, which they conceived to be a little gun. After this the ſhip's boats went peace⯑ably to ſhore, and upon ſignals of friendſhip made on both ſides, a trade was opened with the iſlanders, which improved every day. The things they valued moſt were nails and hatchets, they having no ſuch thing as iron among them; and the rates of trafficking were, a ſpike for a [52]ſmall pig, a ſmaller for a fowl, a hatchet for a hog, and a middling-ſized nail for twenty co⯑coa-nuts or bread-fruit. Nay, they trafficked with the ſhips crew for the perſonal favours of their daughters and ſiſters, whom fathers and brothers brought down to the ſea-ſide on pur⯑poſe: a nail was generally the price of theſe fa⯑vours, but, to ſhew that they were not inſenſible of the ſuperiority of charms in one female more than another, the ſize of the nail demanded roſe always in proportion to the beauty of the lady; but no nails were current at O-Taheitee under the ſize of a forty-penny.

When the ſhip had been there about three weeks, the Captain was introduced to a woman of diſtinction among them. She invited him to her houſe, and taking hold of his hand, made all her attendants, of which there were a great number, both male and female, kiſs it.—When any of the natives meet a friend, whom they have not ſeen for ſome time, they affect to cry for joy; but no ſuch ceremonial paſſed here; they kiſſed the Captain's hand. This lady's houſe was merely a roof, thatched with palm leaves, like other habitations in the iſland, but covering a ſpot of ground three hundred and twenty-ſeven feet long, and forty-two feet in [53]breadth; it was raiſed upon three rows of pillars, thirty-nine on each ſide, and fourteen in the middle. The ridge of the houſe within was thirty feet high, and the ſides of it, to the eaves of the thatch, twelve feet high. As Captain Wallis and his party entered, ſhe beckoned four girls, by waving her hand downwards, that being the method there, and ordered them to take off the Captain's ſhoes and ſtockings, and then directed the girls to rub and chafe their feet between their hands. This is conſidered at O-Taheitee, and is in reality the greateſt re⯑freſhment. When the young women had conti⯑nued this for about half an hour, they dreſſed their legs again, and, by the order of their miſ⯑treſs, brought ſome bales of cloth, of their own manufacturing, to clothe them in the faſhion of the country, but they declined it. This done, the Queen preſented them with a ſow big with pig, and conducted them to the ſhore where the boats lay; and, what is remark⯑able, at every little dirty place they paſſed, ſhe took the Captain up in her arms and lifted him over, with as little difficulty as we would lift a child. During this viſit, one of the gentlemen took off his wig, to wipe his head, having walked till he was warm, which ſo aſtoniſhed [54]the Indians, that they could not have been more ſo, had his limbs been ſcrewed to his body, and he had unſcrewed them one after another.

As a general character of theſe people; let it ſuffice to ſay, that they are hoſpitable, un⯑ambitious, and far from revengeful. They probably are not ſo ſincere in their profeſſions of friendſhip, as from appearances might be expected; for they weep upon every little oc⯑caſion, and ſeem to have tears at will; like children they cry for trifles, and like children too their ſorrows are ſoon forgotten: but when we reflect, that they have never been taught either to diſguiſe or ſuppreſs their paſſions, and are not accuſtomed to thought, which alone only can recall the paſt and anticipate the future, it is no wonder that their ſorrows ſhould be tranſient; they are affected only with the occur⯑rence of the paſſing minute; and yet they are of a benevolent diſpoſition. Their life re⯑ſembles, in a great meaſure, what poets call the Golden Age, for they are happy in their ſim⯑plicity and innocence; and if the frequent vi⯑ſits of Europeans do not corrupt their manners, may continue ſo to the end of time. Though they have no trade, they have plenty of amuſe⯑ments and employments; manufacturing of [55]their dreſs is an agreeable employ to the wo⯑men, and building houſes and canoes, with making of tools and arms, ſufficient occupa⯑tion for the men. Moſt of their days are ſpent in a country where nature has been laviſh of her gifts; where the temperature of the air is warm, but continually refreſhed by wholeſome breezes; where the atmoſphere is conſtantly clear and ſerene, and where the climate and fruits of the land contribute to the ſtrength, the pleaſure, and elegance of the natives. In ſhort, their tempers are unruffled by violent paſſions; they live a life of eaſe, equanimity, and content, and are ſituated in a delightful country, free from care, and happy in their ignorance; re⯑ſembling the paradiſe of Mahomet, where the appetites are gratified, without ever being cloyed.

When M. De Bouganville was at O-Taheitee, he met with a native of that iſland, about thirty years of age, very deſirous of accompanying him to France, and his countrymen ſeemed to approve the ſtep. He happened, however, to be a ſtupid fellow, and in two years ſtay at Paris, could never get to ſpeak, or even pro⯑nounce the language; poſſibly from ſome im⯑pediment in his ſpeech, yet ſtill, he would go [56]out into the ſtreets by himſelf, and was well acquainted with the town. He frequently made a purchaſe, and ſeldom paid more for it than its value. The principal exhibition that pleaſed him was the opera, and particularly the dancing; he conſtantly went there by him⯑ſelf, paid for his admiſſion, and his favourite place was in the ſeats behind the boxes. Among the great number deſirous of ſeeing him, he knew how to diſtinguiſh thoſe who were moſt civil, and his grateful heart never forgot them. The Ducheſs of Choiſeul appropriated a ſum of money for the purpoſe of conveying a va⯑riety of tools to O-Taheitee, and the miniſtry ſent him, in March 1770, to the Iſle of France, that he might be thence conveyed home; but he never lived to reach his native iſle, for having caught the ſmall-pox, it proved fatal to him. M. De Bouganville allotted one thou⯑ſand five hundred pounds, being a third part of his fortune, towards equipping the ſhip for that purpoſe.

Face of the Iſland, &c.

BUT the honour of diſcovering this iſland is not worth contending for, it affording neither anchorage, fuel, good water, or any conve⯑nience for ſhipping. The whole country is barren and ruinous, without wood, and ſtrewed with volcanic cinders: in many places it is ſtripped of its ſoil to the very rock, which ſeems to contain an iron ore. It is more than pro⯑bable that this iſland was produced by a vol⯑cano, and deſtroyed by its fire. There are, however, ſeveral plantations of potatoes, plan⯑tains, and ſugar-canes; but every thing is obliged to be raiſed by the dint of labour. Their plantations are prettily laid out by line, and fenced in with ſtone. They plant their ba⯑nanas in holes one foot deep, in order to collect the rain, without which contrivance they would not grow in this parched country. The graſs which naturally ſprings among the ſtones in un⯑cultivated ſpots, is carefully pulled up and ſpread as a manure over the whole plantation, or per⯑haps to preſerve it from the ſcorching ſun.

Productions.

THE chief produce of the iſle is potatoes, nuts, plantains, ſu⯑gar-canes, yams, and ſome few gourds. Their potatoes are ſweet as carrots, and of a gold-yel⯑low colour: the Indians uſe them inſtead of bread. The plantains are very delicious, and the ſugar-canes ſweeter than thoſe at O-Tahei⯑tee; indeed, the juices of every vegetable ſeem concentrated by the dryneſs of the ſoil. There is here a particular ſhrub, called by the na⯑tives Torromedo, not much unlike the common vetch, but the pod, in its ſize and ſhape, re⯑ſembles that of a tamarind. The wood is red⯑diſh, and pretty hard and heavy, but very crook⯑ed, ſmall and ſhort, not exceeding ſix or ſeven feet in height. The ſeeds have a diſagreeable, bitter taſte, and the natives ſeem to think them poiſonous. They have in this iſland alſo the O-Taheitean cloth-plant, but it does not thrive well: in ſhort, the different ſpecies of plants do not exceed twenty.

Animals.

THE only animals ſeen here were cocks and hens, of the European kind, well taſted, but ſmall; and rats which they uſe as food. Land birds there are ſcarcely [71]any, and ſea birds but few, and theſe are, men of war, tropic, and egg-birds, noddies, tern, &c. but what is ſtill worſe, the coaſt ſeems not to abound with fiſh.

Perſons.

THE number of inhabitants ſeems not to exceed ſix or ſeven hun⯑dred; and above two thirds of theſe are men. This diſproportion can no otherways be accounted for, but by the womens concealing themſelves. This might be the caſe, or it might not, for very few children were ſeen, and the behaviour and conduct of thoſe women who made their appearance, gave it to be underſtood, that they could well diſpenſe with a plurality of huſ⯑bands. In colour, features, and language, the natives here bear ſo great an affinity to thoſe of the more Weſtern Iſles, that they muſt have had the ſame origin; but how the people ſhould ſpread themſelves throughout the whole South Sea, which is not leſs than one quarter of the globe, is truly aſtoniſhing. The inhabitants of Eaſter Iſland are of a middle ſtature, but ſlen⯑der, with thin features: their muſcles are hard and rigid, influenced, as muſt be ſuppoſed, by the heat and ſterility of the country. They are lively, ſtrong, well made, and ſwift of foot. [72]Their looks are mild, pleaſing, modeſt, and ſubmiſſive. Their complexion, in general, is a cheſnut brown; but ſome few are darker, and ſome are quite white, and the bodies of the men are very hairy. Their beards are black and ſtrong, and they wear them clipped ſhort. The noſes, both of men and women, are not very broad, but rather flat between the eyes; their lips, though not ſo thick as thoſe of the negro, are ſtrong, and their hair is black and curling. Their eyes are dark brown, and ra⯑ther ſmall, and the whites of them not ſo clear as in other iſlands of the South Seas. The women wear their hair long, and ſometimes tie it up on the crown of the head, but the men never ſuffer theirs to grow more than three inches in length. Both men and women are remarkable for the great length of their ears. They pierce the flaps of them, and ſtretch the holes, by wearing a leaf in them, rolled up tight like a ſcroll, till they become two or three inches long and reach the ſhoulder. They ſometimes turn this ſlit over the upper part of the ear, and it then looks as if the flap was cut off.

From the Dutch relation of Roggewein's voyage, we are taught to believe, that the ſa⯑vages [73]of this iſland, were in 1722, twice as tall and as thick as the largeſt European; that the men meaſured in general twelve feet in height, and the women from ten to eleven. But this relation cannot be true, as Captain Cook met with none exceeding ſix feet high.

They tattow or puncture the ſkin here, as they do at O-Taheitee, and mark themſelves from head to foot, face and all, in various fi⯑gures, nearly alike, but in different directions, as fancy leads. The women are not punctured ſo much as the men; but they paint their whole faces with a reddiſh brown, over which they lay the bright orange of the turmeric root, or ornament them with ſtreaks of white.

Dreſs.

THE ſcorching heat of the ſun ob⯑liges them to cover their heads, which they do with a round fillet, decorated with fea⯑thers, and a ſtraw bonnet, ſomething like a Scotch one. Others wear large buſhy caps, of brown gull feathers, little leſs than the wig of an Engliſh judge.

The womens cloathing conſiſts of a piece or two of red and white quilted cloth, about ſix feet by four, or a mat. One piece wrapped round the loins, and another thrown over the [74]ſhoulders; but the men go almoſt naked, ex⯑cept a ſlip of cloth between the legs, both ends of which are faſtened to a belt round the waiſt. Both ſexes wear on the breaſt, ſuſpend⯑ed by the neck, a flat piece of bone, ſhaped like a laurel leaf; and occaſionally necklaces and ear-rings, made of ſhells, by way of amulet or charm.

Habitations.

THE conſtruction of their huts declares the poverty and wretchedneſs of the people. They reſemble a canoe lying upon the ground, with the keel upwards, are about fifty or ſixty feet long, and are built in the following manner. The foun⯑dations are laid with ſtone, by paving the ground in two curve lines, converging at the extremities to each other; the diſtance, from line to line, in the middle, is about ſix feet, and at the ends not more than a foot. In every ſtone of this line or foundation is made a hole, into which they fix a ſtake, ſix feet high in the middle, and di⯑miniſhing proportionably to two feet at the ends: theſe ſtakes are drawn together, and faſ⯑tened at the top, and the whole is covered with matting of ſugar-cane leaves to the ground. On one [75]ſide is left an opening, eighteen or twenty inches high, by way of entrance, covered with a kind of porch: ſo that to get in they are obliged to creep upon the hands and knees. In theſe huts they only ſleep, and that on the bare ground. Some have ſheds made with piles of ſtone, and ſome ſeem to live in caverns cut in the rocks; but as no admittance could be ob⯑tained into theſe, nothing can be ſaid about them.

Utenſils.

THEY do not appear to have any utenſils, except gourds. Rogge⯑wein, in 1722, talked of their having earthen pots, but no ſuch thing was ſeen in 1774. They dreſs their victuals in the O-Taheitean faſhion, with hot ſtones, in an oven, or hole in the ground; and roaſt their plantains under fires of ſtraw or dried graſs.

Manufactures, &c.

THEY make a kind of cloth here of the bark of the paper mulberry, as they do at O-Taheitee; which they quilt with thread to ſtrengthen it, and paint yellow with turmeric. When com⯑pleted, it is ſoft to the touch, like ſilk, and [76]they make baſkets, bonnets, &c. of matting, very neat.

Their working tools are very mean and few, made of ſtone, bone, or ſhells; but yet they are very ingenious at carving, and ſhew a taſte for the arts. They carve hu⯑man figures, about eighteen inches long, with great neatneſs and proportion, and poliſh them very highly.

In ſeveral places on the coaſts of this iſland, are a number of gigantic ſtone ſtatues, ſome erected in groups, in platforms of maſonry, and others ſingle, fixed only in the earth. They reſemble a human figure to the waiſt, are thirty feet high, more than eight feet acroſs the ſhoul⯑ders, and ſeemed to be formed each of one ſingle ſtone. The workmanſhip is rude, and the eyes, noſe, and mouth ſcarce marked on an ill-ſhaped head; but the ears quite long, in the preſent faſhion of the country. On the heads of theſe ſtatues are placed huge round cylinders of ſtone, five feet in height, and five in diameter, ſet upright. They ſeem to have been erected over the graves of ſome chiefs, in former days, not being the workmanſhip of the preſent inha⯑bitants, but preſerved now as monuments of antiquity. How theſe ſtones were thus raiſed [77]one upon another, is as little to be gueſſed at as the manner in which thoſe at Stonehenge were erected. The iſlanders do not pay any adoration to them, but hold them in a kind of veneration, and will not ſuffer any one to tread upon the platforms. They proba⯑bly may have ſome tradition concerning them, but as the Europeans who viſited the iſland, did not continue long enough to learn the language, nothing could be collect⯑ed with any certainty; except only that they were the burial places of ſome former chiefs.

They call the ſtatues by the following names, Ko-Tomoaï, Ko-Tomoèeree, Ko-Hòo-oo, Morahèena, Oomarèeva, Weenâboo, Weenapè.

Arms.

THE offenſive weapons of the peo⯑ple of Eaſter Iſle, are ſhort wooden clubs; ſpears made of crooked ſticks about ſix feet long, pointed with pieces of flint; and a kind of ſhort battle-axe.

Canoes.

THEIR canoes are wretched, about eighteen or twenty feet long, and very narrow; the head and ſtern are raiſed a little, and carved, and fitted with out-riggers, [78]they will not carry above four perſons, and are not to be navigated to any diſtance. They are patched up with pieces of wood two or three feet long, and four or five inches wide, and are worked with paddles made up alſo with ſeveral pieces of wood. In one of theſe canoes ſeen by Captain Cook was a board ſix or eight feet long, fourteen inches broad at one end, and eight at the other. This is mentioned, as at that time there did not appear to be a tree upon the iſland that would have yielded a board of half that ſize.

Religion and Government.

VERY little can be ſaid of the re⯑ligion of theſe ſavages, except that they are not idolators and as little can be ſaid of their go⯑vernment; whether or not they have one or more chiefs among them. When Roggewein was there, they appeared and ſpoke without diſtinction; the government was obviouſly pa⯑triarchial; the moſt aged had plumes of fea⯑thers on their heads, and a ſtaff in their hands; and it was obſervable, that in each houſe or family, the oldeſt perſons governed and gave the orders. When Captain Cook was there, there ſeemed to be but little ſubordination [79]among them. The plantations on the iſland are evidently private property, but, though he frequently ſaw theſe plantations plundered, no penalty or puniſhment was the conſequence of the crime.

Language.

THERE ſeems, as I ſaid be⯑fore, to be an affinity between the language of Eaſter Iſle, and that of O-Ta⯑heitee; though what is ſpoken at the latter was not underſtood at the former. The natives in⯑deed of Eaſter Iſland called the numbers by the ſame names as they do at O-Taheitee, and ſome other of their words are alſo ſimilar: Eeya im⯑plies a bone at O-Taheitee, whereas at Eaſter Iſland, and New Zealand, a bone is called Eeka. The word friend at the Society Iſles is expreſſed by Hòa, at the Friendly Iſles by Wòa, and at Eaſter Iſle by Heeo. So that the lan⯑guage of Eaſter Iſland ſeems to be a dialect of the O-Taheitean.

Character, &c.

ALTHOUGH theſe iſlanders have weapons of of⯑fence, they are cowardly and timorous; they ſtand in great awe of a muſquet, and probably from the ravage that was made among them by Roggewein and his people, who, without any provocations, wantonly fired upon the na⯑tives and killed a great number of them: but they are harmleſs and friendly; have a natural mildneſs, fellow-feeling, and good-nature in their diſpoſition, which prompt them to treat their viſitors kindly, and as hoſpitably as their wretched country will admit. They are frugal livers, and good ſwimmers.

Their ideas of decency are of courſe very different from thoſe of nations accuſtomed to cloathing. The women are neither reſerved nor chaſte, but would ſit down with the Euro⯑pean ſeamen, and undreſſing themſelves, would by ſmiles and laſcivious geſtures, entice them to familiarities; and both men and women, not⯑withſtanding their friendlineſs, are exceedingly addicted to pilfering.

Whether it be owing to filthineſs or clean⯑lineſs, I cannot take upon me to ſay; but, I [81]will not quit this people without obſerving that they have many wells on the iſland, which are generally dirty, for the natives never go to drink, but they waſh themſelves all over, as ſoon as they have done; and let ever ſo many be together, the firſt leaps right into the middle of the hole, drinks and waſhes himſelf with⯑out the leaſt ceremony; after which another takes his place and does the ſame.

Face of the Country, &c.

IT is a country full of hills and vallies, of various extent, both for height and depth. From theſe hills ſpring great numbers of little rivulets, which fertilize the plains, and ſupply the wants of the inhabitants. The tops of moſt of the hills ſeem to be barren, though [172]ſome few are covered with trees, as are all the plains and vallies. From the hills, the flat lands which lie along the ſhore appear to great advantage; the winding ſtreams that meander through them, the plantations, the little ſtrag⯑gling villages, and the pleaſing variety of wood, ſo chequer the ſcene, as to render it delightful: notwithſtanding this, the thin ſtratum of poor vegetable ſoil that covers the plains, the num⯑berleſs ſwamps on the ſea ſide, and the dry parched earth every where, ill repay the huſband⯑man's toils. The natives are indefatigable in their cultivation, or the land would not ſatisfy their wants. They drain the moraſſes, and manure their plantations with broken ſhells and corals. The mountains, and other high ſpots, are, for the moſt part, incapable of being culti⯑vated, conſiſting chiefly of rocks, many of which are full of mundicks. The little ſoil up⯑on them is ſcorched with the ſun and affords little but a few ſcattered trees, and a quantity of dry graſſes, two or three feet high, and this, to a people who have no cattle, is of very little uſe. The general way of recruiting land in the South Seas is, by letting it lie uſeleſs for ſe⯑veral years, and burning the weeds and graſs upon it annually.

Product.

THE productions of this iſland are figs, ſugar-canes, plantains, taro, or eddy root, by ſome called yams, cocoa-nut and bread-fruit (the laſt two ſcarce), and many Eaſt Indian plants. The taro plantations are watered by artificial ſtreams, continually ſupplied by the main channel at the foot of the mountains. They have two ways of planting this root; ſome in ſquare or oblong patches, ſunk below the level of the ground, by which means they can let as much water in upon them as is neceſſary; others in ridges, three or four feet broad, and two and a half high. On the top of theſe ridges is a narrow gutter, through which is conveyed a rill of water that moiſtens the whole ridge. Among their trees, are the mangrove, and the caputi-tree, which laſt is large and black at the root, having long narrow leaves like willows, of a pale dead green colour, bearing flowers, and a bark perfectly white, ſoft, and looſe, which often conceals within it beetles, ants, ſpiders, lizards, and ſcorpions, and frequently burſts off from the wood. In the Eaſt Indies they caulk their ſhips with the bark of this tree, and the natives of the Moluccas make the oil of caputi from the leaves, which are extremely fragrant [174]and aromatic. Here is alſo a new ſpecies of the paſſion-flower, which is the more extraordi⯑nary, as no kind of this flower has been ſup⯑poſed to grow wild in any part of the world, except America.

Animals.

THEY have no quadrupeds in this iſland of any kind, but a va⯑riety of the feathered tribe, large tame fowls, with bright plumage, ducks, a ſort of ſmall crow tinged with blue, a beautiful ſpecies of parrot, turtle-doves, fly-catchers, a kind of hawk, boobies, man of war, tropic birds, and others unknown to Europe. Turtles and fiſh in plenty, particularly a poiſonous fiſh, ſome⯑thing like a ſun-fiſh, with a large long ugly head, and which brings on an extraordinary numbneſs and giddineſs in thoſe who eat it. They have alſo, as mentioned before, beetles, ants, ſpiders, lizards, ſcorpions, &c. and a flat⯑tailed water-ſnake. Captain Cook left with them an O-Taheitean dog and bitch.

Inhabitants.

NATURE having been leſs bountiful to New Caledonia than to other tropical iſlands in the South Seas, the inhabitants are not very numerous. Captain [175]Cook computes the number to be about fifty thouſand, which, on a ſea coaſt, of near two hun⯑dred leagues, is but ſmall. They are of a dark brown colour, like that of mahogany, and nearly the ſame with the people of Tanna, but they have better features, more agreeable counte⯑nances, and are a much ſtouter race, ſome few meaſuring ſix feet four inches in height. Some indeed have thick lips, flat noſes, and full cheeks; and, as they beſmear their faces with black pigment, they look like negroes. All are in general well proportioned, but many of the men have ſwelled and ulcerated legs and arms, apparently occaſioned by leproſy, and alſo a ſwelling of the ſcrotum.

The ſtature of the women is middle-ſized, ſome are tall, and their whole form is very ſtout, and rather clumſy. Their features are coarſe, but expreſs good-nature: the fore⯑head high, and the noſe broad and flat at the root, and eyes ſmall, the cheek-bones prominent, and the cheeks plump. Their hair, like that of the men, is black, ſtrong, and frizzled, and in many woolly; both men and women keep it cut ſhort, ſo that their heads reſemble thoſe of negroes; and as it muſt be ſuppoſed frequently to want ſcratching, they have an excellent in⯑ſtrument [176]for this purpoſe; a kind of comb, made of ſticks of hard wood, from ſeven to ten inches long, and about the thickneſs of knitting needles; about twenty of theſe are faſtened to⯑gether at one end, parallel to each other, and about the tenth of an inch aſunder. Theſe combs they wear conſtantly in their hair, on one ſide of their heads. They cut their hair with a piece of mineral, ſharped like a flint. Some few indeed of the men wear it long, and tye it up on the crown of the head; others ſuffer only a large lock to grow on each ſide, which they tie up in clubs.

Dreſs.

THE men go quite naked, except a wrapper over their privities, which they faſten up to their girdle, as they do at Mallicolo, or up to the neck by a ſtring, and ornament that ſtring with ſmall round beads, of a pale green nephritic ſtone. This wrapper is made of ſoft bark or leaves, and though it is contrived to conceal what all nations wiſh to hide, it has altogether a very indecent appear⯑ance, and every male looks like a walking fi⯑gure of the Roman garden-god. They wear on their heads black cylindrical caps, made of ſtiff coarſe matting, open at top, very much [177]like a huſſar's cap. The chiefs ornament theirs with feathers. They ſtretch the flaps of their ears to a great length, cut out the whole carti⯑lage or griſtle, as at Eaſter Iſland, and hang great numbers of tortoiſe-ſhell rings in them, as they do at Tanna.

The dreſs of the women gives them a thick ſquat ſhape, and conſiſts of a petticoat reſembling fringe, about eight inches long, juſt dropping below the waiſt: it is made of filaments, or ſmall cords, laid thick over one another, and faſtened to a long ſtring that is wound ſeveral times round the body. The outward filaments of this fringe they dye black; the under ones are of a pale yellow. By way of ornament, they fix on one ſide of the petticoat a few pearl oyſter-ſhells. Both ſexes wear tortoiſe-ſhell ear⯑rings, necklaces, and bracelets, above the el⯑bow. The women tattow or puncture them⯑ſelves a little in the face, generally in three black ſtrait lines, from the under lip downwards to the chin; and they carry their infants on their backs in a kind of ſatchel.

Habitations.

MOST of their houſes are circular, ſomething like a bee⯑hive, and full as cloſe and warm, very much [178]like thoſe at Cocos and Horne Iſland: the en⯑trance is by a ſquare hole, juſt large enough to admit a man upon his hands and knees. The ſide walls are about four feet and a half high; but the roof is lofty and peaked at the top, above which is a ſtick, generally ornamented with carving and ſhells. The frame of this build⯑ing conſiſts of a number of poles fixed into the ground, drawn together and tied at the top, and connected to each other by twigs, in the manner of hurdles. This is covered with mat⯑ting, from top to bottom, and the roof thatched with ſtraw. Within, a kind of large table is made upon poſts for convenience: the floor is ſpread with dry graſs to ſleep on, and here and there mats for the principal people. Some of theſe houſes have two floors, one above the other; but they have no light but what comes through the entrance. In moſt are two fire⯑places, and commonly a fire burning; and, as there is no vent for the ſmoke but by the door, the whole hut is continually ſmoaky and hot.

Utenſils.

THEY have no great variety of houſhold utenſils. Each family has an earthen pot that will hold four or five [179]gallons, clumſily ſhaped, with a large belly, and made of a reddiſh clay, but perfectly cover⯑ed, both within and without, with ſoot. In theſe they bake and cook their victuals, on hearths in the open air, raiſing the pot from the fire or embers by three pointed ſtones, fixed into the ground, and riſing five or ſix inches from it, by way of trivet. The pot, when on the fire, is not ſet upon its bottom, but laid in⯑clined on one ſide.

Food.

THEY ſubſiſt chiefly on roots and fiſh, and the bark of a tree, which they roaſt, and are for ever chewing, and which has a ſweetiſh, inſipid taſte. This tree grows in the Weſt Indies. In barren ſeaſons they have recourſe to fern-roots: and, as to drink, water is their only liquor. Their fiſh they catch with nets made of the filaments of the plantain-tree twiſted, and with fiſh-gigs, with which they lie in wait upon the reefs, in ſhoal water, and ſtrike the fiſh as they may chance to come in their way.

Tools.

IT is needleſs to mention their work⯑ing tools, they being made of the ſame materials, and much in the ſame manner, [180]as at the other iſlands. The inſtrument with which they ſtir up the ſoil is indeed different, it being a long, curved and ſharp-pointed bill, like the bill of a bird fixed upon a handle. They uſe this alſo occaſionally as a weapon of defence. Their axes, likewiſe, are ſomewhat different, being made of a crooked piece of wood, forming a great knob, with a ſhort handle, not exceeding ſix inches in length: the knob is hollowed out, and a black cutting ſtone is wedged into the cavity. They carry loads on their back, upon boards ſlung round the ſhoulders.

Arms.

THE people of New Caledonia are well provided with weapons of of⯑fence, of courſe they muſt ſometimes have wars among themſelves, or with their neighbours. Theſe weapons are, clubs, ſpears, darts, and ſlings for caſting ſtones. Their clubs are about two feet and a half long, and of different forms; ſome like a ſcythe; others like a mattock; ſome have a head like a hawk, and others have knobs at the end; but they are all neatly made and well poliſhed. Their darts and ſpears are ornamented with carved work; but their ſlings are perfectly ſimple, being no other than a [181]ſlender, round cord, no thicker than packthread, with a taſſel at one end, a loop at the other and in the middle. The ſtones they throw are of a ſoft ſoap-rock, rubbed into the form of an egg. Theſe exactly fit the loop in the middle of the ſling, and are kept in a pocket of matting, tied round the waiſt for the purpoſe. They caſt their darts alſo with a ſhort ſtring knotted at one end, and looped at the other, as they do at Tanna, called by ſeamen a Becket, and are very dextrous in throwing them. Their ſpears are fifteen or twenty feet long, blackened over, and have a prominence near the middle, carved ſo as to reſemble ſomething like a human face.

Canoes.

THEIR canoes are, in ſome ſort, like thoſe of the Friendly Iſles; but heavy and clumſy. They are, as it were, double, conſiſting of two hulls, made out of two large trees, hollowed out, the gunnel raiſed about two inches high, and cloſed at each end with a kind of bulk head of the ſame height. The two hulls are ſecured to each other, about three feet aſunder, by ſeveral croſs ſpars, which project about a foot over each ſide: on theſe ſpars is laid a deck or heavy platform, on which [182]they have a fire-hearth, and generally a fire burning; and they carry a pot to dreſs their victuals in. The ſpace between the two hulls is laid with plank. They are navigated with one or two latteen ſails, compoſed of matting; the ropes are made of the filaments of the plan⯑tain-tree, twiſted into cords of the thickneſs of a finger, and three or four more ſuch cords marled together, ſerve them for ſhrouds. When they cannot ſail they row them on by paddles, or ſculls, and for this purpoſe there are holes in the boarded deck, through which they put the ſculls, which are ſo long, that, when the blade is in the water, the handle is four or five feet above the deck. The perſon who works it ſtands behind it, and with both his hands ſculls the veſſel forward. The canoe is about thirty feet in length, the deck or platform about twen⯑ty-four, and ten in breadth.

Religion and Government.

CAPTAIN Cook having been at New Caledonia but eight days, little can be ſaid of their religion. Nothing was obſerved that could be conſtrued into a religious act; nor was a ſingle cuſtom remarked that had the leaſt colour of ſuperſtition. When a perſon dies, they com⯑mit [183]his body to the earth and bury it. Their graves are encloſed with ſticks about three feet high, the earth is raiſed a little over them, and generally decorated with ſpears, darts, paddles, &c. ſtuck right up in the ground about them.

As little can be ſaid of their government. It is ſuppoſed that the country is divided into many diſtricts, and that each diſtrict has a chief. Perhaps each family forms a little kingdom of its own, which is directed by its patriarch, as muſt be the caſe in all infant ſtates. The wo⯑men here are kept in the higheſt ſubordination, not ſo much eſteemed by the men as thoſe at Tanna, and ſeem to be the only perſons who are employed in any laborious buſineſs.

Language.

THEIR language, if we ex⯑cept the word Areekee, i. e. Chief, and one or two more, has no affinity with any of the various languages of the South Sea iſlands. It ſeems to be uncultivated, and their pronunciation is indiſtinct. Though they have but few harſh conſonants, they have a frequent return of gutturals, and a naſal ſound unknown but to the Engliſh.

Character, &c.

THESE people are ſtrict⯑ly honeſt, and not the leaſt addicted to pilfering: they are good ſwimmers, and fond of ſinging and dancing. The only muſical inſtrument obſerved among them was a whiſtle, made of a poliſhed piece of brown wood, about two inches long, ſhaped like a bell, though apparently ſolid, with a rope fixed at the ſmall end. Two holes were made in it near the baſe, and another near the inſertion of the rope, all which had ſome communication with each other, and, by blowing in the upper⯑moſt, a ſhrill ſound like whiſtling was formed at the other. The inhabitants in general may be deemed a friendly, inoffenſive people: they gave Captain Cook and his ſhip-mates a very welcome and peaceable reception, addreſſing him firſt in a ſhort ſet ſpeech, and then inviting him aſhore; but they are indolent and deſtitute of curioſity: the greater part of them did not move from their ſeats when the Europeans paſſed them for the firſt time: they are remark⯑ably grave, ſpeak always in a ſerious tone, and laughter ſeems to be a ſtranger among them; perhaps their plantations lying remote from each other, are the means of preventing that [185]familiar intercourſe, which would gradually give life to the pleaſures of ſociety. The wo⯑men are kept, as I ſaid before, in the greateſt ſubjection: they ſeem fearful of offending the men by a look or a geſture. Their inſenſible huſbands ſeldom deign to look upon them, and continue in a kind of phlegmatic indolence; whilſt the women ſometimes indulge that ſocial chearfulneſs, which is the diſtinguiſhing orna⯑ment of the ſex. Conſidering theſe cruel op⯑preſſions of the ſex, ſeen in a variety of coun⯑tries, may we not admire the wiſdom of the Creator, who has planted that attachment in the female breaſt, which ſtands the teſt of every outrage, and patiently ties them to their ty⯑rants? To the honour likewiſe of the women of New Caledonia, as well as thoſe of Tanna, it muſt be ſaid, that they are far more chaſte than thoſe of the more Eaſtern Iſles: they would frequently divert themſelves with the European ſeamen, ſeemingly liſten to their propoſals, beckon them aſide among the buſhes, and, with an air of coquetry, laugh at them for their pains. There was not a ſingle inſtance of their ever having condeſcended to permit any indecent fa⯑miliarity from an European, during their whole ſtay.

Face of the Country.

T'AVAI POENAM⯑MOO is, in general, a barren country, and a ridge of mountains, tower⯑ing in many places above the clouds, extends near⯑ly the whole length of the iſland; the tops of which being for ever covered with ſnow, more rude or deſolate proſpect from the ſea cannot be con⯑ceived; for as far inland as the eye can reach, nothing but the ſummits of rocks appear, which ſtand ſo cloſe together, that inſtead of vallies being between them, there are nothing but fiſſures. Further to the north the mountains are more inland, and the ſea coaſt conſiſts of [188]woody hills and vallies, and large plains co⯑vered with trees.

Eahei-nomauwe is much more fertile: it is mountainous, indeed, but the mountains are clothed with trees, and every valley is watered with a rivulet. The ſoil in the vales is light and ſandy, and the productions of Europe would flouriſh here with luxuriance. A vaſt quantity of pummice ſtone lies all along the ſhore, which indicates that there is a volcano in this iſland; and that there is iron, is evident from the quan⯑tities of iron ſand brought down to the ſea coaſt by every rivulet. There is a mountain here as high as the Peak of Teneriffe, whoſe ſum⯑mit ſoars far above the clouds: but what is more remarkable, there are many arched rocks in different places truly grand and romantic, one foot of whoſe arches ſtands upon the iſland, the other in the ſea, and whoſe arches are large enough to admit a ſmall veſſel beneath them. One of theſe arched rocks, ſtanding inland, has a river running under it.

Climate.

THE ſpring begins here with the month of November; the winters are milder than thoſe in England; and the ſum⯑mer, though more equally warm, is not hot⯑ter: [189]ſo that was this country ſettled by Euro⯑peans, they might ſoon be richly furniſhed, not only with the neceſſaries, but the luxuries of life.

Productions.

T'AVAI POENAMMOO is but thinly inhabited, and chiefly by wanderers from one part to another, but Eahei-nomauwe is, in many places, highly cul⯑tivated, and they ſave their offal for manure. In their plantations the ground is as well tilled, and the mould as ſmooth as in our gardens, and every root has its ſmall hillock ranged by lines in a regular quincunx, and every thing planted with the niceſt care and attention: for where the perſon that ſows is to eat the produce, and where there is little elſe to eat, it is natural to expect they ſhould excell in tillage. Their plantations are of different extent, from one acre to ten: here they grow ſweet potatoes, co⯑coas, gourds, and yams. They have excellent celery, and a kind of creſſes, with abundance of farinaceous fern-root, which ſerves them for bread. Gourds are cultivated for the fruit, which furniſhes them with veſſels for various purpoſes. They have a ſort of long pepper, very much the taſte of mace; and near four [190]hundred ſpecies of plants never yet deſcribed by any botaniſt.

But, among the vegetable productions of theſe iſlands, the trees claim no ſmall conſidera⯑tion. Here are foreſts of great extent, crowded with trees, the ſtraighteſt, cleaneſt, and largeſt ever ſeen. They are rather too hard and heavy for maſts; but if they could be lightened by tapping, as it is probable they might, they would make the fineſt maſts for ſhipping in the world: they are not unlike the pitch-pine. There are ſome with a ſcarlet flower, well adapt⯑ed to the mill-wright. There are many other ſorts of trees; one like the maple, yielding a whitiſh gum, and another giving a deep yellow ſubſtance fit for dyeing. They have plenty of mangrove trees, and a kind of tree that grows ſo large and lofty, that they will meaſure, at ſixteen inches above the ground, full nineteen feet in girth, and ninety feet, ſtrait as an ar⯑row, from the root to the firſt branches; many of them will yield three hundred and fifty-ſix feet of ſolid timber, excluſive of the branches. It bears a narrow leaf like the juniper, is ge⯑nerally found in low land, and has a dark-co⯑loured appearance. The natives make their canoes of this tree. There is alſo a cabbage [191]tree here, the ſtem not thicker than a man's leg, but from ten to twenty feet high. They are of the ſame genus with the cocoa-nut tree: the cabbage is the bud, each tree producing but one, and that at the crown, where the leaves ſpring out, and are encloſed in the ſtem: cutting off the cabbage deſtroys the tree. This vegetable is not only wholeſome, but exceeding⯑ly palatable. Great quantities of ſupple-jack are found in the woods, and of exceeding great length.

But among all the trees and ſhrubs, of which there are many, bearing beautiful flowers, and highly aromatic, there is not one that produces fruit; but there is a plant worth them all, ſerving the natives inſtead of hemp and flax. Of this plant there are two ſpecies; one bearing a deep red flower, the other a yellow. The leaves of both reſemble flags, but the bloſſoms are not ſo large, and their cluſters are more in number. They make all their clothes of the leaves of this plant, and alſo all their ſtrings and cordage, which are at once gloſſy, elaſtic, and ſo ſtrong, that nothing made of hemp can equal them. From the ſame, by another pro⯑ceſs, they draw out long, ſlender, ſtrong fibres, white as ſnow, and ſhining as ſilk; of theſe they [192]make their better cloth; and, by ſlitting the leaves in proper breaths, and tying them toge⯑ther, they make their fiſhing-nets. This plant ſeems to grow beſt in boggy grounds; there is every reaſon to believe that it would thrive well in England, and could we tranſport it here, it would be a great acquiſition.

Captain Cook, when there, ordered ſome land to be dug up, in which he ſowed a variety of European ſeeds; and, on his return, they ear following, he found almoſt all the radiſhes and turneps ſhot into ſeed, the cabbages and carrots very fine, and abundance of onions and parſley in good order: a proof that the winter was mild; but the peas and beans were almoſt loſt, ſeemingly deſtroyed by the rats, and no potatoes could be found, probably extirpated by the natives.

Animals.

THERE are no four footed ani⯑mals in this country, but dogs and rats; the latter are ſcarce, but there are plenty of the former; they are tame, and live with the inha⯑bitants, who breed them merely for food. Their dogs are of a ſulky diſpoſition, are ſmall and ugly, with rough long hair, pricked ears, much like the ſhepherd's cur; their colours are different; ſome [193]are ſpotted, ſome black, and others white. They feed as their maſters do, on fiſh and vegetables. Three or four of Captain Cook's people ſaw a quadruped, when they where out upon the hunt; but as no two of them gave the ſame deſcription of it, it is impoſſible to ſay what it was; probably as no other of the ſame kind was ſeen either before or after, they might have miſtaken ſomething elſe for it. However, they all agreed, that it was about the ſize of a cat, with ſhort legs and a mouſe colour. One ſaid it had a buſhy tail, and was moſt like a jackall of any animal he knew. Captain Cook left them ſome hogs and geeſe.

Though quadrupeds are ſcarce, there are birds in endleſs variety, exquiſitely beautiful, and ſuch as are unknown to Europeans; hawks, owls, quails, ſomething like our parrots, wood⯑pidgeons, and numberleſs ſmall ſinging birds, infinitely ſuperior in wild melody, to any yet heard; and, what is moſt remarkable, the birds, like our nightingales, begin to ſing at mid⯑night, and continue their ſong till ſun-riſe, and are ſilent all the day. Their parrots are of two ſorts, one ſmall and green, the other very large, of a greyiſh green, with a reddiſh breaſt. Among the ſmall birds, they have three very ſingular ones, one with two wattles under its beak, as [194]large as thoſe of a ſmall dung-hill cock: it is larger than an Engliſh blackbird, with a ſhort and thick bill; its feathers are of a dark lead colour, and its wattles of a dull yellow or orange. The ſecond is of a fine mazarine blue, except its neck, which is a beautiful ſilver grey, and a few white feathers on the pinion joint of the wing. Under its throat hang two little tufts of curled ſnow-white feathers. It has a ſweet note, and its fleſh is delicious. The third may be called a fan-tail, of which there are ſeveral ſorts; but the moſt remarkable has a body ſcarcely bigger than a large filbert, yet it ſpreads a tail of beautiful feathers, three quar⯑ters of a ſemicircle of near five inches deep.

Of the aquatic order, they have ducks, wa⯑ter-hens, ſhags, curlieus, geeſe and gannets, re⯑ſembling ours, and a variety of ſea-birds, alba⯑troſſes, ſheerwaters, pintados, penguins, &c. and a ſpecies between bird and fiſh, whoſe fea⯑thers differ little from ſcales, and whoſe wings ſerve only for diving.

Of ducks there are five different kinds, the largeſt are the ſize of Muſcovy ducks, beauti⯑fully feathered and darkly variegated, with a large white ſpot on each wing. The ſecond ſort are about the ſize of an Engliſh duck; its [195]feathers are brown, tipped with a yellowiſh white, with bright green feathers in its wings, and bright yellow eyes. The third ſort is a bluiſh-grey whiſtling duck, about the ſize of a widgeon, with a cartilaginous or griſtly bill; for they live upon worms, which they ſuck out of the mud. The fourth ſort is ſomething larger than a teal, and all black, except the drake, which has ſome white feathers in his wings. The laſt ſort is rather leſs than a teal; its colours are a ſhining greeniſh black above, a dark ſooty grey below, a purple caſt on the head, a lead coloured bill and feet, a white bar in the leſſer quill feathers, and a golden eye.

A few butterflies, beetles, and fleſh-flies, like ours, with ſome muſquitos and ſand-flies, make up their whole liſt of inſects; and with the laſt two they abound. The ſting of the ſand-fly is ex⯑ceedingly painful; and, when the part ſtung grows warm, cauſes an intolerable itching, which, if ſcratched, brings on a violent ſwel⯑ling, attended with great pain, and ſome fever.

Of fiſh they have no ſcarcity; every creek ſwarms with them; mackerel, of many kinds, bream, mullet, ſkate, ſting-ray, flounders, eels, congers, lobſters, cray-fiſh, clams, cockles, muſcles, and fine oyſters, and they have ſome [196]whales, and plenty of ſeals. They catch their fiſh with cylindrical nets, which they bait and lower down into the water, drawing them up gently, and, when at the ſurface, taking them out with a jerk.

Inhabitants.

THE number of inhabitants bears no proportion to the ex⯑tent of country. Tavai Poenammoo is, as I ſaid before, very thinly peopled, conſiſting chiefly of wanderers, but Eahie-nomauwe is bet⯑ter populated; though the weſtern ſide of this iſland is quite a deſert, and the interior parts being ſo mountainous, ſcarce any place is in⯑habited but the ſea coaſts, which, on an extent of four hundred leagues, is ſuppoſed to contain only about one hundred thouſand people.

Perſons.

THE ſtature of the men, in ge⯑neral, is equal to the largeſt Euro⯑pean, tall, but lean, yet exceedingly ſtrong, fleſhy and well made, and they are exceedingly active and vigorous, with an uncommon adroit⯑neſs in every thing they do; but moſt of their legs are ſlender and bandy, with large knees, owing to the little exerciſe they take, and their continually ſitting croſs-legged in confined ca⯑noes. [197]Their complexion is a clear mahogany brown, though they are rather darker in the ſouthern iſland. Their hair is black and curl⯑ing, and their teeth extremely regular and white. They have good faces, like Europeans, dark eyes, lips rather thick, and aquiline noſes. Their voice is rough, they talk loud, and, in general, are more rude and unpoliſhed than the natives of O-Taheitee.

The women are plain, and have no great fe⯑male delicacy; but their voices are remarkably ſoft and harmonious, and by this they are chief⯑ly diſtinguiſhed, the dreſs of both ſexes being nearly the ſame. They have, like the women of other countries, a cheerfulneſs ſuperior to the men, and a greater flow of animal ſpirits. Some of them have uncommon long breaſts. They ſeem to be proud of their ſex, and expect to have every thing they wiſh from ſtrangers, merely becauſe they are women.

They tattow themſelves here as they do at O⯑Taheitee, and call it amoco: different tribes have different ways of marking themſelves: ſome cover themſelves ſo much on the breech and thighs with ſpiral lines, that they ſeem as if they had on black ſtriped breeches; and, as they add ſomething every new year to the ornaments of [198]the laſt, thoſe who are advanced in life are al⯑moſt covered from head to foot. They have ſcarcely a ſtain, except on the lips, which all ſeem to concur in rendering black. Many in⯑dent their ſkins, ſo as to reſemble carving, which they do by cutting it with ſhells. The women are tattowed only on the breaſts, necks, and bel⯑lies, but then they beſmear their faces and bo⯑dies with red oker and oil, which ſeldom dries, and thus render themſelves filthy and naſty; for whoever touches them partakes of their colour⯑ing. Servants among the men do the ſame, but theſe uſe chiefly dry oker, and ſome carry it with them, and as conſtantly renew the colour as it rubs or wears off.

Dreſs.

THE general dreſs of the men of this country, is merely a wrapper round the body, kept from falling below the waiſt by two ſlips over the ſhoulders, faſtened before and behind with bone bodkins. It is made of flag-leaves, and reſembles a ſhaggy door-mat. Some men, on particular occaſions, wear another piece of this matting round the waiſt, which reaches almoſt to the ground. They tie the prepuce of the penis with a ſtring over the glands, and faſten this ſtring to a girdle [199]round the body. The glands, indeed, ſeem to be the only part they wiſh to conceal; for they will often throw off every thing, without ſcruple, but this ſtring and girdle; which, whenever they were requeſted to untie, they did with re⯑luctance and confuſion. Some wear ſhoulder⯑knots made of the ſkin of the neck of a large ſea-fowl, with the feathers on, ſlit into two pieces lengthways; and ſome wear a piece of ſhaggy matting round their ſhoulders, by way of cloak, which has all the appearance of a ſtraw thatch. The dreſs of the chiefs, and principal people, conſiſts of a cloth jacket, ornamented with ſtripes of dog-ſkin, in different parts, or tufts of red feathers, and cloaks trimmed with dogs-fur, of different colours, and often lined with the ſame. This cloak is a ſquare piece, two corners of which are tied on the breaſt, the other part hangs down to the calf of the leg, and a belt of matted graſs confines it round the waiſt.

The women wear a petticoat and cloak of the ſame rough matting, perfume them with ſome fragrant plant, and beneath the petticoat before wear a bunch of aromatic leaves, hanging from a girdle between the legs. They wear their hair cropped ſhort, or flowing about their ſhoulders, ornamenting it with leaves; but the men tie [200]theirs up in a bunch on the crown of the head, decorate that bunch with feathers, and ſtick a comb behind it. Their beards they wear cut ſhort. Both men and women greaſe their hair, and frequently wear, upon the crown of their heads, a large bunch of black feathers, tied up round, ſo as to raiſe their head twice its natural height, and almoſt to cover it.

Both ſexes wear a variety of ornaments, ear⯑rings, necklaces, and anclets. Both men and women bore their ears, and ſtretch the holes till they will admit a finger; in theſe they wear cloth, feathers, bones of large birds, and ſome⯑times pieces of wood ſtuck through them. The women frequently ſtuff in the white down of the albatroſs, ſtained with ruddle or oker, which ſpreads before and behind, as large as one's fiſt; and, though ſingular, has a very good effect. Sometimes they hang to their ears, by ſtrings, chizels, or bodkins, made of talc, and often the nails or teeth of their deceaſed relations; bracelets and anclets are made of birds bones, ſhells, or any other ſubſtance they can drill a hole through. The men ſometimes wear round the neck, ſuſ⯑pended by a ſtring, a piece of green tranſparent tale, or whalebone ſhaped like a laurel leaf, and with the rude figure of a man carved upon it; [201]and ſometimes through the ſeptum or griſtle that divides the noſtrils, a long feather, project⯑ing on each ſide over the cheeks; and ſome wear a fillet of feathers round their heads.

Food.

THE chief food on which this peo⯑ple live, is fiſh and vegetables. Dogs fleſh is very ſcarce. The birds they eat are ge⯑nerally penguins, albatroſſes, and a few others, which ſerve them as delicates. They roaſt their birds by hanging them to a ſmall ſtick, inclined to the fire, one end of which is ſtuck into the ground, and bake them by putting them into a hole in the ground, with hot ſtones, as they do at O-Taheitee. They frequently dry their fiſh in order to preſerve them, and ſmoke their eels. As a ſubſtitute for bread, they eat fern-roots, very ſimilar to ours, which they thus prepare: after ſcorching them over the fire, they beat them with a ſtick, till the bark and dry outſide fall off; what remains, is a ſoft ſubſtance, ra⯑ther clammy and ſweet, mixed with ſtringy fi⯑brous parts, which, after having chewed, they ſpit out. They are great eaters, will take in pieces ſix times as large as we can do, and will drink near a quart at one draught.

[202]Water is their only liquor; and, having no⯑thing that will intoxicate, they are, in this re⯑ſpect, the happieſt perſons in the world; but, on the other hand, ſhould their plantations fail, or an unfavourable ſeaſon happen, and they ac⯑cidently not be provided with a ſufficient dry ſtock, the diſtreſs to ſuch as inhabit the interior parts of the country muſt be dreadful. This will, in ſome meaſure, account for the fear theſe people live in of each other, for the care they take to fortify their villages, and for the hor⯑rid cuſtom of eating thoſe whom they kill in battle. The head is the only part they do not eat. They ſuck the brains, and frequently con⯑vert the ſkull to domeſtic purpoſes, ſuch as to hold water, &c. The way they diſpatch their priſoners, is, by knocking them down with their patta-pattoos, and then ripping them up.

Habitations.

THE towns, or hippahs, of theſe people, are all fortified. Many are built upon eminences near the ſea, and ſecured on the land ſide by a bank and ditch, and a high paling within the ditch; and ſome have out-works. Their houſes are built on a riſing ground, under a tuft of trees, but are little better than dog-kennels, ſeldom more [203]than eighteen or twenty feet long, eight or ten broad, and five or ſix high, and conſiſt only of a roof: the pole that runs from one end to the other forms the ridge to the ground. The framing conſiſts of ſlender ſticks, tightly put together, and is covered with dry graſs. There is a door at one end, juſt high enough to admit a perſon on his hands and knees; near the door is a ſquare hole, for the double purpoſe of giv⯑ing light and letting out the ſmoke. The roof projects beyond the end walls, about two feet, ſo as to form a porch, in which there are benches for the family to ſit on. That part of the floor where the fire-place is (which is generally at the end, in the middle between the two ſides), is incloſed in a hollow ſquare, by partitions either of wood or ſtone, and in the midſt the fire is made. The floor within, along the ſides, is bedded thick with ſtraw, and on this the family, in bad weather, ſleep; at other times, they ſleep abroad in the open air, having no other ſhelter but a few ſhrubs: the women and children are ranged innermoſt; the men lie in a half circle round them, and they ſet up their arms againſt the trees cloſe by them.

Furniture, &c.

THEIR furniture and uten⯑ſils are very few. One cheſt commonly contains the whole, except the baſ⯑kets that hold their proviſions, the gourds that ſerve them as water cups, and the hammers with which they bruiſe their fern-root.

Amuſements, &c.

THEIR chief amuſe⯑ments are, ſinging and dancing. Whilſt one ſings, in a rough man⯑ner, others will dance and make their geſtures conform to the roughneſs or uncouthneſs of the ſong: they will roll their eyes, loll out their tongues, alternately extend their arms, work themſelves up into a kind of frenzy, and, join⯑ing with the laſt chorus of the ſong, ſtamp their feet in a violent and frantic manner. Grey⯑headed old men will often take part in their dances, and aſſume every antic poſture imaginable. Wo⯑men, when they dance, tie on before them an apron made of their cloſe-wrought cloth, orna⯑mented with red feathers, dog-ſkin, and ear⯑ſhells; but they throw off, as do the men, their ſhaggy cloaks. They ſing ſometimes, parti⯑cularly the women, with a degree of taſte un⯑common among ſavages; their voices are mel⯑low and ſoft, and have a pleaſing and tender ef⯑fect. [205]Their ſongs are frequently in parts; ſung by many voices, and in proportionate thirds. Their tunes are generally dirge-like, ſlow and ſolemn, reſembling the chaunt which a popiſh prieſt uſes at maſs, containing many tones and ſemi-tones, and they accompany their ſongs, which ſeem to have great ſimplicity, and to be a kind of metre without rhyme, with ſome correſponding expreſſions of countenance. Their muſic is far ſuperior to that of the Society and Friendly Iſles; and if any nation of the South Sea comes in competition with them, it is only that of Tanna.

They have three ſounding inſtruments, but they can ſcarcely be called muſical ones. One is a trumpet, made of a ſhell, which gives a noiſe not unlike that which our boys make with a cow's horn. This ſhell is generally mounted with wood, prettily carved and pierced at the point where the mouth is applied. The ſecond is a ſtraight wooden tube, about four feet long, five inches in diameter through its whole length, except at the mouth, where it is reduced to two; with this inſtrument they always ſound the ſame note, and it makes a very uncouth kind of braying. The third is a ſmall wooden pipe, reſembling a child's nine-pin, but much ſmaller, and yields a noiſe ſomething like a pea-whiſtle. [206]They are ſenſible that theſe inſtruments are not muſical, for they never attempt to ſing to them, or to produce with them any tones that bear the leaſt reſemblance to a tune.

The only toy obſerved among the children, was, a top, ſhaped like thoſe in England, and which was ſpun by whipping it.

Manufactures.

TWO or three ſorts of cloth are made in theſe iſlands: the ſhaggy ſort, mentioned before, reſembling a thrummed door-mat, one as coarſe as our coarſeſt canvas, though ten times as ſtrong, and another as gloſſy as ſilk. The ſhaggy ſort is made of flag-leaves, ſplit into three or four ſlips, and interwoven when dry, leaving a number of ends hanging to it on the outſide, eight or nine inches long; and the gloſſy ſort is formed by many threads lying very cloſe one way, and a few croſſing them the other; but theſe are about half an inch aſunder, ſomewhat like the round pieces of cane matting that are by ſome perſons placed under the diſhes upon table to ſave the cloth. This ſtuff is prepared ſo as to ſhine like ſilk, and is often ſtriped. It is made in a frame of the ſize of the cloth, about five feet long and four broad, acroſs which the long [207]threads that lie cloſe together, or warp, are ſtrained, and the croſs threads, or woof, are worked in by hand. To this laſt kind of cloth, they work borders of different colours, and va⯑rious patterns, in ſtitches like an girl's ſampler, and with a degree of neatneſs and elegance, which, conſidering they have no ſuch thing as a needle, is ſurprizing; this is always the work of the women, though it is chiefly worn by the men. They have the cloth-plant here, as well at O-Taheitee, and they make cloth of it, but, being ſcarce, no larger pieces are made than ſufficient to hang in their ears, by way of orna⯑ment.

They have a particular and ſingular taſte for carving: they attempt not to imitate any thing in nature, but confine themſelves to a volute or ſpiral, which they vary many ways, ſingle, double and triple, and with as much regularity as if done from mathematical draughts. They thus ornament their boats, paddles, arms, tools, and almoſt every thing they make; though they have very awkward tools to do it with.

Their fiſhing nets muſt not be here forgot⯑ten. Theſe they make of a kind of graſs, very ſtrong in it's nature, and their principal nets are ſo large, that they ſeem to be the joint work [208]and joint property of a whole town: they are generally about five fathom deep, and from three to four hundred fathom long: they make alſo a circular net, extended by two or three hoops, ſeven or eight feet in diameter, which they bait at the bottom, and leave open at the top. In uſing it, it is let down ſo as to lie on the ground; and, when a ſufficient quantity of fiſh is ſuppoſed to be collected over it, they draw it up by a gentle and even motion, ſo that the fiſh are ſcarce ſenſible of being lifted up in it, till they bring it very near the ſurface of the water; and then take it out by a ſudden jerk. They very ſeldom angle for fiſh, but, when they do, their fiſh-hooks are made of bone.

Nothing elſe, worth mentioning on this head, was ſeen among them, but baſkets of various kinds and dimenſions, very neatly made of wicker-work, for carrying and holding their proviſions, &c.

Tools.

THEIR tools are not many, but anſwer the purpoſes for which they are deſigned. They have adzes, axes and chiſ⯑ſels. The chiſſel ſerves equally for an auger; they having no contrivance to bore holes. Ha⯑ving no metal, their axes and adzes are made [209]of a hard, black ſtone, and their chizzels of hu⯑man bone, or pieces of jaſper, chipped from a block, like gun-flints. They have a variety of ſmall tools of jaſper for finiſhing their neat work, which, when grown blunt, are thrown away, having no method of ſharpening them.

Conſidering the inſtrument with which they till their land, it is aſtoniſhing to think how much work can be done in a little time. This inſtrument, which ſerves them both for plough and ſpade, is nothing more than a long, narrow ſtake, cut to an edge at one end, about three inches broad, with a ſhort piece fixed tranſverſe⯑ly at a little diſtance above it, for the conve⯑nience of the foot to preſs it down. With this they will turn up pieces of ſeven or eight acres, and with great expedition, the ſoil being light and ſandy.

Tillage, weaving, and the other arts of peace, ſeem to be practiſed in the northern parts of this country; but the arts of war flouriſh through the whole.

Arms, &c.

THEIR declarations of hoſti⯑lities are always accompanied with a war-ſong and dance, in which the wo⯑men [210]often join: during this exultation, they ſtamp their feet violently, hideouſly writhe their bodies, roll their eyes, thruſt out their tongues, fetch loud and deep ſighs, and diſtort their faces in the moſt horrid manner; and, when they begin the attack, it is by ſhouting and brandiſhing their weapons.

Upon a wiſh of Captain Cook's to ſee their method of attack and defence, one young man mounted a fighting ſtage, which is a platform raiſed from the ground, and ſurrounded with a ditch, of which they have many large ones on the ſides of hills; and another went into the ditch: both he that was to defend the place, and he that was to attack it, ſung the war-ſong, and danced in the frightful manner I have de⯑ſcribed, working themſelves up into a degree of mechanical rage: this done, they attacked each other with uncommon fury. They firſt pierce with a lance, and then proceed to knock their enemy on the head with a ſhort club.

The perpetual hoſtilities in which theſe peo⯑ple live, owing to there being ſo little land in a ſtate of cultivation, have made every village a fort; and they ſeem to have ſtudied more the inſtruments of war than thoſe of peace. Had they any kind of order or military diſcipline [211]among them, they would be much more for⯑midable in arms than they are, for no quarter is given to the enemy.

They have no miſſile weapon but the lance, which is fourteen or fifteen feet long, pointed at both ends, and barbed, and ſometimes headed with bone; theſe are graſped by the middle and thrown by the hand. They make uſe of darts or ſhorter lances at times, and alſo of ſtones; but have no contrivance like the bow to convey their darts, nor any ſuch thing as a ſling. Their other weapons are, battle-axes, a ſtaff about five feet long, broad at one end, like an oar, and pointed at the other, and the patoo⯑patoo, which is generally made of green talc, well poliſhed, about a foot long, and thick enough to weigh four or five pounds: it is made like a pointed battledore, with a ſhort handle and ſharp edges, well contrived for cloſe fight⯑ing, as it would ſplit the thickeſt ſcull at a ſingle blow. Through the handle of this weapon is a ſtring, which is twiſted round the hand when uſed. The principal people conſider this inſtrument as a military ornament, and conſtant⯑ly wear it ſticking in their girdles. Their en⯑gagements, whether in boats or on ſhore, are generally hand to hand; the ſlaughter of [212]courſe muſt be dreadful, as a ſecond blow from their weapons is unneceſſary, if the firſt takes place.

The chiefs carry about them a ſtaff of diſtinc⯑tion, generally the rib of a whale, white as ſnow, ornamented round the top with carving, dog-ſkin and feathers, like our ſheriffs halberts; but ſometimes this ſtaff is merely a ſtick, about ſix feet long, adorned in the ſame manner, and inlaid with a ſhell reſembling mother of pearl.

Canoes.

THE ingenuity of theſe people appears in nothing more than their canoes: they are of different ſizes, narrow and long, and reſemble very much the New England whale-boat. Some of the larger ſort ſeem to be built chiefly for war, and will contain from forty to near a hundred armed men, being near ſeventy feet long, though not more than five feet broad, and about three feet and a half in depth. The ſides are made ſtrait, of three entire planks, one above another, which reach from end to end, and are ſewed together by a ſtring, made of the flax-plant, and caulked with the woolly ſubſtance of the reed-mace. The ſides being ſtrait, and the bottom ſharp, they are in form of a wedge. A conſiderable [213]number of thwarts or ſeats are laid from gun⯑wale to gunwale, in order to ſtrengthen them, and a profuſion of carved ornaments decorate the head and ſtern, which project beyond the body, riſing almoſt perpendicularly five or ſix feet above it, are pierced through and through in ſpirals, like fillagree-work, and are adorned with ſtreamers hanging from them. The gun⯑wales of their beſt boats are alſo carved in a groteſque taſte, and ornamented with tufts of white feathers placed upon a black ground.

Theſe boats are worked on by eighteen or twenty ſmall light paddles, about ſix feet long, neatly made, having an oval blade, pointed at the bottom, and gradually loſing its oval form in the handle; and the Indians have ſuch an adroitneſs and manual dexterity in uſing theſe paddles, that thirty of them together will keep time ſo exactly, that one would think the rowers were actuated by one common ſoul. Sails of matting fixed upright, between two poles, are ſometimes made uſe of; but they can make no way with theſe, except right before the wind. They frequently ſing when rowing, and beat time with their paddles.

Language.

THE language of New Zealand and O-Taheitee is radically the ſame, the difference being merely provincial, or a different dialect, but guttural. That of the north⯑ern part and ſouthern parts of New Zealand differ only in the pronunciation.

The following liſt will ſhew the affinity.

and numbers of the words and terms in both iſlands are exactly the ſame; a con⯑vincing proof, that New Zealand muſt origi⯑nally have been peopled from O-Taheitee, though at near two thouſand miles diſtance; nay, they have a tradition among them that cor⯑roborates the aſſertion; for they ſay that their anceſtors, in a very remote period, came from another country.

Religion, &c.

LITTLE can be ſaid of their religion, except that they worſhip a ſupreme Being, believe in ſubordinate deities, and give nearly the ſame account of the origin of the world, &c. as they do at O-Ta⯑heitee.

They make offerings of proviſions occa⯑ſionally to the inferior gods; but what other homage they pay could not be learned, as no place of worſhip was ſeen in the iſland, nor any religious ceremonies. They ſeem to pay a de⯑gree of veneration to a ſpecies of creeper, which they call atuee, or the bird of the divinity; but they never expreſſed the leaſt wiſh to pre⯑ſerve the life of this bird in preference to any other.

What they do with their dead I cannot take upon me to ſay: in the northern parts they told their European viſitors that they buried them in the ground, and in the ſouthern parts, that they threw them into the ſea, with a ſtone faſ⯑tened to them, to ſink them. No ſuch a thing as a grave was ſeen in the iſland, nor any mo⯑nument, except in one place, where a croſs was erected, ornamented with feathers. This was deſigned to perpetuate the memory of ſome [216]friend or relation; but the particulars could not be learned, as they make a myſtery of theſe matters.

The only ceremony obſerved at the death of a kinſman was, that of ſcarifying the body of the ſurvivors. Women, at the deceaſe of their huſbands, and men at that of their neareſt rela⯑tions, cut their arms, thighs and faces with ſharp ſhells, in a very dreadful manner, and it is a conſiderable time before the wounds are healed.

Government.

THE inhabitants of the ſouthern iſle, T'avai Poenam⯑moo, live a wandering life, and ſeem to be under no regular kind of government: the head of each tribe, indeed, is reſpected, and, on ſome occaſions, commands obedience; but thoſe of Eahie-nomauwe acknowledge a ſovereign, under whom are ſeveral ſubordinate chiefs, to whom great reſpect is paid, and by whom juſtice is is probably adminiſtered; and it was learned that they poſſeſſed their authority by inheri⯑tance.

Cuſtoms.

THE ſmall ſocieties in the ſouth⯑ern iſland have ſeveral things in common, particularly their fine clothes and fiſhing-nets. Their fine clothes are preſerved in a place by themſelves, in the middle of their towns, and part of their nets are found in al⯑moſt every houſe; for, when they go out to fiſh, they collect theſe parts and join them to⯑gether.

The women here ſeem to be held in leſs eſti⯑mation than in the other South Sea iſlands; they carrying, at New Zealand, all the burdens, and doing all the drudgery. Dr. Forſter was an eye witneſs of the ferocity of the natives with re⯑ſpect to the women. A boy, about ſix or ſeven years old, demanded a piece of boiled penguin, which his mother held in her hands, but ſhe not immediately complying, he took up a large ſtone and threw it at her. Incenſed at this, the woman ran to puniſh him; but ſhe had ſcarce given him a blow, before her huſband fell upon her, beat her in an unmerciful manner, daſhed her againſt the ground, and was very near kil⯑ling her. Ill treatment of the weaker ſex is carried here to exceſs; and, contrary to every principle of morality, boys are taught from their [218]infancy to hold their mothers in contempt. It is the employment of the men to till the ground, catch birds, make nets, and go out to fiſh, and that of the women to dig up fern roots, collect lobſters and other ſhell-fiſh, near the beach, cook, and weave their cloth; nay, the women it is ſuppoſed ſometimes go out to war, for many were ſeen carrying ſpears.

Theſe people have but few cuſtoms among them but what are common to the other South Sea iſlands; addreſſing a ſtranger in a formal ſpeech or oration, while they preſent a green branch or a white bird's ſkin, and then putting on their own coat upon him, is a ſignal and cere⯑monial of amity; waving the hand, and crying out Horomai, is a token of friendſhip; and putting noſes together is their mode of ſaluta⯑tion. They never take a preſent, till they have given one, and, when they are pleaſed upon any occaſion, they cry ai, and cluck like a hen.

Character.

THE diſpoſition of this people ſeems to be mild and gentle: they treat each other with great attention and affection, but are implacable towards their enemies, to whom they give no quarter. It may at firſt appear ſtrange, that where conqueſt [219]is attended with little advantage, there ſhould be frequent wars; but if we conſider, that ſelf⯑preſervation is the firſt law of nature; that the principal food of the iſlanders is fiſh, and that this is only to be caught upon the ſea coaſts, and in ſufficient quantities, at certain times only, and of courſe that the inland tribes, without a conſtant look-out to preſerve this food, muſt be in frequent danger of periſhing by famine; I ſay, when this is conſidered, we may readily account, not only for their fortifying their little towns, but for the horrid cuſtom of eat⯑ing their priſoners of war; for, when a man is preſſed by hunger to take up arms, every natural feeling is loſt, and every ſentiment that would otherwiſe reſtrain him from allaying it with the body of his adverſary is abſorbed. If this account of the origin of feeding on human fleſh be admitted as plauſible, the reaſon of its continuance will readily be ſeen; for, when the practice has been begun by hunger, it will na⯑turally be kept alive by revenge; for among thoſe who are accuſtomed to eat the dead, death muſt have loſt much of its horror; and where it has loſt much of its horror, there will not be a great repugnance to kill, eſpecially when a [220]deſire to deſtroy is whetted by an implacable revenge.

Though the New Zealanders are more irraſ⯑cible than the other South Sea iſlanders in ge⯑neral, they are, however, leſs immodeſt, having ſome idea of indecency. They are as decent and reſerved in their actions as the politeſt perſons in Europe. The women are not im⯑pregnable, indeed, but their terms and man⯑ner of compliance do them honour. When an overture is made to any young woman, the party is given to underſtand, that the conſent of friends is neceſſary; that a ſuitable preſent muſt be made; that the conſenting female muſt be treated with good manners and delicacy; that no unbecoming liberties muſt be taken, and that the day-light muſt not be a witneſs of what paſſes between them. An agreement thus made is conſidered by them as innocent as a marriage ceremonial in England; many of the women are, however, as great coquets as the moſt faſhionable ladies in Europe, and the young ones are exceedingly ſkittiſh.

The young unmarried women would not have been very liberal of their favours to the European ſeamen, had it not been often by the compulſion of their fathers and brothers, [221]who bartered their virtue for iron tools. The idea of female chaſtity in New Zealand is very different from ours; for a girl may favour a number of lovers, without any ſtigma upon her character; but, if ſhe marries, conjugal fidelity is exacted from her with the utmoſt rigour.

But if the New Zealanders are more modeſt than the natives of O-Taheitee, they are leſs cleanly; for the climate being colder, they do not ſo often bathe. This, however, might be diſpenſed with, if they did not render them⯑ſelves filthy, by the oil with which they greaſe their hair: the better kind of people uſe it freſh, but the lower claſs anoint their heads with rancid oil, which makes them ſmell like a Hottentot; and, add to this, notwithſtanding they have combs both of bone and wood, moſt of them are intolerably louſy; nay, the vermin that in⯑feſt their heads may be often ſeen crawling upon their cloaths, and ſo loſt are they to cleanlineſs, that they will occaſionally crack them between their teeth and eat them.

The chief of diſeaſes taking their riſe from intemperance and want of exerciſe, both of which are unknown to theſe iſlanders, it is no matter of wonder that they enjoy perfect and uninterrupted health. Among hundreds of every [222]age, not an eruption, nor any mark of one, was ſeen upon their ſkin, nor any bodily complaint. Their wounds heal naturally of themſelves, with⯑out any topical application; and, among a great number of very old men, they were all ob⯑ſerved to be chearful, and none of them de⯑crepid.

While they conſidered the Europeans as their enemies, and as coming to make an advantage of them, they did not ſcruple to plunder them, as opportunity ſerved, and to deſcend to little acts of unfairneſs and diſhoneſty: they would receive the price of what they offered to ſale, and, when done, pack up the purchaſe and pur⯑chaſe money, with great compoſure, and march off with it as lawful plunder; but, when they began to be acquainted with their viſitors, they wiſhed to eſtabliſh a mutual confidence, and never preſumed to pilfer any thing.

As the reader may probably wiſh to know the reception the firſt Europeans met with, who touched at New Zealand, the following will gratify him:

When Captain Taſman touched at Eahie-no⯑mauwe, in 1642, they would not ſuffer him, nor any of his people, to go aſhore; but attacked the ſhip's boat and murdered three of his men. [223]This led him to call the bay where he anchored, Murderers Bay. But as they have no tradition of any European veſſel paying them a viſit, before that of Captain Cook, in October 1769, his may be conſidered as the firſt. As ſoon as he caſt anchor, he, accompanied with a party, put off for the ſhore, and landed in ſight of a number of people aſſembled on the beach, leaving four boys, with the cockſwain, to take care of the boat. As ſoon as they landed, the people ran away; but, when he had got to ſome diſtance from the ſea ſide, four armed men ruſhed forward to ſeize the boat, which was prevented by the boys putting off from the ſhore, and the cockſwain's firing a muſquet and killing one of thoſe who attacked him. When this man fell, the other three ſtood motionleſs for ſome time, almoſt petrified with aſtoniſh⯑ment; preſently after, recovering their ſurprize, they dragged the dead body away with them, and left Captain Cook and his party an oppor⯑tunity to return. But the next day, taking with him a native of the Society Iſles, whom he brought with him, and who was underſtood by the New Zealanders, the nature of his viſit was explained, and a friendly intercourſe took place between them; but not till three or four were [224]killed by muſquet-balls, for attempting to plunder the ſhip. Three boys being taken by force on board the veſſel, they had no other expectation than to be inſtantly put to death; but, when they found themſelves treated with ge⯑neroſity and kindneſs, their joy was beyond ex⯑preſſion. They continued on board till the next day, and, being ſent on ſhore, dreſſed and de⯑corated with bracelets and necklaces, they re⯑preſented to the natives the kind treatment they had received from the Europeans, and thus eſtabliſhed a peace between them. They met alſo with ſome oppoſition in landing at other parts of the iſland, and a native or two fell in the diſpute; but matters were ſoon ſettled, and an amicable intercourſe ſucceeded; for thoſe who are ſtrangers to fire-arms muſt naturally dread the very thought of them. It was ſo here; and, when the iſlanders found themſelves not ſafe from a diſcharge of the cannon, even at great diſtances, they gave up all attempts at oppoſition.

I muſt not omit to mention, however, a dread⯑ful affair that happened to Captain Furneaux's people, when in Charlotte Sound, in December 1773. A midſhipman, with nine of the boat's crew, being ſent on ſhore to gather greens, were [225]taken and put to death, and eaten by the ſa⯑vages. It was afterwards learnt, that on one of the natives, ſtealing a ſeaman's jacket, the mid⯑ſhipman gave orders to fire at them. Thus war commenced between them, and, when they had fired away all their ammunition, they fell a ſacrifice to the reſentment of their enemies.

Monſieur Dufreſne Marion, who had the command of two ſhips from France, and who put into a bay in diſtreſs, at the northern iſland of New Zealand, in 1772, was, with twenty⯑eight of his men, murdered by the natives. Having loſt his maſts, he was obliged to ſearch the woods of this country for new ones; and, though he had lived upon the beſt terms with the iſlanders for thirty-three days, he, with his men, were ſurprized and cut off. But not⯑withſtanding theſe two tranſactions, the New Zealanders muſt be acquitted of either treachery or cruel malevolence; for it is greatly to be ſuſpected that ſome umbrage was taken at ſome⯑thing done by the ſtrangers, and that the affair was revenged with that paſſionate fury which hurries on a ſavage to exceſs.

As there is ſomething very uncommon in part of this buſineſs, I will cloſe the account of New Zealand with the relation. The carpenters were [226]encamped in the woods, under the protection of a M. Crozet, with a ſmall party, for the pur⯑poſe of making new maſts, &c. Upon the news, therefore, of Captain Marion and his men being cut off, a corporal and four marines were diſpatched to M. Crozet to acquaint him with his danger, while ſeveral boats waited to receive him. M. Crozet immediately diſpoſed every thing, as well as he could, to effect a retreat; but ſoon found himſelf in ſight of a prodigious crowd of the natives, led on by ſeveral chiefs. He directed the four marines to be ready to fire at ſuch perſons as he ſhould point out, if ne⯑ceſſity required it, and then ordered all his party to ſtrike their tents and retire with their tools to the boats, while he advanced up to one of the chiefs. This man told him that M. Marion was killed by another chief, whom he named. At this M. Crozet ſtuck a ſtake into the ground, juſt before the feet of the chief, and bid him advance no farther. The boldneſs of the action ſtartled the ſavage, which, being obſerved by M. Crozet, he inſiſted on his commanding the croud to ſit down, which was accordingly com⯑plied with. He now walked up and down be⯑fore the natives, till all his men were in the boat: his ſoldiers were ordered to follow, and [227]himſelf was the laſt who embarked. Scarce was the boat put off from the ſhore, but the ſavages began their ſong of defiance, and threw ſtones at him; however, by the exertion of his people, he got ſafe on board. This, however, did not intimidate M. Crozet; for, finding him⯑ſelf under a neceſſity of procuring new maſts, he landed again with a party, attacked one of their fortifications, and cut a breach in it; an armed chief inſtantly ſtepped into it, and was ſhot dead, another ſtepped on the dead body and occupied his place, he likewiſe fell a victim to M. Crozet's heroiſm, and in like manner fell eight chiefs, who ſucceſſively defended, and bravely fell upon this poſt of honour. The reſt, ſeeing their leaders dead, fled, and many were purſued and killed. In ſhort, after this enterprize, M. Crozet completed the repairs of his ſhip, without interruption, and proſecuted his voyage, after a ſtay of ſixty-four days.

Face of the Country.

SOUTH of 33° or 34°, the land in ge⯑neral is low and level; more to the northward [234]it is hilly, but not mountainous. It is rather barren than otherwiſe, but ſtill the riſing grounds are diverſified with wood and lawn, and the plains covered with herbage in many places. The trees are tall, ſtrait, and without under⯑wood, and ſtanding at ſuch diſtances, that the land between them will admit of cultivation; never leſs than forty feet aſunder. The ſoil of the hills is hard, dry and ſtrong, yet productive of trees and coarſe graſs, high but thin; that of the plains and vallies is, in ſome places, ſandy, in ſome clayey, and in others rocky, yet wears the appearance of fertility.

Productions.

OF timber-trees, there are but two ſorts: the largeſt is the gum tree, which grows all over the iſland: it yields a deep red gum, and the wood is heavy, hard and dark coloured, like the lignum vitae, with narrow leaves, like thoſe of the willow. The other grows tall and upright, reſembling the pine, ſomething like the live oak of Ame⯑rica. The wood alſo of this tree is hard and heavy. Beſides theſe, there are trees, having a ſoft bark, eaſily peeled off, the ſame that is uſed for caulking of ſhips in the Eaſt Indies.

[235]There are palms alſo of three different ſorts; one whoſe leaves are plaited like a fan, the cab⯑bages of which are ſmall, but exceedingly ſweet; another like the Weſt India cabbage tree, with large pinnated leaves, like the cocoa⯑nut, producing large fruit, and a third about ten feet high, with ſmaller pinnated leaves, bear⯑ing no cabbage, but abundance of nuts, about the ſize of cheſnuts. They have, among other trees, one that bears a fruit, in colour and ſize not unlike a cherry, whoſe juice, indeed, has no great flavour, but an agreeable tartneſs. The borders or banks of the bays, of which there are many, are covered with mangroves, and the iſland abounds with a number of ſmall trees and flowering ſhrubs, unknown to Europeans. There is one tree which produces a ſort of fig, but very poor; another that bears a plumb, flat on the ſides, like a dried medlar; and a third, that bears a kind of purple apple, in taſte ſome⯑thing like a damaſcene.

There are alſo a great variety of plants un⯑known to us, but very few of the eſculent kind, except a ſort of bean, growing on a ſtalk that creeps along the ground; a kind of parſley and porcelain; two ſpecies of yams, one ſhaped like a parſnip, the other round, and a plant [236]called Coccos, the leaves of which are little in⯑ferior to ſpinnage. I muſt not forget to men⯑tion here, that the ground is almoſt every where covered with a graſs, whoſe ſeeds, in the month of May, are very troubleſome to the walker; they are ſharp and bearded backwards, ſo that when they ſtick in one's cloaths, which they do at every ſtep, they are worked forwards by means of the beard, till they reach the fleſh and prick it.

Animals.

OF quadrupeds there are ſeveral that we are unacquainted with; but, as they could not be caught, no deſcription can be given of them. They ſeem to be of the wolf, polecat, and weazel kind. There are goats, but no tame animals, except dogs. They have the opoſſum, a creature with a membra⯑nous bag near the ſtomach, in which it conceals and carries its young, when apprehenſive of danger. They have alſo a remarkable animal, about the ſize of a ſheep, called a Kanguroo, ſome of which will weigh upwards of eighty pounds, and are not bad eating, reſembling the fleſh of a hare, but better flavoured. Its body is formed like a gooſe, largeſt behind, and growing taper to the head, which reſembles that [237]of a fawn; it has lips and ears, which it throws back, like a hare's; on the upper jaw it has ſix large teeth, on the under one, only two; its neck is ſhort and ſmall, near to which are the fore feet, which have five toes, each with nails like a cat. The fore legs are kept cloſe to the breaſt, and ſeem, like thoſe of a mole, to be uſed only for digging; they are ſmall, and not more than eight inches long, having no knee joint; but the hind legs have the cuſtomary joints of animals, and are twenty-two inches in length. It has a tail tapering to the end, as long as its whole body, which it carries like a grey-hound, and the whole animal is covered with a ſhort fur, of a dark mouſe or grey colour. It ſets up on its hinder legs, like a hare in her form, and does not run, like other quadrupeds, but leaps like a hare or deer.

Of birds there are great variety, of exquiſite beauty. Loriquets; fine large black cockatoos, with ſcarlet and orange-coloured feathers in their tails, and ſome white ſpots on each wing, and alſo between the beak and ear. Theſe fly in flocks of ſcores together. They have alſo the goat-ſucker, or churn-owl; the bee-eaters; large bats; a ſmall bird, with wattles of a deep orange red; another with wattles of a fine ultramarine [238]colour, with black beak and legs; an owl, having the iris of its eyes gold colour, and the pupil of them dark blue; a large black and white gull, with a bright yellow beak, on the gibbous part of which is a ſcarlet ſpot, the corners of its mouth and irides of its eyes a bright ſcarlet, and its legs and feet a greeniſh yellow; a black bird, with a bright red beak, yellow at the point, the iris of its eyes ſcarlet, and the feet and legs a pale yellow; and many other curious ſmall birds, unknown to Euro⯑peans. They have, likewiſe, quails and crows, reſembling ours, a ſpecies of buſtard, beautiful grey pigeons, with red beaks and reddiſh brown creſts; two ſorts of doves; two ſorts of paroquets; pied hawks; black and white kites and eagles.

Of the aquatic kind, herons, whiſtling ducks, that perch and rooſt on trees, wild geeſe, cur⯑lieus, a bird like a pelican, larger than a ſwan, and other ſorts of water-fowl.

Of the tribe of inſects, they have green ca⯑terpillars, in great numbers, which range them⯑ſelves on the mangrove leaves, ſide by ſide, twenty or thirty together, and whoſe hair on their bodies ſting like a nettle; butterflies in ſuch quantities, that, for the ſpace of three or [239]four acres, the air is often ſo crowded with them, that millions may be ſeen flying in every direc⯑tion, while every branch and twig in the neigh⯑bourhood is covered; ants alſo of different kinds, ſome white and others black; the black ants will perforate the twigs of the gum-tree, work out the pith, and occupy the pipe that contained it; yet the parts in which theſe in⯑ſects form a lodgment, and in which they ſwarm in amazing numbers, bear leaves and flowers, and appear to flouriſh as much as thoſe that are ſound. Upon the branches of theſe trees, the ants will often make neſts of clay as big as a buſhel. There are ants as green as a leaf, that live upon trees, where they build their neſts of various ſizes, from that of a man's fiſt, to the ſize of his head. Theſe neſts are curiouſly formed, by bending down ſeveral of the leaves, which are as broad as one's hand, and gluing the points of them together, ſo as to form a purſe; the glue uſed upon this occaſion is an animal viſcus, which nature has provided them with. Thouſands will unite their ſtrength to bend down a leaf, which they do by their weight, while others employ the gluten to prevent its return. If diſturbed, they will throw them⯑ſelves [240]upon their enemy and ſting him like a bee.

Of fiſh, they have ſting rays, rock and pearl oyſters in ſuch quantities, that a pearl fiſhery might be there eſtabliſhed to great advantage; muſcles, and other ſhell fiſh, cockles, ſome of which are as much as two men can move, and contain twenty pounds of good meat; crabs of two kinds, one adorned with the fineſt hue, equal to the ultramarine, with which all its claws and every joint is deeply tinged, and the under part white, and ſo exquiſitely poliſhed, that, in colour and brightneſs, it reſembles the white of old china; the other kind is marked more ſparingly with the ultramarine, but its back is beautifully ſpotted with brown. They have alſo plenty of turtles and water-ſnakes, like land ones, except that their tails are broad and flat, which ſerve them for fins; but among all the fiſh ſeen at the iſland, none is more remark⯑able than one that jumps: it is about the ſize of a minnow, and has two very ſtrong breaſt fins, by which it leaps as nimbly as a frog: it ſeems not to prefer water more than land, for it will frequently leave the water, and purſue its way on dry ground.

[241]Of other reptiles they have alligators, ſerpents, venomous and harmleſs, and lizards.

Inhabitants.

IN proportion to the extent of land, the number of inhabitants appears to be ſmall; for though Captain Cook was upwards of three months upon the coaſt, and it is natural to have expected numbers ſhould have flocked to the ſea-ſide, in order to view what muſt ſeem to them a wooden world, yet he never ſaw ſo many as thirty collected together; nor, when they formed a reſolution to oppoſe the Captain's landing, could they muſter more than fourteen or fifteen fighting men: neither do they appear to live in ſocieties, but, like other animals, to be ſcattered about along the coaſt and in the woods. Nor, indeed, was a ſpot of ground ſeen in a ſtate of cultivation in any part of the iſland, a further proof of the thinneſs of the inhabitants; for where the ſea does not con⯑tribute to feed the inhabitants, the country muſt be deſolate.

The complexion of theſe people is what is commonly called a Chocolate Colour, though they are ſo uniformly covered with dirt that it is difficult to ſay what their true colour is. Their features are far from diſagreeable: their noſes [242]not being flat nor their lips thick: their teeth are white and even, and their hair, though they ſinge it ſhort, is naturally long and black, and generally ſtraight with a ſlight curl at bottom. They, ſome way or other, keep their hair free from lice, though they ſeldom comb it, for it is in general matted and greaſy, but without oil or greaſe.

The beards of the men are of the ſame colour with their hair, and alſo buſhy and thick, it never being ſuffered to grow long. Their ſtature is of the middle ſize, but ſlender, and their bones ſo ſmall, that a common hand may ſpan their an⯑cles and their arms above their elbows; and in general they are clean-limbed and remarkably vigorous, active and nimble. Their counte⯑nances are not without expreſſion, and their voices are remarkably ſoft and effeminate.

Both ſexes go quite naked, without the leaſt ſenſe of indecency; but ſtill they are not without their ornaments, the principal of which is, a bone five or ſix inches long, and as thick as a man's finger, which they thruſt through the ſeptum of their noſes: it reaches quite acroſs the face, and ſo effectually ſtops up the noſtrils, that the wearer, when he ſpeaks, ſnuffles ſo as ſcarce to be underſtood, and is obliged to keep [243]his mouth conſtantly open, in order to breathe freely. The ſailors, in humour, called it their Spritſail-yard. They wear alſo necklaces made of ſhells, bracelets of ſmall cord round the up⯑per part of their arms, and a ſtring of human hair plaited, tied round the waiſt; and ſome were ſeen with large gorgets of ſhells hanging on the breaſt, and a few women with feathers in their heads, ſtuck on with gum. They paint themſelves red and white and duſt their faces with a white powder. The red is generally laid on in broad patches upon the breaſt and ſhoulders, and the white in ſtreaks, one round their thighs, two below their knees, one like a ſaſh over their ſhoulders, and another acroſs their foreheads. They have holes alſo in their ears, but no ornaments were ſeen in them. On their bodies were noticed large ſcars in irregular lines, apparently made by ſome blunt inſtru⯑ment, probably as memorials of grief for the dead.

Habitations.

LIKE quadrupeds, they ſeem, as was ſaid before, not to live in ſocieties, but to wander about in the woods; and a farther reaſon to confirm this aſſertion, is, that, in an extent of near two thouſand miles upon [244]the coaſt, nothing like a town or village was to be ſeen. Their huts are merely ſheds to ſleep in, ſcarce big enough for a man to ſit under, and hardly large enough to cover his whole length. They are made with ſticks about an inch diameter, in the form of an oven, open at one end, by ſticking the two ends in the ground, and covering them with pieces of bark or palm leaves. They frequently make fires in theſe houſes, and, as they ſeldom waſh or clean them⯑ſelves, they thus become ſmoke-dried. Under theſe ſheds they ſleep, with their heads and knees together, ſo that in this poſition one hut will hold three or four perſons.

The only furniture they have is an oblong veſſel made of bark, contrived, by tying up the two ends with a withy, to carry water; and a ſmall bag, knit like a cabbage-net, which the men carry on their backs by a ſtring round their heads, for the purpoſe of conveying, from place to place, the little treaſure they poſſeſs, generally only a lump or two of paint, a piece of reſin, ſome lines and fiſhing hooks, the bracelets, &c. which they continually wear, and a few points of darts.

Food.

EXCEPT the fruits and vegetables of the country, they eat little but fiſh: now and then, indeed, they kill the Kan⯑guroo, and occaſionally a bird or turtle. Though they have no veſſel to boil water in, they do not ſeem to eat animal food raw: they broil it and bake it with hot ſtones in an oven, in the ſame manner they do at O-Taheitee. They were conſtantly obſerved chewing a leaf, but of what quality it was could not be learned; all that can be ſaid is, that it had no viſible ef⯑fect upon the teeth or lips.

Having no nets, they catch fiſh only by ſtrik⯑ing it with a fiſh-gig, or by hooks and lines, except ſuch as they find in the hollows of the rocks, and ſhoals when the water ebbs. Their hooks are very neatly made, and ſome of them are exceedingly ſmall. Their lines are from half an inch to the fineneſs of a hair, and are made of ſome vegetable ſubſtance.

Birds they catch when at rooſt, and animals they kill with their lances, when they paſs by a tree, in the branches of which they conceal themſelves for the purpoſe.

Their method of procuring fire and ſpreading it is worth remarking. To produce it, they take two pieces of ſoft, dry wood, one a round [246]ſtick of about eight or nine inches long, the other piece flat: one end of the round piece they ſhape into an obtuſe point, and make a hole in the flat piece. In this hole they twirl the end of the ſtick between their hands, as we do a chocolate mill, preſſing it down in the hole, till it fires. By this method they get fire in leſs than two minutes, and, from the ſmalleſt ſpark, they in⯑creaſe it with aſtoniſhing ſpeed. They will wrap up a ſpark in a little dry graſs, which, by moving, will be fanned into a flame. Thus a man will run on for miles, and, without any viſible fire in his hands, will, at every fifty or a hundred yards, ſtoop down and leave fire behind him.

One of their methods of annoying their Euro⯑pean viſitors, whom they conſidered as enemies, was, by ſetting fire to the high graſs in the neigh⯑bourhood of the place where the tents were fixed; which being dry as ſtubble, burnt with amazing force and did incredible miſchief.

Arms.

THEIR weapons are ſpears and lances of different kinds, ſome with four prongs, pointed with bone and barbed, the points of which are covered with a hard re⯑ſin, which gives them a poliſh and facilitates their entrance into what they ſtrike: others [247]have only one point, with the ſhaft made of a light jointed cane, from eight to fourteen feet long; others are barbed all the way up the ſhaft. They are very dextrous in throwing them, and will convey them forcibly with the hand ten or twenty yards; but if they wiſh to convey them further, they make uſe of a throwing-ſtick, which is a plain, ſmooth piece of hard wood highly poliſhed, about two inches broad, half an inch thick and three feet long, with a ſmall knob or nook at one end, and a croſs piece about three or four inches long at the other. In the ſhaft of the lance, near the point, is made a hollow to receive the knob of the throwing-ſtick, from which it eaſily ſlips on being impelled forward. To throw it they lay the lance along upon this inſtrument and hold it over the ſhoulder; and, after ſhaking, throw both the ſtick and lance with all their force; but the ſtick being ſtopped by the croſs piece which comes againſt the the ſhoulder with a jerk, the lance flies forward with incredible ſwiftneſs, and with ſuch good aim, that the thrower is more ſure of his mark at fifty yards diſtance, than a muſqueteer is of his ball. They have alſo bows and arrows, and an oblong ſhield three feet long, and eighteen inches broad, made of bark; and a wooden [248]ſword reſembling a ſcymitar. Some of their weapons had a chizzel fixed at their ends, but of what ſubſtance they were framed could not be learned.

Canoes.

THE canoes of New Holland are as wretched as their houſes. To the ſouthward they are made of one piece of bark, about twelve feet long, tied up at the ends, and ſpread open in the middle by two ſticks. In ſhallow water they puſh them on by a pole, and in deep water by paddles, two of which they uſe at a time. More to the northward they are made of the trunk of a tree, fourteen feet long, hol⯑lowed out by fire. They are in general very narrow, and furniſhed with an out-rigger to pre⯑vent their overſetting. They never carry more than four people.

Tools.

The only tools ſeen among them were, an adze made of ſtone, wedges of the ſame, wooden mallets, and a few ſhells and pieces of coral. For poliſhing they make uſe of the rough leaves of a wild fig, which anſwers the purpoſe of ſhave-graſs. With ſuch wretched tools, it is aſtoniſhing that they can perform any kind of work; but there are few difficulties [249]that perſeverance will not overcome, and that will not give way to the patience and good con⯑trivance of a workman.

Language.

SOME idea of their language may be collected from the fol⯑lowing liſt of words. They articulate plainly, though in ſpeaking they make a great motion with their lips. When they mean to ſhew a diſapprobation, they utter their words vocife⯑rouſly, and, when they would manifeſt an ap⯑probation, they cry hee with a loud flexion of voice, in a high and ſhrill tone. They ſay tut, tut, many times together to expreſs aſtoniſh⯑ment, and often whiſtle when ſurprized.

• The Head Wageegee
• Hair Morye
• Eyes Meül
• Eyebrows Garbar
• Noſe Bonjoo
• Breaſt Coyor
• Hands Mangal
• A Dog Cotta
• A Turtle Putai
• A Butterfly Walboolbool
• A Canoe Carbanda
• [250] Get along Kidde
• Come along Corvai
• Come hither Hala, hala, máé
• I cannot do it Kono, kono.

• Yappa Gadugoo
• Yarconigo
• Garranatoo
• Dunggrea
• Balgomee
• Goota.

Character.

THESE people have no idea of traffick, nor could any be given them; for all the ſigns made to them, deſcribing a return for things preſented to them were fruit⯑leſs: they did not ſeem to underſtand them. This indifference with reſpect to buying kept them honeſt: they never attempted to purloin any thing, but, if refuſed what they wiſhed for, they attempted to take it by force. They ſeemed to ſet no value upon any thing that was given them, for, like play-things given to chil⯑dren, they pleaſed only while they were new. Nor do they ſeem to have any curioſity; for though walking on the ſea ſhore in ſight of the ſhip, a wonderful machine they had never ſeen before, [251]of numbers that trudged along, ſcarce one caſt an eye towards it.

They introduce ſtrangers into company by their names as they do in England.

Whether they are brave or not cannot truly be aſcertained: they made ſome little oppoſition on the crew's landing, but they were ſoon inti⯑midated by the fire arms, as a few pieces fired with ſmall ſhot preſently diſperſed them, and, after the firſt conteſt, they would never come near enough to parley; ſo that the Europeans could by no means form the leaſt connection with them. How it happens that there are ſo few inhabitants, is not eaſy to deviſe: whether they are deſtroyed by each other in conteſts for food, whether ſwept off by famine, or their increaſe prevented by any particular cauſe, can⯑not be at preſent determined. That they have wars amongſt them is evident by their weapons, but what gives riſe to theſe wars, or what is the conſequence of them, cannot be aſcertained: the few facts that could be picked up we here give our reader, and he muſt be left to reaſon for himſelf.

Face of the Country.

CAMCHATCA is plentifully furniſhed with rivers, but ſo ſmall, that none except one is navigable. This will carry veſſels two hun⯑dred verſts upwards, from its mouth.

Productions.

UPON the banks of the na⯑vigable river, is found plenty of roots and berries, which, in ſome meaſure, ſupply the want of corn. Near the head of this river, both ſummer and winter, corn would grow as well as in other places of the ſame la⯑titude, the ſoil being deep and rich; for though the ſnow falls in very great quantities, yet it thaws early enough, and the ſpring is not ſo wet, nor have they ſuch damps there as in many other places. Several trials of ſummer-corn have been made, in which both barley and oats have ſucceeded; but it cannot be expected that they ſhould ſow any great quantities, as, for [254]want of horſes, they are obliged to plough their land with men.

As to vegetables, the moſt ſucculent plants produce only leaves and ſtalks: cabbage and lettuce never come to perfection, and peas con⯑tinue in bloſſom till late in the harveſt, without yielding ſo much as a pod; but ſucculent roots, ſuch as turneps and radiſhes, thrive very well. The graſs runs up near ſix feet high, eſpecially near the rivers and lakes, and grows ſo faſt, that it is ſometimes mowed three times in a ſummer. The cattle, therefore, are large and fat, and give plenty of milk all the year, for the graſs continues full of juice, even to the beginning of winter, and this juice being condenſed by the cold, prevents the graſs from turning hard during that ſeaſon, ſo that there is feed all the winter. Places where the graſs thus grows, are never ſo much covered with ſnow as the bogs and ſwamps, and, on this account, it is diffi⯑cult to paſs over them in winter. There is plenty of wood in this country, not only for building houſes, but even for ſhip-build⯑ing.

Inhabitants.

THE natives of Camchatca are as wild as the country itſelf. Some of them have no fixed habitations, but wander from place to place, with their herds of rein deer; others have ſettled dwellings, and reſide upon the banks of the rivers and the ſea ſhores.

They are divided into three nations, the Cam⯑chatcans, the Koreki and Kuriles. The Cam⯑chatcans live upon the ſouth ſide of the penin⯑ſula; the Koreki inhabit the northern parts, and round the eaſtern ocean, almoſt to Anadir; and the Kuriles inhabit the iſlands in the eaſtern ſea, reaching as far as thoſe of Japan.

They are of ſmall ſtature, ſwarthy, have black hair, broad faces, ſharp noſes, with the eyes falling in, eye-brows ſmall and thin, hang⯑ing bellies, and ſlender legs and arms. They are notorious cowards, great boaſters, and are remarkable for their ſlaviſhneſs to people who uſe them hardly, and for their obſtinacy and contempt of thoſe who treat them with gentle⯑neſs.

Dreſs.

THEIR cloaths are chiefly made of ſkins of deer, dogs, ſeveral ſea and land animals, and even the ſkins of birds, thoſe of different animals being frequently joined in the ſame garment. Their upper garment is made after two faſhions, ſometimes cutting the ſkirts all of an equal length, and ſometimes leaving them long behind, in form of a train, with wide ſleeves, long enough to reach down below the knee, and a hood or caul behind, which, in bad weather, they put over their heads below their caps: the opening above is merely large enough to let their heads paſs, and round this opening they ſew the ſkins of dogs feet, with which they cover their faces in cold, ſtormy weather. Round their ſkirts and ſleeves they put a border of white dog's ſkin; and upon their backs they ſew the ſmall ſhreds of ſkins of dif⯑ferent colours. They commonly wear two coats; the under coat with the hair ſide inwards, the other ſide being dyed with alder; and the upper with the hair outwards. For the upper garment they chooſe black, white, or ſpeckled ſkins, the hair of which is moſt eſteemed for the beauty of its colours.

[257]Men and women, without diſtinction, wear the above-mentioned garments, their dreſs only differing in their under cloathing, and in the covering of their feet and legs. The women have an under garment, which they commonly wear at home, conſiſting of a breeches and waiſtcoat ſewed together. The breeches are wide, like thoſe of the Dutch ſkippers, and tie below the knee; the waiſtcoat is wide above, and drawn round with a ſtring. Their ſum⯑mer habits are made of dreſſed ſkins, without hair, their winter ones of deer, or ſtone ram ſkins, with the hair on. The undreſs, or houſe⯑hold habit of the men, is a girdle of leather, with a bag before, and a leather apron to cover them behind: theſe girdles are ſewed with hair of different colours. They uſed frequently to go a hunting and fiſhing, during the ſummer, in this dreſs; but the faſhion being now changed, they wear linen ſhirts, which they buy of the Ruſſians.

The covering of their feet and legs is made of ſkins of different ſorts. In the ſummer time, during the rains, they wear the ſkins of ſeals, with the hair outwards; but the moſt common covering is the ſkin of the legs of the rein deer, and ſometimes of the legs of other beaſts, the [258]ſhaggieſt they can find, to preſerve them againſt the cold. But the buſkins which both the Coſſacs and Camchatcans uſe in their fineſt dreſs, are made in the following manner: The ſole is a white ſeal-ſkin, the upper part of fine white leather, and the hind quarters of white dog⯑ſkin: what comes round the legs is of dreſſed leather, or dyed ſeal-ſkin; the upper parts are embroidered. Theſe buſkins are looked upon ſo extraordinary, that if a batchelor wears them, he is immediately concluded to be dreſſed for courting.

They wear the ſame ſort of caps as the people of Jakutſki. In ſummer, they tie about their heads a kind of hat, made of birch bark; and the Kuriles, in hot weather, wear caps of platted graſs; but at preſent, round the Ruſs ſettle⯑ments, the faſhion is changed, the women wear⯑ing ſhifts, ruffles, waiſtcoats, caps and ribbands. The women do all their work in mittins. For⯑merly they never waſhed their faces, but now they uſe both red and white paint. Rotten wood ſerves them for white paint, and a ſea-plant for red, which they boil in ſeal's fat, and rub their cheeks with, till they are very red. They dreſs moſt in winter, eſpecially when they either receive or pay viſits.

[259]The common cloaths for a Camchatcan and his family, will not coſt him leſs than a hun⯑dred rubles, ſo dear is every article of dreſs. The Kuriles are better able to buy good cloaths than the Camchatcans; for they can purchaſe for one ſea-beaver as much as the Camchatcans can for twenty foxes, and one beaver coſts the Kuriles no more trouble in catching him, than five foxes do the Camchatcans; for he muſt be a good hunter who takes more than ten foxes in the winter; and a Kurili thinks himſelf un⯑lucky, if he does not catch three beavers in the ſeaſon, beſides the numbers that are caſt on ſhore by ſtorms.

Food.

THE Camchatcans divide their fiſh into ſix parts; the ſides and tail are hung up to dry; the back and thinner part of the belly are prepared apart, and generally dried over the fire; the head is laid to ſour in pits, and is then eaten like ſalt fiſh, and is much eſteemed, though it ſtinks intolerably; the ribs and fleſh upon them are hung up and dried, and then pounded for uſe: the larger bones are dried and given to the dogs.

Their ſecond favorite food is caviar, or the roes of fiſh, which they prepare three different [260]ways. They dry the roe whole, in the air, or take it out of the ſkin, which envelopes it, and, ſpreading it upon a bed of graſs, dry it before the fire; or make rolls of it with the leaves of graſs, which they alſo dry. They never take a journey, or go a hunting, without dry caviar; and if a Camchatcan has a pound of this, he can ſubſiſt without any other proviſion a great while; for every birch and alder tree furniſhes him with bark, which, with his dried caviar, makes him an agreeable meal; but they cannot eat either ſeparately; for the caviar ſticks to the teeth like glue; and it is almoſt impoſſible to ſwallow the bark by itſelf, chew it ever ſo long. There is ſtill a fourth method, which both the Camchatcans and Koreki uſe in preparing their caviar; the firſt, having covered the bottom of a pit with graſs, throw the freſh roes into it, and leave them till they are ſour; the Koreki tie theirs in bags, and leave them to ſour: this is eſteemed their moſt delicate diſh.

There is a third ſort of diet, called by the Chamchatcans Chupriki, which is thus prepared: In their huts, over the fire-place, they make a bridge of ſtakes, on which they lay a heap of fiſh, which remains there till the hut becomes as warm as a bagnio. If there is no great thick⯑neſs [261]of fiſh, one fire ſerves to dreſs it, but ſometimes they are obliged to make two, three, or more fires. Fiſh, dreſſed in this manner, is half roaſted, and half ſmoaked, but has a very agreeable taſte, and may be reckoned the beſt of all the Camchatcan cookery; for the whole juice and fat is prepared with a gradual heat, and kept in by the ſkin, from which they may, when done enough, be eaſily ſeparated; and, as ſoon as it is thus dreſſed, they take out the guts and ſpread the body upon a mat to dry; this they afterwards break ſmall, and, putting into bags, carry it with them for proviſion.

They have another diſh, much eſteemed, which they call Huigul: it is fiſh laid to grow ſour in pits; and, though the ſmell of it is in⯑tolerable, yet the Camchatcans eſteem it a per⯑fume. This fiſh ſometimes rots ſo much in the pits, that it cannot be taken out but with ladles; in this caſe, indeed, they give it to their dogs.

As for the fleſh of land, and the larger ſea⯑animals, they boil it in their troughs, with ſe⯑veral different herbs and roots: the broth they drink out of ladles and bowls, and the meat they take out upon boards, and eat in their hands.

[262]There is a principal diſh at all their feaſts, called Selaga, made by pounding all ſorts of roots and berries together, with the addition of caviar and whale's and ſeal's fat.

Before the conqueſt by the Ruſſians, they ſeldom drank any thing but plain water, except when they made merry, at which time they drank water, which had ſtood ſome time upon muſhrooms. Now they drink ſpirits as faſt as the Ruſſians. After dinner, they drink water, and at night ſet a veſſel of water by the bed-ſide, with the addition of ſnow or ice to keep it cool, and always drink it up before morning. In the winter time, they amuſe themſelves frequently by throwing handfuls of ſnow into their mouths; and the bridegrooms, who work with the fa⯑thers of their future brides, find it their hardeſt taſk to provide ſnow for the family in ſummer time; for they muſt bring it from the higheſt hills, be the weather what it will, or they never would be forgiven.

Habitations.

UNDER the name of Oſtrog, is underſtood every habitation, conſiſting of one or more huts, all ſurrounded by an earthen wall or paliſadoe.

[263]Their huts are built in the following manner: They dig a hole in the earth, about five feet deep, the breadth and length proportioned to the number of people deſigned to live in it. In the middle of this hole, they ſet up four thick, wooden pillars; over theſe they lay balks, upon which they form the roof or cieling, leaving in the middle a ſquare opening, which ſerves them for a window and chimney: this done, they cover the building with graſs and earth, ſo that it reſembles a round hillock without, but within it is an oblong ſquare, with the fire-place in one of the long ſides: between the pillars, round the walls of their huts, they make benches, upon which each of the family lies ſeparately; but, on that ſide oppoſite the fire, there are no benches, being left for their kitchen furniture. In theſe huts, where there are no benches, there are balks laid upon the floor, and covered with mats. They adorn the walls within with graſs mats.

Theſe huts are entered by ladders, commonly placed near the fire-hearth; ſo that when they are heating their huts, the ſteps of the ladder become ſo hot, and the ſmoke ſo thick, that it is almoſt impoſſible for a ſtranger to go up or down without being burnt or ſtifled to death; [264]yet the natives find no difficulty in it; and though they can only fix their toes on the ſteps of the ladder, they mount like ſquirrels; nor do the women heſitate to go through this ſmoke, with the children upon their ſhoulders, though there is another opening, through which the women are allowed to paſs; but if any man ſhould pretend to do the ſame, he would be laughed at. The Camchatcans live in theſe huts all the winter, after which they go into others, which they call Balagans. Theſe ſerve them not only to live in during the ſummer, but alſo for magazines. The balagans are built in the following manner: Nine pillars, about two ſathom long or more, are fixed in the ground, and bound together with balks laid over them, which they cover with rods, and over all lay graſs, faſtening ſpars, and a round ſharp roof at top, which they cover with bramble, and thatch with graſs. They faſten the lower ends or the ſpars to the balks with ropes and thongs, and have a door on each ſide, one directly oppoſite to the other. They make uſe of the ſame kind of huts to keep their fiſh, &c. till winter comes on, when they can more eaſily remove it; and this without any guard, only taking away the ladders. If theſe buildings were [265]not ſo high, the wild beaſts would undoubtedly plunder them; for, notwithſtanding all their precaution, the bears ſometimes climb up and force their way into their magazines, eſpecially in harveſt time, when fiſh and berries begin to grow ſcarce.

The ſouthern Camchatcans commonly build their villages in thick woods and other places, which are naturally ſtrong, not leſs than twenty verſts from the ſea; and their ſummer habita⯑tions are near the mouths of the rivers; but thoſe who live upon the Penchinſka ſea, and the eaſtern ocean, build their villages very near the ſhore. They look upon that river, near which their village is ſituated, as the inheritance of their tribe.

Furniture, Utenſils, &c.

BEFORE the ar⯑rival of the Ruſſians, the Camchatcans uſed ſtones and bones inſtead of metals, out of which they made their hatchets, ſpears, arrows, needles and lances. Hatchets were made of the bones of whales and rein deer, and ſometimes of agate and flint: they were ſhaped like a wedge, and faſtened to crooked handles. With theſe they hollowed out their canoes, bowls, diſhes and troughs; which, [266]with cans of birch-bark, conſtituted the whole of their furniture; but with ſo much ex⯑pence of trouble and time, that a canoe would be three years in making, and a large bowl one year. On this account, a large canoe or trough was in as great eſtimation among them as a veſſel of the moſt precious metal and fineſt workmanſhip is with us; and the village in poſſeſſion of ſuch a canoe or trough, valued itſelf extremely upon it. In theſe bowls they dreſs their victuals and heat their broth, by throwing red-hot ſtones into it.

Their knives were made of a greeniſh moun⯑tain cryſtal, ſharp pointed, and ſhaped like a lancet, which was ſtuck into a wooden handle. Of ſuch cryſtals were likewiſe made their ar⯑rows, ſpears, and lancets with which they ſtill continue to let blood. Needles they formed of the bones of ſables, with which they not only ſewed their cloaths together, but made alſo very curious embroidery.

To procure fire, they uſe a board of dry wood, with round holes in its ſides, and a ſmall round ſtick; this they rub in a hole till it takes fire, making uſe of dry graſs, beaten ſoft, by way of tinder. Theſe inſtruments are held in ſuch eſteem by the Camchatcans, that they are [267]never without them, and they value them more than our ſteels and flints: they are, however, exceedingly fond of other iron inſtruments, ſuch as hatchets, knives or needles; nay, at the firſt arrival of the Ruſſians, a piece of broken iron was looked upon as a great preſent, and even now they receive it with thankfulneſs, finding uſe for the leaſt fragment, either to point their arrows or make darts, which they do by hammering it out cold between two ſtones. As ſome of them delight in war, the Ruſſian merchants are forbidden to ſell them any war⯑like inſtruments; but they are ingenious enough to make ſpears and arrows out of the iron pots and kettles, which they buy; and they are ſo dextrous, when the eye of a needle breaks, as to make a new one, which they will repeat un⯑til nothing remains but the point.

Boats.

THE Camchatcans make their boats of poplar wood; but the Kuriles not having any wood of their own, make uſe of what is thrown on ſhore by the ſea, and is ſuppoſed to come from the coaſts of Japan, China or America. The northern inhabitants of Camchatca, the ſettled Koreki and Chukorſ⯑koi, for want of proper timber and plank, [268]make their boats of the ſkins of ſea animals. They ſew the pieces together with whales beards, and caulk them with moſs or nettles beaten ſmall.

Theſe boats hold two perſons, one of which ſits in the prow, and the other in the ſtern. They puſh them againſt the ſtream with poles, which is attended with great trouble: when the current is ſtrong, they can ſcarely ad⯑vance two feet in ten minutes; notwithſtanding which, they will carry theſe boats, full loaded, twenty verſts, and, when the ſtream is not very ſtrong, even thirty or forty verſts.

The larger boats carry thirty or forty pood. When the goods are not very heavy, they lay them upon a float or bridge, reſting upon two boats joined together. They uſe this method of conveying their proviſions down the ſtream, and alſo to and from the iſlands.

Employments, &c.

IN ſummer time the men are employed in catching, drying, and carrying fiſh to their houſes, in preparing bones and ſour fiſh to feed their dogs: the women, in cleaning the fiſh and ſpreading it out to dry; ſometimes they go a fiſhing with their huſbands. When fiſhing ſeaſon is over, [269]they gather in the herbs, roots and berries both for food and medicine.

In harveſt, men catch the fiſh that appear at that time and kill fowl, ſuch as geeſe, ducks, ſwans, and the like; teach their dogs to draw carriages, and prepare wood for their ſledges and other uſes. The women at this time are buſy in pulling up nettles, of which they make their thread; watering, breaking, and peeling them, and laying the hemp of them up in their balagans.

In winter, the men hunt for ſables and foxes, weave fiſhing-nets, make ſledges, fetch wood, and bring home the proviſions which they had prepared in the ſummer and could not bring home in harveſt. The women at this time are principally employed in ſpreading threads for nets.

In ſpring, when the rivers begin to thaw, and the fiſh which there wintered go towards the ſea, the men are buſied in catching them and the amphibious animals that at this time fre⯑quent the bays. The people on the eaſtern ſhore catch the ſea-beaver. All the women go into the fields, where they gather wild garlick and other young herbs, which they uſe not only in a ſcarcity of other proviſion, which often hap⯑pens [270]at this ſeaſon of the year, but likewiſe out of luxury; for ſo fond are they of every thing that is green, that, during the whole ſpring, they are ſeldom without having ſome of it in their mouths; and though they always, bring home a great bundle of greens, it ſeldom laſts them above a day.

Beſides the above-mentioned employments, the men are obliged to build their huts and ba⯑lagans, to heat their huts, dreſs victuals, feed their dogs, flay the animals, whoſe ſkins are uſed in cloathing, and provide all houſehold and warlike inſtruments. The women are the only taylors and ſhoemakers; for they dreſs the ſkins, make the cloaths, ſhoes and ſtockings: it is even a diſgrace for the men to do any thing of that ſort; ſo that they looked upon the Ruſſians who came here firſt, in a very ridi⯑culous light, when they ſaw them uſe the needle or the awl. The women are likewiſe employed in dying ſkins, in conjuration and curing the ſick.

Their method of preparing and dying ſkins, ſewing and joining them is as follows: Skins which they uſe for cloaths, ſuch as thoſe of the deer, ſeal, dog, and beaver, they prepare in the following manner: Firſt they wet and ſpread [271]them out, ſcrape of all the pieces of fat or veins that remain after flaying, with ſtones fixed in pieces of wood; then rubbing it over with freſh or ſour caviar, they roll it up and tread it with their feet till the hide begins to ſtink; they again ſcrape and clean it, and continue this till the ſkin is ſoft and clean. Such ſkins as they want to prepare without the hair, they uſe at firſt in the ſame manner as above; then hang them in the ſmoke for a week, and afterwards ſoak them in warm water to take the hair off; at laſt rubbing them with caviar, by frequent treading, and ſcraping them with ſtones, they make them clean and ſoft.

They dye the deer and dog ſkins, which they uſe for cloathing, with alder bark cut and rub⯑bed very ſmall. Seal ſkins they dye in a more curious manner: Having firſt cleaned off the hair, they make a bag of the ſkins, and, turning the hair ſide outwards, they pour into it a ſtrong decoction of alder bark: after it has lain thus ſome time, they hang it upon a tree and beat it with a ſtick. This operation they repeat till the colour is gone quite through the ſkin; then they rip it open, and, ſtretching it out, dry it in the air: at laſt they rub it till it becomes ſoft and fit for uſe. Such ſkins are not unlike [272]dreſſed goat ſkins. They call them Mendari, and are worth about three ſhillings each. The hair of the ſeals, with which they ornament their cloaths and ſhoes, is dyed with the juice of the red wortleberry boiled with alder bark, allum, and lac lunae, which makes a very bright colour. They uſed to ſew their cloaths and ſhoes with needles made of bone, and inſtead of thread they made uſe of the fibres of the deer, ſplit to the ſize or thinneſs re⯑quired.

They make glue of the dried ſkins of fiſhes, and particularly of the whale-ſkin. A piece of this they wrap up in birch bark, and lay it for a little while in warm aſhes, when it becomes fit for uſe.

Method of Travelling, &c.

THE dogs of Camchatca dif⯑fer very little from our common houſe-dogs: they are of a middling ſize, and of various co⯑lours, though there ſeem to be more white, black, and grey than of any other. In travel⯑ling they make uſe of thoſe that are caſtrated, and generally yoke four to a ſledge.

They drive and direct their dogs with a crook⯑ed ſtick, about four feet long, which they ſome⯑times [273]adorn with different-coloured thongs: this is looked upon as a great piece of finery. They drive their ſledges, ſitting on the right ſide, with their feet hanging down; for it would be conſidered as a diſgrace to a man to ſit down in the bottom of the ſledge, or to have a perſon to drive him; no one doing this but the women.

It is very difficult to travel in theſe ſledges; for, unleſs a man keeps the exacteſt balance, he is liable every moment, from their height and narrowneſs, to be overturned: in a rugged road, this would be very dangerous, as the dogs never ſtop till they come to ſome houſe, or are en⯑tangled by ſomething on the road, eſpecially in going down ſteep hills, when they run with all their force, and are ſcarcely to be kept in; for which reaſon, in deſcending any great declivity, they unyoke all the dogs except one, and lead them gently down. They likewiſe walk up hill; for it is as much as the dogs can do to draw up the empty ſledges. After a deep ſnow, before it has been hardened by a froſt, there is no travelling with dogs until a road be made, which is done by a man's going before with ſnow-ſhoes, whom they call Brodovſhika.

[274]Theſe ſnow-ſhoes are made of two thin boards, ſeparated in the middle, bound together at the ends, and with the fore-part bent a little up⯑wards. The Brodovſhika having one upon each foot, leaves the dogs and ſledge, and, going on, clears the road for ſome way; then returning, leads forward the dogs and ſledge ſo far as the road is made; a method which he muſt continue till he comes to ſome dwelling⯑houſe. This is very laborious, and it happens ſo often, that no driver ever ſets out without his ſnow-ſhoes.

When a ſtorm of driven-ſnow ſurprizes them, they are obliged with all haſte to ſeek the ſhelter of ſome wood, and ſtay there as long as the tempeſt laſts, which ſometimes is a whole week. If they are a large company, they dig a place for themſelves under the ſnow, and cover the entry with wood or brambles. Sometimes they hide themſelves in caves or holes in the earth, wrapping themſelves up in their furs; and, when thus covered, they move and turn themſelves with the greateſt caution, leaſt they ſhould throw off the ſnow, for under that they lie as warm as in their common huts: they only require a breathing place, but their cloaths muſt not be [275]tight or hard girt about them, for then the cold is unſufferable.

Another danger attending travellers is, that, in the ſevereſt froſt, ſeveral rivers are not quite frozen over; and, as the roads, for the moſt part, lie cloſe upon the rivers, the banks being very ſteep, ſcarce a year paſſes without many being drowned. A diſagreeable circumſtance alſo to thoſe who travel in theſe parts, is, their ſometimes being obliged to paſs through coppices, where they run the riſk of having their eyes ſcratched out or their limbs broken; for the dogs always run moſt violently in the worſt roads, and, to free themſelves, very often over⯑turn their driver.

The beſt travelling is in the month of March or April, when the ſnow is become hard, or frozen a little at top; however, there is ſtill this in⯑convenience attending it, that ſometimes tra⯑vellers are obliged to lodge two or three nights in deſart places; and it is difficult to prevail upon the Camchatcans to make a fire, either for warming themſelves or dreſſing their victuals, as they and their dogs eat dried fiſh, and find themſelves ſo warm, wrapped up in their furs, that they want none; nay, all the people of this climate bear cold ſo well, that they ſleep [276]in the open air, as ſound as others in a warm bed, and awake next morning perfectly refreſh⯑ed and alert. This ſeems to be ſo natural to all here, that ſome of them have been ſeen to lie down with their backs uncovered againſt a fire; and, notwithſtanding the fire has been burnt out long before morning, they continued to ſleep on very comfortably, and without any inconvenience.

Manner of War.

THOUGH before the Ruſſian conqueſt, the Cam⯑chatcans did not ſeem to have had any ambition of encreaſing their power, or enlarging their terri⯑tories, yet they had ſuch frequent quarrels among themſelves, that ſeldom a year paſſed without one village or other being entirely ruin⯑ed. The deſign of their wars was to make pri⯑ſoners, in order to employ them, if males, in their hardeſt labour; or, if females, to make wives or concubines of them; and ſometimes the neighbouring villages went to war for quar⯑rels that happened among the children, or for neglecting to invite each other to their enter⯑tainments.

Their wars are carried on more by ſtratagem than bravery; for they are ſuch cowards, that [277]they will not openly attack any one, unleſs forced by neceſſity: this is the more extraordi⯑nary, as no people ſeem to deſpiſe life more than they do, ſelf-murder being here very frequent. Their manner of attacking is this: In the night time they ſteal into the enemy's village and ſur⯑prize them, which may eaſily be done, as they keep no watch; thus a ſmall party may deſtroy a large village, as they have nothing more to do than to ſecure the mouth of a hut, and ſuffer no body to come out, which one only can do at a time; whoever, therefore, firſt attempts to eſ⯑cape, is knocked down, or obliged to ſubmit to be bound.

The male priſoners which they take, eſpeci⯑ally if they are men of any conſequence, are treated with all manner of barbarity, ſuch as hewing them to pieces, tearing out their bowels when alive, and hanging them up by the feet. This has been the fate of ſeveral Ruſſian Coſſacs, during the diſturbances of Camchatca, and their barbarities are exerciſed with great ſhow of tri⯑umph and rejoicing.

The private differences among themſelves were very uſeful to the Coſſacs, in their con⯑queſt of the nation; for, when the natives ſaw the latter attacking one village, they were ſo [278]far from aſſiſting their countrymen, that they rejoiced at their deſtruction, not conſidering that the ſame was to be their fate next.

In their wars with the Coſſacs, they deſtroyed more by ſtratagem than by arms; for, when the Coſſacs came to any village to demand its tribute, they were received with all marks of friendſhip, and not only the tribute was paid, but likewiſe great preſents were made them. Thus the natives having lulled them into a ſtate of ſecurity, they either cut their throats in the night time, or ſet fire to their huts, and burnt them, with all the Coſſacs which were within. By ſuch ſtratagems, ſeventy people were deſtroyed in two places, which, conſider⯑ing the ſmall number of Coſſacs that were there, was a very conſiderable loſs; nay, it has ſome⯑times happened, that when they had no oppor⯑tunity of immediately deſtroying the Coſſacs, they have for two years quietly paid the tribute, waiting till they could find an opportunity of doing it. But now the Coſſacs are more upon their guard, and are particularly afraid of ex⯑traordinary careſſes, and always expect ſome bad intention, when the women, in the night time, retire from their huts. When the Cam⯑chatcans pretend to have dreamed of dead [279]people, or go to diſtant villages, there is reaſon to dread a general inſurrection.

When this happens, they kill all the Coſſacs which fall in their way, and even the Camchat⯑cans who will not join in the rebellion. As ſoon as they hear that troops are coming a⯑gainſt them, inſtead of going to oppoſe their enemies, they retire to ſome high place, which they fortify as ſtrongly as they can, and, build⯑ing huts there, wait till they are attacked, when they bravely defend themſelves with their bows and arrows, and every other method they can think of; but if they obſerve that the enemy is likely to make themſelves maſters of the fort⯑reſs, they firſt cut the throats of their wives and children, and afterwards either throw themſelves down the precipice, or with their arms ruſh in upon their enemies, that they may not die unrevenged; this they call 'Making a bed for themſelves.' In the year 1740, the rebels threw themſelves from a very high hill, upon which they were fortified, into the ſea, after murder⯑ing all their women and children, except a girl, whom they miſſed in their hurry. Notwith⯑ſtanding this reſoluteneſs, from the time that Camchatca was ſubdued, there have been but [280]two rebellions which could properly be call⯑ed ſo.

Their arms are, bows and arrows, ſpears, and a coat of mail: their quivers are made of the wood of the larch-tree, glued round with birch⯑bark: their bow-ſtrings of the blood veſſels of the whale, and their arrows are commonly about four feet long, pointed with flint-ſtones or bone; and though they are but indifferent, yet they are very dangerous, being all poiſoned; ſo that a perſon wounded by them generally dies in twenty-four hours, unleſs the poiſon be ſucked out, which is the only remedy known. Their ſpears are likewiſe pointed with flint or bone. Their coats of mail are made of mats, or of the ſkins of ſeals or ſea-horſes, which they cut into thongs and plait together. They wear them on the left ſide, tying them with thongs upon the right: behind is fixed a high board to defend their heads, and another before to guard the breaſt.

It is remarkable when they march, two never go abreaſt, but follow one another in the ſame path, which, by uſe, becomes very deep and narrow; ſo that it is almoſt impoſſible for one that is not uſed to it to walk therein; for theſe [281]Camchatcans always ſet one foot ſtraight before the other in walking.

Trade.

THEIR trade is almoſt entirely confined to procuring the immediate neceſſaries and conveniencies of life. They ſell the Koreki ſables, fox and white dog ſkins, dried muſhrooms, and the like, in exchange for cloaths made of deer-ſkins, and other hides. Their domeſtic trade conſiſts in dogs, boats, diſhes, troughs, nets, hemp, yarn, and provi⯑ſions, and this kind of barter is carried on un⯑der a great ſhow of friendſhip; for when one wants any thing that another has, he goes freely to viſit him, and, without any ceremony, makes known his wants, although perhaps he never had any acquaintance with him before: the hoſt is obliged to behave according to the cuſtom of the country, and gives his gueſt what he has occaſion for: but he may after⯑wards return the viſit, and muſt be received in the ſame manner.

Government, Laws, &c.

BEFORE the Ruſſian conqueſt, they lived in perfect freedom, having no chief, being ſubject to no law, nor paying any taxes; [282]the old men, or thoſe who were remarkable for their bravery, bearing the principal authority in their villages, though none had right to com⯑mand or inflict puniſhment.

If any one kills another, he is to be killed by the relations of the perſon ſlain. They burn the hands of thoſe who are frequently caught in theft; but, for the firſt offence, the thief muſt reſtore what he hath ſtolen, and live alone, in ſolitude, without expecting any aſſiſt⯑ance from others. They never have any diſputes about their land or their huts, every one having land and water more than ſufficient for his wants.

But in every Oſtrog, or large village, now, by order of her Imperial Majeſty, is appointed a chief, who is ſole judge in all cauſes, except thoſe of life and death.

They think themſelves, however, the hap⯑pieſt people in the world, and look upon the Ruſſians, who are ſettled among them, with contempt. But this notion begins to change; for the old people, who are confirmed in their cuſtoms, drop off, and the young ones, being converted to Chriſtianity, adopt the cuſtoms of the Ruſſians, and deſpiſe the barbarity and ſu⯑perſtition of their anceſtors.

Religion, &c.

THE Camchatcans, like other barbarous nations, have no notions of a Deity, but what are abſurd, ri⯑diculous and ſhocking, to a humaniſed mind. They call their God Kutchu, but they pay him no religious worſhip; and the only uſe they make of his name is, to divert themſelves with it: they relate ſuch ſcandalous ſtories of him, as one would be aſhamed to repeat. Amongſt other things, they reproach him with having made ſo many ſteep hills, ſo many ſmall and rapid rivers, ſo much rain, and ſo many ſtorms; and, in all the troubles that happen to them, upbraid and blaſpheme him. They, however, celebrate always three days in the month of November, hence called the Month of Purifica⯑tion, after their ſummer or harveſt labour is over: they look upon it as a ſin to do any work, or make any viſits, before theſe holidays, the breach of which they never ſuffer to paſs with⯑out expiation. From hence we may ſee, that the anceſtors of theſe people were accuſtomed to offer up the firſt-fruits of their ſummer la⯑bours to God, and at the ſame time make merry with one another. Their ceremonies, in the [284]celebration of their holidays, are extremely ſilly, and conſiſt of many ridiculous antics.

They place a pillar upon a large, wide plain, which they bind round with rags. Whenever they paſs this pillar, they throw a piece of fiſh or ſome other victuals to it; and near it they never gather any berries or kill any beaſts or birds. This offering they think preſerves their lives, which otherwiſe would be ſhortened: however, they offer nothing which can be of uſe to themſelves, but only the fins and tails of fiſh, or ſuch things as they would be obliged to throw away. In this all the people of Aſia agree, offering only ſuch things as are uſeleſs to themſelves. Beſides theſe pillars, ſeveral other places are reckoned ſacred, ſuch as burning and ſmoaking mountains, hot ſprings, and ſome particular woods, which they imagine are in⯑habited by devils. The world, they believe, is eternal, and the ſoul immortal, and that it ſhall be again joined to the body, and live eternally, ſubject to fatigues and troubles, as in this pre⯑ſent life, with this difference only, that they ſhall have greater plenty of all the neceſſaries of life: even the very ſmalleſt animal they ima⯑gine will riſe again and dwell under the earth. They think the earth is flat, and that under it [285]there is a firmament like ours, and under that firmament another earth, in which when we have ſummer, they have winter, and when we have winter, they have ſummer. With regard to future rewards and puniſhments, they be⯑lieve that, in the other world, the rich will be poor, and the poor rich.

Their notions of vice and virtue are equally extravagant. They believe every thing lawful that procures them the ſatisfaction of their wiſhes and paſſions; and think that only to be ſin, from which they apprehend danger or ruin; ſo that they neither reckon murder, ſelf-murder, adultery, oppreſſion, nor the like, any wicked⯑neſs: on the contrary, they look upon it to be a mortal ſin to ſave any one that is drowning; becauſe, according to their notions, whoever ſaves him will be ſoon drowned himſelf. They account it, likewiſe, a ſin to bathe in, or drink, hot water, or to go up to the burning moun⯑tains. They have, beſides theſe, innumerable abſurd cuſtoms, ſuch as ſcraping the ſnow from their feet with a knife, or whetting their hatchets upon the road. This may, however, be ſaid, that they are not the only people who have ri⯑diculous ſuperſtitions.

[286]Beſides the above-mentioned gods, they pay a religious regard to ſeveral animals, from which they apprehend danger. They offer fire at the holes of ſables and foxes: when fiſhing, they intreat the whales or ſea-horſes not to overturn their boats; and in hunting, beſeech the bears and wolves not to hurt them.

They fill almoſt every place in Heaven and earth with different ſpirits, and offer them ſa⯑crifices upon every occaſion. Some carry little idols about them, or have them placed in their dwellings; but with regard to God, they not only neglect to worſhip him, but, in caſe of troubles and misfortunes, they curſe and blaſ⯑pheme him.

Every old woman is looked upon as a witch, and an interpreter of dreams, and there are per⯑ſons who pretend to conjure. In their conjura⯑tions, they whiſper upon the fins of fiſh and ſome other things; by which means they think they cure diſeaſes, divert misfortunes, and fore⯑tel futurity. They are, in general, great ob⯑ſervers of dreams, which they relate to one an⯑other as ſoon as they awake in the morning, judging from thence of their future good or bad fortune; and ſome of theſe dreams have their interpretation fixed and ſettled. Beſides this, [287]they pretend to chiromancy, and to foretel a man's good or bad fortune, by the lines of his hand; but the rules which they follow are kept a great ſecret.

All this ignorance and ſuperſtition, however, will ſoon be rooted out from amongſt them; chapels of worſhip being built in almoſt every village, and ſchools erected, to which the Cam⯑chatcans ſend their children with great plea⯑ſure.

Courtſhips, Marriages, &c.

WHEN a Cam⯑chatcan reſolves to marry, he looks about for a bride in ſome of the neighbouring villages, ſeldom in his own; and when he finds one to his mind, he diſco⯑vers his inclination to the parents, deſiring that he may have the liberty of ſerving them for ſome time: this permiſſion he eaſily obtains, and, during his ſervice, he ſhews an uncommon zeal to ſatisfy them in whatever he does. The time of his ſervice expired, he deſires liberty to ſeize his bride; and, if he has happened to pleaſe the parents, his bride, and her relations, his requeſt is preſently granted; but if they diſap⯑prove of it, they diſmiſs him with ſome ſmall reward for his ſervices. It ſometimes happens, [288]that theſe bridegrooms, without diſcovering any thing of their intention, engage themſelves in ſervice in ſome diſtant village; and though every one ſuſpects their deſign, yet no notice is taken of it till they declare it.

When a bridegroom obtains the liberty of ſeizing his bride, he ſeeks every opportunity of finding her alone, or in the company of but a few people; for, during this time, all the wo⯑men in the village are obliged to protect her: beſides, ſhe has two or three different coats, and is ſo ſwathed round with fiſh-nets and ſtraps, that ſhe has ſcarce more motion than a ſtatue. If the bridegroom happens to find her alone, or with few in company, he throws himſelf upon her, and begins to tear off her cloaths; for to ſtrip the bride naked, conſtitutes the ceremony of marriage. This is not always an eaſy taſk; for though ſhe herſelf makes little reſiſtance (and, indeed, ſhe can make but little), yet, if there happen to be many women near, they all fall upon the bridegroom, without mercy beating and dragging him by the hair, ſcratch⯑ing his face, and uſing every other method they can think of to prevent him from accompliſh⯑ing his deſign. If the bridegroom is ſo happy as to obtain his wiſh, he immediately runs from [289]her, and the bride, as a proof of her being con⯑quered, calls him back, with a ſoft and tender voice, and thus the marriage is concluded. This victory is ſeldom obtained at once, but ſome times the conteſt laſts a whole year; and, after every attempt, the bridegroom is obliged to take ſome time to recover ſtrength, and to cure the wounds he has received. There is an inſtance of one, who, after having perſevered for ſeven years, inſtead of obtaining his bride, was ren⯑dered quite a cripple, the women having uſed him very barbarouſly.

As ſoon as the ceremony is over, he is at liberty next night to go to her bed, and, the day fol⯑lowing, carries her off to his own village. After ſome time, the bride and the bridegroom return to the bride's relations, where the marriage feaſt is celebrated in the following manner, of which the writer of this account was an eye witneſs, in 1739.

The bridegroom, his friends, and wife, viſited the father-in-law in three boats. All the women were in the boats, and the men, being naked, puſhed them along with poles. About one hun⯑dered paces from the village to which they were going, they landed, began to ſing, and uſed conjurations with tow faſtened upon a rod, mut⯑tering [290]ſomething over a dried fiſh's head, which they wrapped in the tow, and gave to an old woman to hold. The conjuration being over, they put upon the bride a coat of ſheep's ſkin, and tied four images about her: thus loaded, ſhe had ſome difficulty to move. They then re⯑turned to their boats and came up to the village, where they landed a ſecond time; at this land⯑ing-place a boy of the village met them, and, taking the bride by the hand, led her along, all the women following.

When the bride came to the hut, they tied a ſtrap round her, by which ſhe was let down the ſtairs, the old woman who carried the fiſh's head going before her. This head ſhe laid down at the foot of the ſtairs, where it was trodden upon by the bride and bridegroom and all the people preſent, and then thrown into the fire.

All the ſtrangers took their places, having firſt ſtripped the bride of ſuperfluous ornaments. The bridegroom heated the hut, and dreſſed the victuals which they had brought with them, and entertained the inhabitants of the village. The next day, the maſter of the hut entertained the ſtrangers with great abundance, who on the third day departed; the bride and bridegroom only remained, to work ſome time with their [291]father. The ſuperfluous part of the bride's dreſs, which was taken from her, was diſtributed among the relations, who were obliged to return her preſents of far greater value.

Theſe ceremonies only relate to a firſt mar⯑riage; for in the marriage of a widow, the man and woman's agreement is ſufficient; but he muſt not take her to himſelf before her fins are taken away. This can only be done by ſome ſtranger lying with her once; but as this taking off of ſin was looked upon by the Camchatcans as very diſhonourable for the man, it was for⯑merly difficult to find one to undertake it, ſo that the poor widows were at a great loſs before the Ruſſians came amongſt them; ſince which they have been in no great want of ſtrangers to take away their ſins.

Marriage is forbidden only between father and daughter, mother and ſon; a ſon-in-law may marry his mother-in-law, and a father-in-law his daughter-in-law, and firſt couſins marry fre⯑quently. Their divorce is very eaſy, conſiſting only in a man's ſeparating beds from his wife. In ſuch caſes, the man immediately marries again, and the woman accepts of another huſ⯑band, without any further ceremony.

[292]A Camchatcan hath two or three wives, with whom he ſleeps by turns. Sometimes he keeps them all in one hut, and ſometimes in different huts. With every maid that he marries, he is obliged to go through the above-mentioned cere⯑monies. Though theſe people are fond of wo⯑men, yet they are not ſo jealous as the Koreki. In their marriages they do not ſeem to regard the marks of virginity. Nor are the women more jealous; for two or three wives live with one huſband in all harmony, even though he ſhould alſo keep ſeveral concubines.

Birth of Children. &c.

IN general theſe people are not fruit⯑ful; for it does not appear that any one man has had ten children by the ſame woman. Their women, as they ſay, have commonly very eaſy births; for, in a quarter of an hour afterwards, they will appear abroad about their ordinary buſineſs, and without any change of countenance. They have no profeſſed midwives, and for the moſt part, the mother or neareſt relation per⯑forms the office.

Women who deſire to have children, eat ſpiders for that purpoſe. To prevent conception, they uſe ſeveral herbs and different conjurations.[293]Some of them are ſuch unnatural wretches, as to deſtroy their children when they are born, or throw them alive to the dogs. When a woman bears twins, one of them at leaſt muſt be de⯑ſtroyed, and ſo muſt a child born in very ſtormy weather, though the laſt can be avoided by ſome conjurations. After the birth, the women, to recover their ſtrength, eat fiſh broth, made with an herb which they call hale; and in a few days return to their ordinary diet.

Diſeaſes and Remedies.

THE principal di⯑ſeaſes in Camchatca are, the ſcurvy, boils, palſy, cancer, jaundice, and the venereal diſtemper. Theſe diſeaſes they think are inflicted upon them by the ſpirits that inhabit ſome particular groves, if ignorantly they happen to out down any of them. Their chief remedies conſiſt in charms and conjura⯑tions, but at the ſame time they do not neglect the uſe of herbs and roots. For the ſcurvy they uſe a certain herb, which they rub upon their gums, as alſo the leaves of the cranberry and blackberry. The Ruſſians cure themſelves with decoctions of the tops of cedar, and by eating wild garlic.

[294]Boils are a moſt dangerous diſeaſe in Cam⯑chatca, cauſing the death of numbers. The palſy, cancer, and French diſeaſe, are ſuppoſed to be incurable; the laſt, they ſay, was not heard of before the arrival of the Ruſſians. There is likewiſe another diſtemper which they call the ſuſhutch, which is a ſort of ſcab that ſur⯑rounds the whole body under the ribs like a gir⯑dle. When this does not come to ſuppurate and fall off, it is mortal; and, they ſay, every one muſt have this once in his life-time, as we have the ſmall-pox.

When they are bitten by a dog or wolf, they lay the bruiſed leaves of the ulmaria upon the wound, drinking, at the ſame time, a decoction of them: this decoction they alſo adminiſter in the belly-ach and ſcurvy. The leaves and ſtalks bruiſed they uſe in burns. The decoction of this herb, mixed with fiſh, they uſe alſo in the tooth-ach, holding it warm in their mouths, and laying a piece of the root upon the affected tooth. They uſe a ſpecies of gentian in the ſcurvy, and almoſt againſt every diſorder.

In the jaundice they have a medicine which they conſider as infallible. They take the roots of the iris ſylveſtris, and, after cleaning them, beat them in warm water, and uſe the juice, [295]which they ſqueeze out, as a clyſter, continuing it for two days, two or three times a day: this produces a purging, and generally gives great relief. After ſome time, if the cure is not com⯑pleted, they repeat it. They neither uſe lancets nor cupping-glaſſes, but, with a pair of wooden pincers, draw up the ſkin and pierce it with an inſtrument of cryſtal made on purpoſe, letting out as much blood as they want.

In pains of the back, they rub the part af⯑fected before the fire, with a root of the cicuta, being careful not to touch the loins, which they ſay would produce ſpaſms. In pains of the joints, they place upon the part a little pyramid, made of a fungus which grows upon the birch⯑trees, and ſet the top of it on fire, letting it burn till it comes to the ſkin, which then cracks and leaves a wound that yields a great quantity of matter. This wound they cure with the aſhes of the fungus, but give themſelves no trouble at all about it. The root of the anemonides or ranunculus is made uſe of to hurt or poiſon their enemies; and they likewiſe poiſon their ar⯑rows with it.

Burials.

INSTEAD of burying or laying the dead bodies in ſome hole, the Cam⯑chatcans [296]bind a ſtrap round the neck of the corpſe, draw it out and leave it near the hut, to be devoured by their dogs; for thoſe, ſay they, who are eaten by dogs, will drive with fine dogs in the other world; and, by leaving them near the hut, they ſuppoſe, that the evil ſpirits, whom they imagine to have been the occaſion of their death, ſeeing the dead body, may be ſatisfied with the miſchief they have done. However, they frequently remove to ſome other place, when any one has died in the hut, leaving the corpſe behind them in it.

They throw away all the cloaths of the deceaſed, not becauſe they imagine they ſhall have occa⯑ſion for them in the other world, but becauſe they believe that whoever wears the cloaths of one that is dead, will certainly come to an un⯑timely end.

After the burial of the dead, they uſe the fol⯑lowing purification: going to the wood, they cut ſome rods, of which they make a ring, and, creeping through it twice, they carry it to the wood, and throw it towards the weſt. Thoſe who dragged out the body are obliged to catch two birds of one ſort or other, one of which they burn, and eat the other with the whole fa⯑mily. The purification is performed on the ſame [297]day; for, before this, they dare not enter any other hut, nor will any one elſe enter their's. In commemoration of the dead, the whole fa⯑mily dine upon a fiſh, the fins of which they burn in the fire.

Language.

THE Camchatcans have this particular cuſtom, that they en⯑deavour to give every thing a name in their lan⯑guage which may expreſs the property of it; but if they do not underſtand the thing quite well themſelves, they then take a name from ſome foreign language, which perhaps has no relation to the thing itſelf: as, for example, they call a prieſt Bogbog, becauſe probably they hear him uſe the word bogbog, God. Bread they call Brightatin Augſh, that is, Ruſſian root; and thus the ſeveral other words to which their language is a ſtranger.

It appears likely, that the Camchatcans lived formerly in Mungalia, beyond the river Amur, and made one people with the Mun⯑gals, which is farther confirmed by the follow⯑ing obſervations: ſuch as the Camchatcans having ſeveral words common to the Mungal Chineſe language, as their terminations in ong, ing, oang, chin, cha, ching, kſi, kſung; it would [298]be ſtill a greater proof, if we could ſhew ſc⯑veral words and ſentences the ſame in both lan⯑guages.

Character, Cuſtoms, &c.

THE Camchat⯑cans are remark⯑able for their cowardice, boaſting, and ſlaviſh⯑neſs to people who uſe them hard, and for their obſtinacy and contempt of thoſe who treat them with gentleneſs.

They are alſo very far from being a cleanly people; their manner of living is ſlovenly to the laſt degree; they never waſh their hands nor face, nor cut their nails; they eat out of the ſame diſh with the dogs, which they never waſh; they never comb their heads, but both men and women plait their hair in two locks, binding the ends with ſmall ropes. When any hair ſtarts out, they ſew it with threads to make it lie cloſe; by this means they have ſuch a quantity of lice, that they can ſcrape them off by handfuls, and they are naſty enough even to eat them. Thoſe that have not natural hair ſufficient, wear falſe locks, ſometimes as much as weigh ten pounds, which makes their heads look like a haycock.

[299]They place their chief happineſs in idleneſs, and ſatisfying their natural luſt and appetites; which incline them to ſinging, dancing, and re⯑lating of love ſtories; and think it more eli⯑gible to die, than to lead a diſagreeable life, which opinion frequently leads them to ſelf⯑murder. This was ſo common after the con⯑queſt, that the Ruſſians had great difficulty to put a ſtop to it. They have no notion of riches, fame, or honour; therefore, covetouſneſs, am⯑bition and pride are unknown among them. On the other hand, they are careleſs, cruel, and luſtful: theſe vices occaſion frequent quarrels and wars among them, ſometimes with their neighbours, not from a deſire of encreaſing their power, but from ſome other cauſes; ſuch as the carrying off their proviſions, or rather their girls, which is frequently practiſed as the moſt ſummary method of procuring a wife.

When any man ſeeks the friendſhip of an⯑other, he invites him to his hut, and for his entertainment dreſſes as much of his beſt vic⯑tuals as might ſerve ten people. As ſoon as the ſtranger comes into the hut, which is made hot for his reception, both he and the hoſt ſtrip [300]themſelves naked; then great plenty of victuals is ſet before the gueſt; and, whilſt he is eat⯑ing, the hoſt throws water upon red-hot ſtones, until he makes the hut inſupportably hot. The ſtranger endeavours all he can to bear this ex⯑ceſſive heat, and to eat up all the victuals, whilſt the hoſt is ſtill endeavouring to oblige him to complain of the heat, and beg to be excuſed from eating all up. It is reckoned a diſhonour to the hoſt, and a mark of niggard⯑lineſs, if he ſhould not be able to accompliſh this. He himſelf eats nothing during the whole time, and is allowed to go out of the hut, but the ſtranger is not ſuffered to ſtir, un⯑til he acknowledges himſelf overcome. At theſe feaſts, they over eat themſelves to ſuch a degree, that for three days they cannot bear the ſight of victuals, and are ſcarce able to move.

When the ſtranger is gorged, and can no longer endure the heat, he purchaſes his diſ⯑miſſion with preſents of dogs, cloaths, or what⯑ever elſe is agreeable to his hoſt. This, how⯑ever, is no injury, but a proof of friendſhip; for he expects, in turn, to uſe his friend in the ſame manner.

[301]In their banquets, they treat their friends much in the ſame way, except that they do not torment them with heat, nor expect any preſents. When they entertain with the fat of ſeals or whales, they cut it out in ſlices; and the hoſt, kneeling before his company, with one of theſe ſlices in one hand, and a knife in the other, thruſts the fat into their mouths, crying, in a ſurly tone, Ta na, and with his knife cuts off all that hangs out of their mouths, after they are crammed as full as they can hold. Who⯑ever wants any thing from another, may gene⯑rally obtain it upon theſe occaſions; for it is reckoned diſhonourable for the gueſt to refuſe his generous hoſt any thing.

It is very diverting to ſee them attempt to count above ten; for, having reckoned the fin⯑gers of both hands, they claſp them together, which ſignifies ten; then they begin with their toes and count to twenty; after which they are quite confounded, and cry Metcha? that is, 'Where ſhall I take more?' They reckon ten months in the year, ſome of which are longer and ſome ſhorter; for they do not divide them by the changes of the moon, but by the order of particular occurrences that happen in thoſe regions: they commonly divide our year into [302]two, ſo that winter is one year and ſummer an⯑other: the ſummer year begins in May, the win⯑ter in November.

They do not diſtinguiſh the days by any par⯑ticular appellation, nor form them into weeks or months, nor yet know how many days are in the month or year. They mark their epochs by ſome remarkable thing or other, ſuch as the Arrival of the Ruſſians, the Great Rebellion, or the Firſt Expedition to Camchatca.

They are ignorant of the cauſes of eclipſes, but when they happen, they carry fire out of their huts, and pray the luminary eclipſed to ſhine as formerly. They know only three con⯑ſtellations, the Great Bear, the Pleiades, and the three ſtars in Orion; and give names only to the principal winds.

Such was the general ſtate of theſe people, when the Ruſſians firſt came among them; but now, by the care of the Empreſs Elizabeth, miſſionaries are appointed to civilize them, and teach them the Chriſtian faith. In 1741, a clergyman was ſent by the ſynod, with aſſiſtants, and every thing neceſſary for the purpoſe, and for building a church, which has been attended with ſuch ſucceſs, that many of them are bap⯑tiſed, and all, as was ſaid before, ſend their [303]children very readily to the ſchools opened in many places for their inſtruction; ſo that in a few years, we may hope to ſee the Chriſtian faith planted in all theſe northern countries.