Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI
OTAHITE TO OHETEROA
July 13—August 14, 1769
Departure from Otahite—Huahine—Ulhietea—God-houses—Boats and boat-houses—Otahah—Bola-Bola—Return to Ulhietea—Reception by natives—Dancing—Pearls—The King of Bola-Bola—Native drama—Oheteroa—Dress—Arms.
13th July. About ten this morning we sailed from Otahite, leaving our friends, some of them at least, I really believe, personally sorry for our departure. Our nearest friends came on board at this critical time, except only Tubourai and Tamio; we had Oborea, Otheothea, Taysa, Nuna, Tuanne, Matte, Pottatow, Polothearia, etc., on board. When the anchor was weighed they took their leaves tenderly enough, not without plenty of tears, though entirely without that clamorous weeping made use of by the other Indians, several boats of which were about the ship, shouting out their lamentations, as vying with each other, not who should cry most, but who should cry loudest, a custom we had often condemned in conversation with our particular friends, as savouring more of affected than real grief.
Tupia, who after all his struggles stood firm at last in his resolution of accompanying us, parted with a few heartfelt tears, so I judge them to have been by the efforts I saw him make to hide them. He sent by Otheothea his last present, a shirt, to Potamia, Dootahah's favourite; he and I went then to the topmast-head, where we stood a long time waving to the canoes as they went off, after which he came down and showed no further signs of seriousness or concern.
15th. Our Indian often prayed to Tane for a wind, and as often boasted to me of the success of his prayers, which I plainly saw he never began till he perceived a breeze so near the ship that it generally reached her before his prayer was finished.
16th. This morning we were very near the island of Huahine; some canoes very soon came off, but appeared very much frightened; one, however, came to us bringing a chief and his wife, who on Tupia's assurance of our friendship came on board. They resembled the Otahite people in language, dress, tattow, in short, in everything. Tupia has always said that the people of this island and Ulhietea will not steal, in which they indeed differ much from our late friends if they only keep up to their character.
Soon after dinner we came to an anchor in a very small bay, called by the natives Owalle, and immediately went ashore. As soon as we landed Tupia squatted down on the ground, and ranging us on one side and the Indians on the other, began to pray to the chief who stood opposite to him, answering him in a kind of response; this lasted about a quarter of an hour, in which time he sent at different intervals two handkerchiefs and some beads he had prepared for the purpose for Eatua; these were sent among many messages which passed backwards and forwards with plantains, etc. In return for this present to their gods, which it seems was very acceptable, we had a hog given for our Eatua, which in this case will certainly be our stomachs.
17th. We found the productions here almost exactly the same as at Otahite—upon the hills the rocks and slag were burnt if anything more than they were in that island. The people also were almost exactly like our late friends, but rather more stupid and lazy, in proof of which I need only say that we should have gone much higher up the hills than we did if we could have persuaded them to accompany us; their only excuse was the fear of being killed by the fatigue. Their houses are very neat, and their boat-houses particularly very large: one of these I measured was fifty good paces in length, ten in breadth, and twenty-four feet in height. The Gothic arch of which it consisted was supported on one side by twenty-six, and on the other by thirty pillars, or rather clumsy thick posts of about two feet high and one thick; most of these were carved with the heads of men, boys, or other devices, as the rough fancy and rougher workmanship of these stone-hatchet-furnished gentry suggested and executed. The flats were filled with very fine bread-fruit trees and an infinite number of cocoanuts, upon which latter the inhabitants seem to depend much more than those of Otahite; we saw, however, large spaces occupied by lagoons and salt swamps, upon which neither bread-fruit nor cocoanut would thrive.
18th. This morning we went to take a further view of a building which we had seen yesterday, and admired a good deal, taking with us Tupia's boy Tayeto (he himself was too much engaged with his friends to have time to accompany us). The boy told us that the building was called Ewharre no Eatua, or the house of the god, but could not explain at all the use of it. It consisted of a chest whose lid was nicely sewed on, and very neatly thatched over with palm-nut leaves; the whole was fixed on two poles by little arches of very neatly carved wood. These poles seemed to be used in carrying it from place to place, though when we saw it, it was supported upon two posts. One end of the chest was open, with a round hole within a square one; this was yesterday stopped up with a piece of cloth, which, lest I should offend the people, I left untouched; but to-day the cloth, and probably the contents of the chest, were removed, as there was nothing at all in it.
Trade to-day does not go on with any spirit; the people, when anything is offered them, will not rely on their own judgment, but take the opinion of twenty or thirty people about them, a proceeding which takes up much time.
19th. This morning trade was rather better; we obtained three very large hogs and some pigs by producing hatchets, which had not been before given, and which we had hoped to have had no occasion for in an island not hitherto seen by Europeans.
Huahine differs scarcely at all from Otahite, either in its productions or in the customs of the people. In all our researches here we have not found above ten or twelve new plants; there were, indeed, a few insects and a species of scorpion which we had not seen at Otahite. This island seems, however (this year, at least), to be a month more forward than the other, as the ripeness of the cocoanuts, now full of kernel, and the new bread-fruit, some of which is fit to eat, fully evinces. Of the cocoanut kernels they make a food, called poe, by scraping them fine and mixing them with yams, also scraped; these are then put into a wooden trough, and hot stones laid among them. By this means a kind of oily hasty-pudding is made, which our people relished very well, especially when fried.
The men here are large and stout; one we measured was six feet three inches high and well made. The women are very fair, more so than at Otahite, though we saw none so handsome. Both sexes seemed to be less timid, as well as less curious; the firing of a gun frightened them, but they did not fall down, as our Otahite friends generally did. On one of their people being taken in the act of stealing, and seized by the hair, the rest did not run away, but coming round, inquired into the cause, and, seemingly at least, approving of the justice, recommended a beating for the offender, which was immediately put into practice.
When they first came on board the ship they seemed struck with sights so new, and wondered at everything that was shown to them, but did not seem to search or inquire for matters of curiosity even so much as the people of Otahite did, although the latter had before seen almost everything we had to show them.
20th. At noon to-day we came to anchor at Ulhietea, in a bay called by the natives Oapoa, the entrance of which is very near a small islet called Owhattera. Some Indians soon came on board, expressing signs of fear. There were two canoes, each of which brought a woman, I suppose, as a mark of confidence, and a pig as a present. To each of these ladies was given a spike-nail and some beads, with which they seemed much pleased. Tupia, who has always expressed much fear of the men of Bola-Bola, says that they have conquered this island, and will to-morrow come down and fight with us; we therefore lose no time in going ashore, as we are to have to-day to ourselves.
On landing Tupia repeated the ceremony of praying, as at Huahine, after which an English Jack was set up on shore, and Captain Cook took possession of this and the other three islands in sight, viz. Huahine, Otahah, and Bola-Bola, for the use of His Britannic Majesty. After this we walked together to a great marai, called Tapodeboatea, whatever that may signify. It is different from those of Otahite, consisting merely of walls of coral stones (some of an immense size) about eight feet high, filled up with smaller ones, and the whole ornamented with many planks set up on end, and carved throughout their entire length. In the neighbourhood of this we found the altar or Ewhatta, upon which lay the last sacrifice, a hog of about eighty pounds weight, which had been put up there whole, and very nicely roasted. Here were also four or five Ewharre no Eatua, or god-houses, which were made to be carried on poles; one of these I examined by putting my head into it. Within was a parcel about five feet long and one thick, wrapped up in mats. These I tore with my fingers till I came to a covering of mat made of plaited cocoanut fibres, which it was impossible to get through, so I was obliged to desist, especially as what I had already done gave much offence to our new friends. In an adjoining long house, among several other things such as rolls of cloth, etc., was standing a model of a canoe about three feet long, upon which were tied eight human lower jaw-bones. Tupia told us that it was the custom of these islanders to cut off the jaw-bones of those whom they had killed in war. These were, he said, the jaw-bones of Ulhietea people, but how they came here, or why tied thus to a canoe, we could not understand; we therefore contented ourselves with conjecturing that they were placed there as a trophy won back from the men of Bola-Bola, their mortal enemies. Night now came on apace, but Dr. Solander and I walked along shore a little way, and saw an Ewharre no Eatua, the under part of which was lined with a row of jaw-bones. These, we were told, were also those of Ulhietea men. We saw also cocoa-nut trees, the stems of which were hung round with nuts, so that no part could be seen; these, we were told, were put there to dry a little, and be prepared for making poe. A tree of Ficus prolixa was in great perfection; the trunk, or rather congeries of small roots, being forty-two paces in circumference.
21st. Dr. Solander and I walked out this morning and saw many boat-houses like that described at Huahine (p. 111); on these the inhabitants were at work, making and repairing the large canoes called by them Pahie, at which business they worked with incredible cleverness, although their tools were as bad as possible. I will first give the description and dimensions of one of their boats, and then their method of building. Her extreme length from stem to stern, not reckoning the bending up of both those parts, 51 feet; breadth in the clear at the top forward, 14 inches, amidships 18, aft 15; in the bilge forward 32 inches, amidships 35, aft 33; depth amidships, 3 feet 4 inches; height above the ground, 3 feet 6 inches; her head raised, without the figure, 11 inches; her stern, 8 feet 9 inches; the figure, 2 feet. Alongside of her was lashed another like her in all respects, but smaller in proportion, being only 33 feet in her extreme length. The form of these canoes can be better shown by a drawing than by any description; 
the annexed may serve to give some idea of a section: a a is the first seam, b b the second, c c the third. The first stage, or keel under a a, is made of trees hollowed out like a trough. For this purpose they choose the longest trees they can find, so that two or three form the bottom of their largest boat (some of which are much larger than that described here, as I make a rule to describe everything of this kind from the commonest size). The next stage, under b b, is formed of straight planks about 4 feet long, 15 inches broad, and 2 inches thick. The third stage, under c c, is made, like the bottom, of trunks of trees hollowed out into its bilging form. The last stage, above c c, is formed also out of the trunks of trees, so that the moulding is of one piece with the plank. This work, difficult as it would be to an European with his iron tools, they perform without iron and with amazing dexterity. They hollow out with their stone axes as fast, at least, as our carpenters could do, and dubb, though slowly, with prodigious nicety. I have seen them take off the skin of an angular plank without missing a stroke, the skin itself scarce one-sixteenth part of an inch in thickness. Boring the holes through which their sewing is to pass seems to be their greatest difficulty. Their tools are made of the bones of men, generally the thin bone of the upper arm; these they grind very sharp and fix to a handle of wood, making the instrument serve the purpose of a gouge, by striking it with a mallet made of hard black wood. With them they would do as much work as with iron, were it not that the brittle edge of the tool is very liable to be broken. When they have prepared their planks, etc., the keel is laid on blocks and the whole canoe put together much in the same manner as we do a ship, the sides being supported by stanchions and all the seams wedged together before the last sewing is put on, so that they become tolerably tight, considering that they are without caulking.
With these boats they venture themselves out of sight of land: we saw several of them at Otahite which had come from Ulhietea; and Tupia has told us that they undertake voyages of twenty days; whether this is true or false I do not affirm. They keep the boats very carefully under such boat-houses as are described on p. 111.
22nd. We saw a double pahie such as that described yesterday, but much longer. She had upon her an awning supported by pillars, which held the floor at least four feet above the deck or upper surface of the boats. We saw also a trough for making Poe poe, or sour paste, carved out of hard black stone such as their hatchets are made of; it was 2 feet 7 inches long and 1 foot 4 broad, very thick and substantial, and supported by four short feet, the whole neatly finished and perfectly polished, though quite without ornaments. To-day, as well as yesterday, every one of us who walked out saw many jaw-bones fixed up in houses, as well as out-of-doors, which confirmed what we had been told of their taking these bones instead of scalps.
24th. The captain attempted to go out of the reef by another passage situated between the two islets of Opourourou and Taumou. Whilst the ship was turning to windward within the reef she narrowly escaped going ashore; the quartermaster in the chains called out two fathoms, but as the ship drew at least fourteen feet, it was impossible that such a shoal could be under her keel, so that either the man was mistaken, or the ship went along the edge of a coral rock, many of which are here as steep as a wall.
Soon after this we came to an anchor, and I went ashore, but saw nothing except a small marai, ornamented with two sticks about five feet long, each hung with as many jaw-bones as possible, and one having a skull stuck on its top.
28th. Dr. Solander and I went ashore on the island of Otahah. We went through a large breach in the reef situate between two islands called Toahattu and Whennuaia, within which we found very spacious harbours, particularly in one bay, which was at least three miles deep. The inhabitants as usual, so that long before night we had purchased three hogs, twenty-one fowls, and as many yams and plantains as the boat would hold; indeed, of these last we might have had any quantity, and a more useful refreshment they are to us, in my opinion, even than the pork. They have been for this week past boiled, and served instead of bread; every man in the ship is fond of them, and with us in the cabin they agree much better than the bread-fruit did. But what makes any refreshment of this kind more acceptable is that our bread is at present so full of vermin that, notwithstanding all possible care, I have sometimes had twenty at a time in my mouth, every one of which tasted as hot as mustard.
The island itself seemed more barren than Ulhietea, though the produce was very similar, but bread-fruit was less plentiful than plantains and cocoanuts. The people were exactly the same, so much so that I did not observe one new custom worth mention. They were not very numerous, but flocked from all quarters to the boat wherever she went, bringing with them whatever they had to sell. Here, as well as in the rest of the islands, they paid us the same compliment as they are used to pay to their own kings, uncovering their shoulders and lapping their garments round their breasts. Here particularly they were so scrupulously observant of it that a man was sent with us who called out to every one we met, telling him who we were and what they should do.
29th. We are this morning close under the island of Bola-Bola, whose high craggy peak appears, on this side at least, totally inaccessible to man; round it is a large quantity of low land, which seems very barren. Tupia tells us that between the shore and the mountain is a large salt lagoon, a certain sign of barrenness in this climate.
31st. Tupia to-day shows us a large breach in the reef of Otahah, through which the ship might conveniently pass into a large bay, where he says there is good anchorage. We have now a very good opinion of Tupia's pilotage, especially since we observed him at Huahine send a man to dive down to the heel of the ship's rudder; this the man did several times, and reported to him the depth of water the ship drew, since when he had never suffered her to go in less than five fathoms without being much alarmed.
2nd August. Dr. Solander and I have spent this day ashore [on Ulhietea], and been very agreeably entertained by the reception we have met with from the people, though we were not fortunate enough to meet with one new plant. Every one seemed to fear and respect us, but nobody to mistrust us in the smallest degree. Men, women, and children came crowding after us, but no one showed us the least incivility; on the contrary, wherever there was dirt or water to pass over they strove who should carry us on their backs. On arriving at the houses of the principal people we were received with a ceremony quite new to us; the people, who generally followed us, rushed into the houses before us, leaving, however, a lane sufficiently wide for us to pass through. When we came in, we found them ranged on either side of a long mat spread upon the ground, at the farther end of which sat one or more very young women or children, neatly dressed, who, without stirring, expected us to come up to them and make them presents, which we did with no small pleasure, for prettier or better dressed children we had nowhere seen. One of these Tettuas, as they were called, was about six years old, her apron or gown was red, and round her head was wound a large quantity of tamou (plaited hair), an ornament they value more than anything they have; she sat at the farthest end of a mat thirty feet long, on which no one of the spectators presumed to set a foot, notwithstanding the crowd. She was leaning upon the arm of a well-looking, well-dressed woman of about thirty, possibly her nurse. We walked up to her, and as soon as we approached she stretched out her hand to receive the beads we were to give. Had she been a princess-royal of England giving her hand to be kissed, no instructions could have taught her to do it with a better grace; so much is untaught nature superior to art, that I have seen no sight of the kind that has struck me half so much.
Grateful possibly for the presents we had made to these girls, the people on our return tried every method to oblige us, particularly in one house where the master ordered one of his people to dance for our amusement, which he did thus. He put upon his head a large cylindrical basket about four feet long and eight inches in diameter, on the front of which was fastened a facing of feathers bending forwards at the top and edged round with sharks' teeth and the tail feathers of tropic birds. With this on he danced, moving slowly, and often turning his head round, sometimes swiftly throwing the end of his head-dress, or whow, so near the faces of the spectators as to make them start back, which was a joke that seldom failed to make everybody laugh, especially if it happened to one of us.
We had also an opportunity of seeing the inside of the Ewharre no Eatua, so often mentioned: there were three of them, much ornamented with jaw-bones, and very full of bundles wrapped up in their cloth; these the people opened after some persuasion, and in them we found complete skulls, with their lower jaw-bones in their proper places; perhaps these were the skulls of those of the victorious party who died in battle, and the jaw-bones fastened on the outside were those of the conquered, but for this conjecture I had no authority from the Indians, who seemed to avoid as much as possible any questions upon the subject.
3rd. Went along shore in the opposite direction to that we took yesterday, intending to spend most of our time in purchasing stock, which we have always found the people ready to part with at their houses, and selling cheaper than at the market. In the course of our walk we met a set of strolling dancers, called by the Indians heiva, who detained us two hours, and during all that time entertained us highly indeed. The party consisted of three drums, two women dancers and six men; these Tupia tells us go round the island, as we have seen the little heivas do at Otahite, but differ from those in that most of the members of the heiva here are important people, of which assertion we had in the case of one of the women an undoubted proof.
The women had on their heads a quantity of tamou, or plaited hair, which was rolled, and flowers of gardenia were stuck between the interstices, making a head-dress truly elegant. Their shoulders, arms, and breasts as low as their arms were bare, below this they were covered with black cloth, and under each shoulder was placed a bunch of black feathers much as our ladies' nosegays or bouquets. On their hips rested a quantity of cloth plaited very full, which reached almost up to their arms, and fell down below into long petticoats, reaching below their feet, which they managed with as much dexterity as our opera dancers could have done; these plaits were brown and white alternately, but the petticoats were all white. In this dress they advanced sideways, keeping excellent time to the drums, which beat briskly and loud: they soon began to shake their hips, giving the folds of cloth that lay upon them a very quick motion, continued during the whole dance. They sometimes stood, sometimes sat, and sometimes rested on their knees and elbows, generally moving their fingers with a quickness scarcely to be imagined.
One of these girls had in her ear three pearls, one very large but so foul that it was worth scarce anything; the other two were as large as a middling pea, and of a clear water as well as a good shape. For these I offered at different times any price the owner would have, but she would not hear of parting with them; I offered once the price of four hogs down and anything she would ask beside. They have always set a value upon their pearls, if tolerably good, almost equal to our valuation, supposing them (as they always are, however) not spoiled by the drilling.
Between the dances of the women (for they sometimes rested) the men acted a kind of interlude, in which they spoke as well as danced; we were not, however, sufficiently versed in their language to be able to give an account of the drama.
4th. We had often heard Tupia speak of lands belonging to him which had been taken away by the Bola-Bola men. These, he tells us now, are situated in the very bay where the ship lies. On going ashore this morning, the inhabitants confirmed what he had told us, and showed us several different whennuas, which, they all acknowledged, belonged of right to him. The greater number of the people here are, it seems, the so-much-feared Bola-Bola men, and we were told that to-morrow Opoony, the king of that island, will come to visit us. We are much inclined to receive him civilly, as we have met with so civil a reception from his subjects.
We saw the game which the Indians call erowhaw. It consists of nothing more than pitching a kind of light lance, headed with hard wood, at a mark. Of this amusement they seem to be very fond, but none that we then saw excelled in doing it, not above one in twelve striking the mark, which was the bole of a plantain tree about twenty yards distant.
5th. Went in the boat to the southward with the captain, etc.; saw two inlets in the reef, and good harbours within them. They were both situate close to islands, having one on each side of them; indeed, in general, I have seen breaches in reefs wherever there are islands upon them. The people along shore were very poor, so much so that after all our day's work we did not procure either hog or fowl, nor, indeed, did we see either.
6th. Yesterday Opoony, the king of Bola-Bola, sent his compliments and a present of hogs and fowls to the king of the ship, sending word also that he would in person wait upon him to-day. We therefore all stayed at home in hopes of the honour of his Excellency's visit. We were disappointed in our expectations, but not disagreeably, for instead of his Majesty came three handsome, lively girls, who stayed with us the morning, and took off all regret for the want of his Majesty's company.
In the evening we all went to see the great king, and thank him for his civilities. The king of the Tata-toas, or clubmen, who have conquered this island, and are the terror of all others, we expected to see young, lively, handsome, etc. etc., but were disappointed when we were led to an old, decrepit, half-blind man, who seemed to have scarce reason enough left to send hogs, much less gallantry enough to send ladies.
7th. We learned from Opoony yesterday that his chief residence was at Otahah: to this place he proposed to accompany us to-day. Captain Cook and Dr. Solander went upon the expedition, while I stayed at home. They proceeded with Opoony and all his train, and many canoes, to a bay in Otahah called Obooto-booto, his Majesty's chief residence. Here the houses were very large and good, and the canoes also finer than any the gentlemen had before seen. Such a prelude made them expect much from the owners—a boat-load of hogs was the least they thought of, especially as they had plenty of Spartan money to pay for them; but, alack! the gentlemen who had fatigued themselves with building their houses chose to refresh themselves with eating the hogs, so that after the whole day was spent a small number only were procured in proportion to what were expected.
Took Mr. Parkinson to the heiva that he might sketch the dresses. The dancing was exactly the same as I had seen before, except that another woman was added to the former two. The interludes of the men were varied; they gave us five or six which resembled much the drama of an English stage dance. Their names and relationships, as they are chiefly one family, are: (1) Tiarree no Horaa, a king or chief (2) Whannooutooa, wife to 1. (3) Otoobooi, sister to 2. (4) Orai, elder brother to 2. (5) Tettuanne, younger brother to 2. (6) Otehammena, dancing girl. (7) Ouratooa, do. (8), Mattehea, father to 1. (9) Opipi, mother to 1.
8th. Dr. Solander and I went along shore to gather plants, buy hogs, or anything else that might occur. We took our course towards the heiva, and at last came up with it. It has gradually moved from very near us till now it is two leagues off. Tupia tells us that it will in this manner move gradually round the island. Our friends received us, as usual, with all manner of civility, dancing, and giving us, after the amusement, a very good dinner, as well as offering us a quantity of their cloth as a present, which we should have accepted had we not been full-stocked with it before. We now understood a little more of the interludes than formerly. I shall describe one as well as I can. The men were divided into two parties, differing in the colour of their clothes, one brown, the other white. The chief of the browns gives a basket of meat to his servants that they might take care of it. The whites represent thieves who constantly attempt to steal it, dancing all the time. Several different expedients they make use of without success, till at last they find the watchmen asleep; they then go gently up to them, and lifting them off from the basket, which for security they have placed in their middle, they go off with their prize. The others awake and dance, but seem to show little regret for their loss, or indeed hardly to miss the basket at all.
9th. We resolved to sail as soon as the people left off bringing provisions, which about noon they did, and we again launched out into the ocean in search of what chance and Tupia might direct us to.
13th. Many albecores have been about the ship all this evening. Tupia took one, and had not his rod broken, would probably have taken many. He used an Indian fish-hook made of mother-of-pearl, so that it served at the same time for hook and bait.
At noon to-day, high land in sight, which proves to be an island which Tupia calls Oheteroa.
14th. The island of Oheteroa was to all appearance more barren than anything we have seen in these seas, the chief produce seeming to be etoa (from the wood of which the people make their weapons); indeed, everywhere along shore where we saw plantations, the trees were of this kind. It is without a reef, and the ground in the bay we were in was so foul and coralline, that although a ship might come almost close to the shore, she could not possibly anchor.
The people seemed strong, lusty, and well made, but were rather browner than those we have left behind; they were not tattowed like them, but had instead black marks about as broad as my hand under their armpits, the sides of which marks were deeply indented. They had also smaller circles round their arms and legs. Their dress was indeed most singular, as well as the cloth of which it was made. It consisted of the same materials as the inhabitants of the other islands make use of, and was generally dyed of a very bright deep yellow; upon this was spread in some cases a composition, either red or of a dark lead colour, which covered it like oil colour or varnish. Upon this again were painted stripes in many different patterns
with infinite regularity, much in the same way as lustring
silks in England, all 
the straight lines upon them being drawn with such accuracy that we were almost in doubt whether or not they were stamped on with some kind of press. The red cloth was painted in this manner with black, the lead-coloured with white. Of this cloth, generally the lead-coloured, they had on a short jacket that reached about down to their knees, and made of one piece, with a hole through which they put their heads, the sides of which hole differed from anything I have seen, being stitched with long stitches. This was tied round their bodies by a piece of yellow cloth which passed behind their necks and came across the breasts in two broad stripes crossing each other; it was then collected round the waist in the form of a belt, under which was another of the red cloth, so that the whole made a very gay and warlike appearance. Some had on their heads caps, as described above, of the tails of tropic birds, but these did not become them so well as a piece of white or lead-coloured cloth, which most of them had wound on their heads like a small turban.
Their arms consisted of long lances made of the etoa, or hard wood, well polished and sharpened at one end; of these some were nearly twenty feet long, and scarcely as thick as three fingers; they had also clubs or pikes of the same wood about seven feet long, well polished, and sharpened at one end into a broad point. How expert they may be in the use of these we cannot tell, but the weapons themselves seem intended more for show than use, as the lance was not pointed with stings of sting-rays, and their clubs or pikes, which must do more execution by their weight than their sharpness, were not more than half as heavy as the smallest I have seen in the other islands. Defensive weapons I saw none; they, however, guarded themselves against such weapons as their own by mats folded and laid upon their breasts under their clothes.
Of the few things we saw among the people, every one was ornamented in a manner infinitely superior to anything we had hitherto seen. Their cloth was of a better colour, as well as nicely painted; their clubs were better cut and polished; the canoe which we saw, though very small and narrow, was nevertheless very highly carved and ornamented. One thing particularly in her seemed to be calculated rather as an ornament for something that was never intended to go into the water, and that was two lines of small white feathers placed on the outside of the canoe, and which were, when we saw them, thoroughly wet with the water.
We have now seen seventeen islands in these seas, and have landed on five of the most important; of these the language, manners, and customs agreed most exactly. I should therefore be tempted to conclude that those islands which we have not seen do not differ materially at least from the others. The account I shall give of them is taken chiefly from Otahite, where I was well acquainted with their policy, as I found them to be a people so free from deceit that I trusted myself among them almost as freely as I could do in my own country, sleeping continually in their houses in the woods without so much as a single companion. Whether or not I am right in judging their manners and customs to be general among these seas, any one who gives himself the trouble of reading this journal through can judge as well as I myself.