A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18)

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Poulaho sat down with us to dinner, but he ate little, and drank less.
When we rose from the table, he desired me to accompany him ashore. Omai
was asked to be of the party, but he was too faithfully attached to
Feenou to shew any attention to his competitor, and therefore excused
himself. I attended the chief in my own boat, having first made presents
to him of such articles as I could observe he valued much, and were even
beyond his expectation to receive. I was not disappointed in my view of
thus securing his friendship, for the moment the boat reached the beach,
and before he quitted her, he ordered two more hogs to be brought, and
delivered to my people to be conveyed on board. He was then carried out
of the boat by some of his own people, upon a board resembling a
hand-barrow, and went and seated himself in a small house near the
shore, which seemed to have been erected there for his accommodation. He
placed me at his side, and his attendants, who were not numerous, seated
themselves in a semicircle before us, on the outside of the house.
Behind the chief, or rather on one side, sat an old woman, with a sort
of fan in her hand, whose office it was to prevent his being pestered
with the flies.

The several articles which his people had got, by trading on board the
ships, were now displayed before him. He looked over them all with
attention, enquired what they had given in exchange, and seemed pleased
with the bargains they had made. At length he ordered every thing to be
restored to the respective owners, except a glass bowl, with which he
was so much pleased that he reserved it for himself. The persons who
brought these things to him, first squatted themselves down before him,
then they deposited their several purchases, and immediately rose up and
retired. The same respectful ceremony was observed in taking them away,
and not one of them presumed to speak to him standing. I stayed till
several of his attendants left him, first paying him obeisance, by
bowing the head down to the sole of his foot, and touching or tapping
the same with the upper and under side of the fingers of both hands.
Others, who were not in the circle, came, as it seemed, on purpose, and
paid him this mark of respect and then retired, without speaking a word.
I was quite charmed with the decorum that was observed. I had no where
seen the like, not even amongst more civilized nations.

I found the master returned from his expedition when I got on board. He
informed me, that, as far as he had proceeded, there was anchorage, and
a passage for the ships, but that toward the S. and S.E. he saw a number
of small isles, shoals, and breakers. Judging, from this report, that my
attempting a passage that way would be attended with some risk, I now
dropped all thoughts of it, thinking it better to return toward
Annamooka by the same route, which we had so lately experienced to be a
safe one.

Having come to this resolution, I should have sailed next morning if the
wind had not been too far southerly, and at the same time very
unsettled. Poulaho, the king, as I shall now call him, came on board
betimes, and brought, as a present to me, one of their caps, made, or at
least covered, with red feathers. These caps were much sought after by
us, for we knew they would be highly valued at Otaheite. But though
very large prices were offered, not one was ever brought for sale; which
shewed that they were no less valuable in the estimation of the people
here; nor was there a person in either ship that could make himself the
proprietor of one, except myself, Captain Clerke, and Omai. These caps,
or rather bonnets, are composed of the tail feathers of the tropic bird,
with the red feathers of the parroquets wrought upon them, or jointly
with them. They are made so as to tie upon the forehead without any
crown, and have the form of a semicircle, whose _radius_ is eighteen or
twenty inches. The chief stayed on board till the evening, when he left
us; but his brother, whose name was also Futtafaihe, and one or two or
more of his attendants, continued in the ship all night.

At day-break, the next morning, I weighed with a fine breeze at E.N.E.
and stood to the westward, with a view to return to Annamooka, by the
track we had already experienced. We were followed by several sailing
canoes, in one of which was the king. As soon as he got on board the
Resolution, he enquired for his brother, and the others who had remained
with us all night. It now appeared that they had stayed without his
leave, for he gave them, in a very few words, such a reprimand as
brought tears from their eyes, and yet they were men not less than
thirty years of age. He was, however, soon reconciled to their making a
longer stay, for, on quitting us, he left his brother, and five of his
attendants, on board. We had also the company of a chief just then
arrived from Tongataboo, whose name was Tooboueitoa. The moment he
arrived he sent his canoe away, and declared, that he and five more, who
came with him, would sleep on board, so that I had now my cabin filled
with visitors. This, indeed, was some inconvenience; but I bore with it
more willingly, as they brought plenty of provisions with them as
presents to me, for which they always had suitable returns.

About one o'clock in the afternoon, the easterly wind was succeeded by a
fresh breeze at S.S.E. Our course now being S.S.W. or more southerly, we
were obliged to ply to windward, and did but just fetch the N. side of
Footooha by eight o'clock, where we spent the night, making short
boards.

The next morning we plyed up to Lofanga, where, according to the
information of our friends, there was anchorage. It was one o'clock in
the afternoon before we got soundings under the lee or N.W. side, in
forty fathoms water, near half a mile from the shore; but the bank was
steep, and the bottom rocky, and a chain of breakers lay to leeward. All
these circumstances being against us, I stretched away for Kotoo, with
the expectation of finding better anchoring ground under that island.
But so much time had been spent in plying up to Lofanga, that it was
dark before we reached the other; and finding no place to anchor in, the
night was spent as the preceding one.

At day-break on the 31st I stood for the channel, which is between Kotoo
and the reef of rocks that lie to the westward of it; but, on drawing
near, I found the wind too scant to lead us through. I therefore bore up
on the outside of the reef, and stretched to the S.W. till near noon,
when, perceiving that we made no progress to windward, and being
apprehensive of losing the islands with so many of the natives on board,
I tacked and stood back, intending to wait till some more favourable
opportunity. We did but just fetch in with Footooba, between which and
Kotoo we spent the night, under reefed top-sails and fore-sail. The wind
blew fresh, and by squalls, with rain; and we were not without
apprehensions of danger. I kept the deck till midnight, when I left it
to the master, with such directions as I thought would keep the ships
clear of the shoals and rocks that lay round us. But, after making a
trip to the N., and standing back again to the S., our ship, by a small
shift of the wind, fetched farther to the windward than was expected. By
this means she was very near running full upon a low sandy isle, called
Pootoo Pootooa, surrounded with breakers. It happened, very fortunately,
that the people had just been ordered upon the deck to put the ship
about, and the most of them were at their stations, so that the
necessary movements were not only executed with judgment, but also with
alertness, and this alone saved us from destruction. The Discovery being
a-stern was out of danger. Such hazardous situations are the unavoidable
companions of the man who goes upon a voyage of discovery.

This circumstance frightened our passengers so much that they expressed
a strong desire to get ashore. Accordingly, as soon as day-light
returned, I hoisted out a boat, and ordered the officer who commanded
her, after landing them at Kotoo, to sound along the reef that spits off
from that island for anchorage; for I was full as much tired as they
could be with beating about amongst the surrounding isles and shoals,
and determined to get to an anchor somewhere or other if possible. While
the boat was absent, we attempted to turn the ships through the channel,
between the sandy isle and the reef of Kotoo, in expectation of finding
a moderate depth of water behind them to anchor in. But, meeting with a
tide or current against us, we were obliged to desist, and anchor in
fifty fathoms water, with the sandy isle bearing E. by N. one mile
distant.

We lay here till the 4th of June. While in this station we were several
times visited by the king, by Touboueitoa, and by people from the
neighbouring islands, who came off to trade with us, though the wind
blew very fresh most of the time. The master was now sent to sound the
channels between the islands that lie to the eastward; and I landed on
Kotoo to examine it in the forenoon of the 2d.

This island is scarcely accessible by boats, on account of coral reefs
that surround it. It is not more than a mile and half, or two miles,
long, and not so broad. The N.W. end of it is low, like the islands of
Hapaee; but it rises suddenly in the middle, and terminates in reddish
clayey cliffs at the S.E. end, about thirty feet high. The soil, in that
quarter, is of the same sort as in the cliffs, but in the other parts it
is a loose black mould. It produces the same fruits and roots which we
found at the other islands; is tolerably cultivated, but thinly
inhabited. While I was walking all over it, our people were employed in
cutting some grass for the cattle; and we planted some melon seeds, with
which the natives seemed much pleased, and inclosed them with branches.
On our return to the boat we passed by two or three ponds of dirty
water, which was more or less brackish in each of them; and saw one of
their burying-places, which was much neater than those that were met
with at Hepaee.

On the 4th, at seven in the morning, we weighed, and, with a fresh gale
at E.S.E., stood away for Annamooka, where we anchored next morning,
nearly in the same station which we had so lately occupied.

I went on shore soon after, and found the inhabitants very busy in their
plantations, digging up yams to bring to market; and, in the course of
the day, about two hundred of them had assembled on the beach, and
traded with as much eagerness, as during our late visit. Their stock
appeared to have been recruited much, though we had returned so soon;
but instead of bread-fruit, which was the only article we could purchase
on our first arrival, nothing was to be seen now but yams, and a few
plantains. This shews the quick succession of the seasons, at least of
the different vegetables produced here, at the several times of the
year. It appeared also that they had been very busy while we were absent
in cultivating, for we now saw several large plantain fields, in places
which we had so lately seen lying waste. The yams were now in the
greatest perfection, and we procured a good quantity in exchanges for
pieces of iron.

These people, in the absence of Toubou, whom we left behind us at Kotoo,
with Poulaho and the other chiefs, seemed to be under little
subordination. For we could not perceive this day that one man assumed
more authority than another. Before I returned on board I visited the
several places where I had sown melon seeds, and had the mortification
to find that most of them were destroyed by a small ant; but some
pine-apple plants, which I had also left, were in a thriving state.

About noon next day, Feenou arrived from Vavaoo. He told us, that
several canoes, laden with hogs and other provisions, which had sailed
with him from that island, had been lost, owing to the late blowing
weather, and that every body on board them had perished. This melancholy
tale did not seem to affect any of his countrymen who heard it, and, as
to ourselves, we were by this time too well acquainted with his
character to give much credit to such a story. The truth probably was,
that he had not been able to procure at Vavaoo the supplies which he
expected; or, if he got any there, that he had left them at Hepaee,
which lay in his way back, and where he could not but receive
intelligence that Poulaho had been with us; who, therefore, he knew,
would, as his superior, have all the merit and reward of procuring them,
though he had not any share of the trouble. The invention of this loss
at sea was however well imagined, for there had lately been very blowing
weather; insomuch, that the king, and other chiefs, who had followed us
from Hepaee to Kotoo, had been left there, not caring to venture to sea
when we did, but desired I might wait for them at Annamooka, which was
the reason of my anchoring there this second time, and of my not
proceeding directly to Tongataboo.

The following morning Poulaho, and the other chiefs who had been
wind-bound with him, arrived. I happened, at this time, to be ashore in
company with Feenou, who now seemed to be sensible of the impropriety of
his conduct, in assuming a character that did not belong to him. For he
not only acknowledged Poulaho to be King of Tongataboo, and the other
isles, but affected to insist much on it, which, no doubt, was with a
view to make amends for his former presumption. I left him to visit this
greater man, whom I found sitting with a few people before him. But
every one hastening to pay court to him, the circle increased pretty
fast. I was very desirous of observing Feenou's behaviour on this
occasion, and had the most convincing proof of his superiority, for he
placed himself amongst the rest that sat before Poulaho, as attendants
on his majesty. He seemed at first rather abashed, as some of us were
present who had been used to see him act a different part; but he soon
recovered himself. Some little conversation passed between these two
chiefs, which none of us understood, nor were we satisfied with Omai's
interpretation of it. We were, however, by this time sufficiently
undeceived as to Feenou's rank. Both he and Poulaho went on board with
me to dinner, but only the latter sat at table. Feenou, having made his
obeisance in the usual way, saluting his sovereign's foot with his head
and hands, retired out of the cabin.[164] The king had before told us
that this would happen, and it now appeared that Feenou could not even
eat or drink in his royal presence.

[Footnote 164: Marks of profound respect, very similar to those paid by
natives of the Friendly Islands to their sovereign, are also paid to the
principal chiefs, or _Tamoles_, of the Caroline Islands, as appears from
Father Cantova's account here transcribed. "Lorsqu'un _Tamole_ donne
audience, il paroit assis sur une table elevee: les peuples s'inclinent
devant lui jusqu'a terre; et du plus loin qu'ils arrivent, il marchent
le corps tout courbe, et la tete presqu'entre les genoux, jusqu'a ce
qu'ils soient aupres de sa personne; alors ils s'asseyent a plate terre;
et, les yeux baisses, il recoivent ses ordres avec le plus profond
respect. Quand le _Tamole_ les congedie, ils se retirent, en se courbant
de la meme maniere que quand ils sont venus, et ne se relevent que
lorsqu'ils sont hors de sa presence. Ses paroles sont autant d'oracles
qu'on revere; on rend a ses ordres une obeissance aveugle; enfin, on
baise les mains et les pieds, quand on lui demande quelque
grace."--_Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses_, _tom._ xv. p. 312, 313.--D.]

At eight o'clock next morning we weighed and steered for Tongataboo,
having a gentle breeze at N.E. About fourteen or fifteen
sailing-vessels, belonging to the natives, set out with us, but every
one of them outrun the ships considerably. Feenou was to have taken his
passage in the Resolution, but preferred his own canoe, and put two men
on board to conduct us to the best anchorage. We steered S. by W. by
compass.

At five in the afternoon we saw two small islands bearing W., about four
leagues distant. Our pilots called the one Hoonga Hapaee, and the other
Hoonga Tonga. They lie in the latitude of 20 deg. 36', and ten or eleven
leagues from the W. point of Annamooka, in the direction of S. 46 deg. W.
According to the account of the islanders on board, only five men reside
upon Hoonga Hapaee, and Hoonga Tonga is uninhabited; but both of them
abound with sea-fowl.

We continued the same course till two o'clock next morning, when, seeing
some lights ahead, and not knowing whether they were on shore, or on
board the canoes, we hauled the wind, and made a short trip each way
till daybreak. We then resumed our course to the S. by W.; and presently
after saw several small islands before us, and Eooa and Tongataboo
beyond them. We had, at this time, twenty-five fathoms water, over a
bottom of broken coral and sand. The depth gradually decreased as we
drew near the isles above mentioned, which lie ranged along the N.E.
side of Tongataboo. By the direction of our pilots we steered for the
middle of it, and for the widest space between the small isles which we
were to pass, having our boats ahead employed in sounding. We were
insensibly drawn upon a large flat, upon which lay innumerable coral
rocks, of different depths, below the surface of the water.
Notwithstanding all our care and attention to keep the ship clear of
them, we could not prevent her from striking on one of these rocks. Nor
did the Discovery, though behind us, escape any better. Fortunately,
neither of the ships stuck fast, nor received any damage. We could not
get back without increasing the danger, as we had come almost before the
wind. Nor could we cast anchor, but with the certainty of having our
cables instantly cut in two by the rocks. We had no other resource but
to proceed. To this, indeed, we were encouraged, not only by being
told, but by seeing, that there was deeper water between us and the
shore. However, that we might be better informed, the moment we found a
spot where we could drop the anchor, clear of rocks, we came-to, and
sent the masters with the boats to sound.

Soon after we had anchored, which was about noon, several of the
inhabitants of Tongataboo came off in their canoes to the ships. These,
as well as our pilots, assured us that we should find deep water farther
in, and a bottom free from rocks. They were not mistaken; for about four
o'clock the boats made the signal for having found good anchorage. Upon
this we weighed, and stood in till dark, and then anchored in nine
fathoms, having a fine, clear, sandy bottom.

During the night we had some showers of rain, but toward the morning the
wind shifted to the S. and S.E., and brought on fair weather. At
day-break we weighed, and, working in to the shore, met with no
obstructions, but such as were visible and easily avoided.

While we were plying up to the harbour, to which the natives directed
us, the king kept sailing round us in his canoe. There were, at the same
time, a great many small canoes about the ships. Two of these, which
could not get out of the way of his royal vessel, he run quite over,
with as little concern as if they had been bits of wood. Amongst many
others who came on board the Resolution, was Otago, who had been so
useful to me when I visited Tongataboo during my last voyage, and one
Toubou, who, at that time, had attached himself to Captain Furneaux.
Each of them brought a hog and some yams, as a testimony of his
friendship; and I was not wanting, on my part, in making a suitable
return.

At length, about two in the afternoon, we arrived at our intended
station. It was a very snug place, formed by the shore of Tongataboo on
the S.E. and two small islands on the E. and N.E. Here we anchored in
ten fathoms water, over a bottom of oozy sand, distant from the shore
one-third of a mile.

SECTION VII.

_Friendly Reception at Tongataboo.--Manner of distributing a baked Hog
and Kava to Poulaho's Attendants.--The Observatory, &c. erected.--The
Village where the Chiefs reside, and the adjoining Country,
described.--Interviews with Mareewagee, and Toobou, and the King's
Son.--A grand Haiva, or Entertainment of Songs and Dances, given by
Mareewagee.--Exhibition of Fireworks.--Manner of Wrestling and
Boxing.--Distribution of the Cattle.--Thefts committed by the
Natives.--Poulaho, and the other Chiefs, confined on that
Account.--Poulaho's Present and Haiva._

Soon after we had anchored, having first dined, I landed, accompanied by
Omai and some of the officers. We found the king waiting for as upon the
beach. He immediately conducted us to a small neat house, situated a
little within the skirts of the wood, with a fine large area before it.
This house, he told me, was at my service during our stay at the island;
and a better situation we could not wish for.

We had not been long in the house before a pretty large circle of the
natives were assembled before us, and seated upon the area. A root of
the _kava_ plant being brought, and laid down before the king, he
ordered it to be split into pieces, and distributed to several people of
both sexes, who began the operation of chewing it, and a bowl of their
favourite liquor was soon prepared. In the mean time, a baked hog, and
two baskets of baked yams, were produced, and afterward divided into ten
portions. These portions were then given to certain people present; but
how many were to share in each I could not tell. One of them, I
observed, was bestowed upon the king's brother, and one remained
undisposed of, which, I judged, was for the king himself, as it was a
choice bit. The liquor was next served out, but Poulaho seemed to give
no directions about it. The first cup was brought to him, which he
ordered to be given to one who sat near him. The second was also brought
to him, and this he kept. The third was given to me, but their manner of
brewing having quenched my thirst, it became Omai's property. The rest
of the liquor was distributed to different people, by direction of the
man who had the management of it. One of the cups being carried to the
king's brother, he retired with this, and with his mess of victuals.
Some others also quitted the circle with their portions, and the reason
was, they could neither eat nor drink in the royal presence; but there
were others present, of a much inferior rank, of both sexes, who did
both. Soon after most of them withdrew, carrying with them what they had
not eat of their share of the feast.

I observed that not a fourth part of the company had tasted either the
victuals or the drink; those who partook of the former I supposed to be
of the king's household. The servants who distributed the baked meat and
the _kava_, always delivered it out of their hand sitting, not only to
the king but to every other person. It is worthy of remark, though this
was the first time of our landing, and a great many people were present
who had never seen us before, yet no one was troublesome, but the
greatest good order was preserved throughout the whole assembly.

Before I returned on board, I went in search of a watering-place, and
was conducted to some ponds, or rather holes, containing fresh water, as
they were pleased to call it. The contents of one of these indeed were
tolerable, but it was at some distance inland, and the supply to be got
from it was very inconsiderable. Being informed that the little island
of Pangimodoo, near which the ships lay, could better furnish this
necessary article, I went over to it next morning, and was so fortunate
as to find there a small pool that had rather fresher water than any we
had met with amongst these islands. The pool being very dirty, I ordered
it to be cleaned; and here it was that we watered the ships.

As I intended to make some stay at Tongataboo, we pitched a tent in the
forenoon, just by the house which Poulaho had assigned for our use. The
horses, cattle, and sheep, were afterward landed, and a party of
marines, with their officer, stationed there as a guard. The observatory
was then set up, at a small distance from the other tent; and Mr King
resided on shore, to attend the observations, and to superintend the
several operations necessary to be conducted there. For the sails were
carried thither to be repaired; a party was employed in cutting wood
for fuel, and plank for the use of the ships; and the gunners of both
were ordered to remain on the spot, to conduct the traffic with the
natives, who thronged from every part of the island with hogs, yams,
cocoa-nuts, and other articles of their produce. In a short time our
land post was like a fair, and the ships were so crowded with visitors,
that we had hardly room to stir upon the decks.

Feenou had taken up his residence in our neighbourhood; but he was no
longer the leading man. However we still found him to be a person of
consequence, and we had daily proofs of his opulence and liberality, by
the continuance of his valuable presents. But the king was equally
attentive in this respect, for scarcely a day passed without receiving
from him some considerable donation. We now heard that there were other
great men of the island whom we had not as yet seen. Otago and Toobou,
in particular, mentioned a person named Mareewagee, who, they said, was
of the first consequence in the place, and held in great veneration,
nay, if Omai did not misunderstand them, superior even to Poulaho, to
whom he was related; but being old, lived in retirement, and therefore
would not visit us. Some of the natives even hinted that he was too
great a man to confer that honour upon us. This account exciting my
curiosity, I this day mentioned to Poulaho that I was very desirous of
waiting upon Mareewagee; and he readily agreed to accompany me to the
place of his residence the next morning.