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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The last dance had forty men, and two drums, as a chorus. It consisted
of sixty men, who had not danced before, disposed in three rows, having
twenty-four in front. But, before they began, we were entertained with a
pretty long preliminary harangue, in which the whole body made responses
to a single person who spoke. They recited sentences (perhaps verses)
alternately with the chorus, and made many motions with the _pagge_, in
a very brisk mode, which were all applauded with _mareeai!_ and
_fufogge!_ words expressing two different degrees of praise. They
divided into two bodies, with their backs to each other; formed again,
shifted their ranks, as in the other dances; divided and retreated,
making room for two champions, who exercised their clubs as before; and
after them two others; the dancers, all the time, reciting slowly in
turn with the chorus; after which they advanced and finished.

These dances, if they can properly be called so, lasted from eleven till
near three o'clock; and though they were, doubtless, intended,
particularly, either in honour of us, or to shew a specimen of their
dexterity, vast numbers of their own people attended as spectators.
Their numbers could not be computed exactly, on account of the
inequality of the ground; but, by reckoning the inner circle, and the
number in depth, which was between twenty and thirty in many places, we
supposed that there must be near four thousand. At the same time, there
were round the trading place at the tent, and straggling about, at least
as many more; and some of us computed, that, aft this time, there were
no less than ten or twelve thousand people in our neighbourhood; that
is, within the compass of a quarter of a mile; drawn together, for the
most part, by mere curiosity.

It is with regret I mention, that we could not understand what was
spoken, while we were able to see what was acted, in these amusements.
This, doubtless, would have afforded us much information, as to the
genius and customs of these people. It was observable, that, though the
spectators always approved of the various motions, when well made, a
great share of the pleasure they received seemed to arise from the
sentimental part, or what the performers delivered in their speeches.
However, the mere acting part, independently of the sentences repeated,
was well worth our notice, both with respect to the extensive plan on
which it was executed, and to the various motions, as well as the exact
unity, with which they were performed. Neither pencil nor pen can
describe the numerous actions and motions, the singularity of which was
not greater, than was the ease and gracefulness with which they were
performed.

At night, we were entertained with the _bomai_, or night dances, on a
space before Feenou's temporary habitation. They lasted about three
hours; in which time we had about twelve of them performed, much after
the same manner as those at Hepaee. But, in two, that were performed by
women, a number of men came and formed a circle within their's. And, in
another, consisting of twenty-four men, there were a number of motions
with the hands, that we had not seen before, and were highly applauded.
The music was, also, once changed, in the course of the night; and in
one of the dances, Feenou appeared at the head of fifty men who had
performed at Hepaee, and he was well dressed with linen, a large piece
of gauze, and some little pictures hung round his neck. But it was
evident, after the diversions were closed, that we had put these poor
people, or rather that they had put themselves, to much inconvenience.
For being drawn together on this uninhabited part of their island,
numbers of them were obliged to lie down and sleep under the bushes, by
the side of a tree, or of a canoe; nay, many either lay down in the open
air, which they are not fond of, or walked about all the night.

The whole of this entertainment was conducted with far better order,
than could have been expected in so large an assembly. Amongst such a
multitude, there must be a number of ill-disposed people; and we,
hourly, experienced it. All our care and attention did not prevent their
plundering us, in every quarter; and that in the most daring and
insolent manner. There was hardly any thing that they did not attempt to
steal; and yet, as the crowd was always so great, I would not allow the
sentries to fire, lest the innocent should suffer for the guilty. They
once, at noon day, ventured to aim at taking an anchor from off the
Discovery's bows; and they would certainly have succeeded, if the flook
had not hooked one of the chain-plates in lowering down the ship's side,
from which they could not disengage it by hand; and tackles were things
they were unacquainted with. The only act of violence they were guilty
of, was the breaking the shoulder-bone of one of our goats, so that she
died soon after. This loss fell upon themselves, as she was one of those
that I intended to leave upon the island; but of this, the person who
did it was ignorant.

Early in the morning of the 18th, an incident happened, that strongly
marked one of their customs. A man got out of a canoe into the quarter
gallery of the Resolution, and stole from thence a pewter bason. He was
discovered, pursued, and brought alongside the ship. On this occasion,
three old women, who were in the canoe, made loud lamentations over the
prisoner, beating their breasts and faces in a most violent manner, with
the inside of their fists; and all this was done without shedding a
tear. This mode of expressing grief is what occasions the mark which
almost all this people bear on the face, over the cheek-bones. The
repeated blows which they inflict upon this part, abrade the skin, and
make even the blood flow out in a considerable quantity; and when the
wounds are recent, they look as if a hollow circle had been burnt in. On
many occasions, they actually cut this part of the face with an
instrument, in the same manner as the people of Otaheite cut their
heads.

This day, I bestowed on Mareewagee some presents, in return for those we
had received from him the day before; and as the entertainments which he
had then exhibited for our amusement, called upon us to make some
exhibition in our way, I ordered the party of marines to go through
their exercise on the spot where his dances had been performed; and, in
the evening, played off some fire-works at the same place. Poulaho, with
all the principal chiefs, and a great number of people, of all
denominations, were present. The platoon firing, which was executed
tolerably well, seemed to give them pleasure; but they were lost in
astonishment when they beheld our water-rockets. They paid but little
attention to the fife and drum, or French horns that played during the
intervals. The king sat behind every body, because no one is allowed to
sit behind him; and, that his view might not be obstructed, nobody sat
immediately before him; but a lane, as it were, was made by the people
from him, quite down to the space allotted for the fire-works.

In expectation of this evening show, the circle of natives about our
tent being pretty large, they engaged, the greatest part of the
afternoon, in boxing and wrestling; the first of which exercises they
call _fangatooa_, and the second _foohoo_. When any of them chooses to
wrestle, he gets up from one side of the ring, and crosses the ground in
a sort of measured pace, clapping smartly on the elbow joint of one arm,
which is bent, and produces a hollow sound; that is reckoned the
challenge. If no person comes out from the opposite side to engage him,
he returns in the same manner, and sits down; but sometimes stands
clapping in the midst of the ground, to provoke some one to come out. If
an opponent appear, they come together with marks of the greatest
good-nature, generally smiling, and taking time to adjust the piece of
cloth which is fastened round the waist. They then lay hold of each
other by this girdle, with a hand on each side; and he who succeeds in
drawing his antagonist to him, immediately tries to lift him upon his
breast, and throw him upon his back; and if he be able to turn round
with him two or three times, in that position, before he throws him, his
dexterity never fails of procuring plaudits from the spectators. If they
be more equally matched, they close soon, and endeavour to throw each
other by entwining their legs, or lifting each other from the ground; in
which struggles they shew a prodigious exertion of strength, every
muscle, as it were, being ready to burst with straining. When one is
thrown, he immediately quits the field, but the victor sits down for a
few seconds, then gets up, and goes to the side he came from, who
proclaim the victory aloud, in a sentence delivered slowly, and in a
musical cadence. After sitting a short space, he rises again and
challenges; when some-times several antagonists make their appearance;
but he has the privilege of choosing which of them he pleases to
wrestle with; and has, likewise, the preference of challenging again, if
he should throw his adversary, until he himself be vanquished; and then
the opposite side sing the song of victory in favour of their champion.
It also often happens, that five or six rise from each side, and
challenge together; in which case, it is common to see three or four
couple engaged on the field at once. But it is astonishing to see what
temper they preserve in this exercise; for we observed no instances of
their leaving the spot, with the least displeasure in their
countenances. When they find that they are so equally matched as not to
be likely to throw each other, they leave off by mutual consent. And if
the fall of one is not fair, or if it does not appear very clearly who
has had the advantage, both sides sing the victory, and then they engage
again. But no person, who has been vanquished, can engage with his
conqueror a second time.

The boxers advance side-ways, changing the side at every pace, with one
arm stretched fully out before, the other behind; and holding a piece of
cord in one hand, which they wrap firmly about it, when they find an
antagonist, or else have done so before they enter. This, I imagine,
they do, to prevent a dislocation of the hand or fingers. Their blows
are directed chiefly to the head; but sometimes to the sides; and are
dealt out with great activity. They shift sides, and box equally well
with both hands. But one of their favourite and most dextrous blows, is,
to turn round on their heel, just as they have struck their antagonist,
and to give him another very smart one with the other hand backward.

The boxing matches seldom last long; and the parties either leave off
together, or one acknowledges his being beat. But they never sing the
song of victory in these cases, unless one strikes his adversary to the
ground; which shews, that, of the two, wrestling is their most approved
diversion. Not only boys engage, in both the exercises, but frequently
little girls box very obstinately for a short time. In all which cases,
it doth not appear, that they ever consider it as the smallest disgrace
to be vanquished; and the person overcome sits down, with as much
indifference, as if he had never entered the lists. Some of our people
ventured to contend with them in both exercises, but were always
worsted; except in a few instances, where it appeared, that the fear
they were in of offending us, contributed more to the victory, than the
superiority of the person they engaged.

The cattle, which we had brought, and which were all on shore, however
carefully guarded, I was sensible, run no small risk, when I considered
the thievish disposition of many of the natives, and their dexterity in
appropriating to themselves, by stealth, what they saw no prospect of
obtaining by fair means. For this reason, I thought it prudent to
declare my intention of leaving behind me some of our animals; and even
to make a distribution of them previously to my departure.

With this view, in the evening of the 19th, I assembled all the chiefs
before our house, and my intended presents to them were marked out. To
Poulaho, the king, I gave a young English bull and cow; to Mareewagee, a
Cape ram, and two ewes; and to Feenou, a horse and a mare. As my design,
to make such a distribution, had been made known the day before, most of
the people in the neighbourhood were then present. I instructed Omai to
tell them, that there were no such animals within many months sail of
their island; that we had brought them, for their use, from that immense
distance, at a vast trouble and expence; that, therefore, they must be
careful not to kill any of them, till they had multiplied to a numerous
race; and, lastly, that they and their children ought to remember, that
they had received them from the men of _Britane_. He also explained to
them their several uses, and what else was necessary for them to know,
or rather as far as he knew; for Omai was not very well versed in such
things himself. As I intended that the above presents should remain with
the other cattle, till we were ready to sail, I desired each of the
chiefs to send a man or two to look after their respective animals,
along with my people, in order that they might be better acquainted with
them, and with the manner of treating them. The king and Feenou did so;
but neither Mareewagee, nor any other person for him, took the least
notice of the sheep afterward; nor did old Toobou attend at this
meeting, though he was invited, and was in the neighbourhood. I had
meant to give him the goats, viz. a ram and two ewes; which, as he was
so indifferent about them, I added to the king's share.

It soon appeared, that some were dissatisfied with this allotment of
our animals; for, early next morning, one of our kids, and two
turkey-cocks, were missing. I could not be so simple as to suppose, that
this was merely an accidental loss; and I was determined to have them
again. The first step I took was to seize on three canoes that happened
to be alongside the ships. I then went ashore, and, having found the
king, his brother, Feenou, and some other chiefs, in the house that we
occupied, I immediately put a guard over them, and gave them to
understand, that they must remain under restraint, till not only the kid
and the turkeys, but the other things that had been stolen from us, at
different times, were restored. They concealed, as well as they could,
their feelings, on finding themselves prisoners; and, having assured me,
that every thing should be restored, as I desired, sat down to drink
their _kava_, seemingly much at their ease. It was not long before an
axe, and an iron wedge, were brought to me. In the mean time, some armed
natives began to gather behind the house; but, on a part of our guard
marching against them, they dispersed; and I advised the chiefs to give
orders, that no more should appear. Such orders were accordingly given
by them, and they were obeyed. On asking them to go aboard with me to
dinner, they readily consented. But some having afterward objected to
the king's going, he instantly rose up, and declared he would be the
first man. Accordingly we came on board. I kept them there till near
four o'clock, when I conducted them ashore; and, soon after, the kid,
and one of the turkey-cocks, were brought back. The other, they said,
should be restored the next morning. I believed this would happen, and
released both them and the canoes.

After the chiefs had left us, I walked out with Omai, to observe how the
people about us fared; for this was the time of their meals. I found
that, in general, they were at short commons. Nor is this to be wondered
at, since most of the yams, and other provisions which they brought with
them, were sold to us; and they never thought of returning to their own
habitations, while they could find any sort of subsistence in our
neighbourhood. Our station was upon an uncultivated point of land; so
that there were none of the islanders, who, properly, resided within
half a mile of us. But, even at this distance, the multitude of
strangers being so great, one might have expected, that every house
would have been much crowded. It was quite otherwise. The families
residing there were as much left to themselves, as if there had not been
a supernumerary visitor near them. All the strangers lived in little
temporary sheds, or under trees and bushes; and the cocoa-trees were
stripped of their branches, to erect habitations for the chiefs.

In this walk we met with about half a dozen women, in one place, at
supper. Two of the company, I observed, being fed by the others, on our
asking the reason, they said _taboo mattee_. On farther enquiry we
found, that one of them had, two months before, washed the dead corpse
of a chief; and that, on this account, she was not to handle any food
for five months. The other had performed the same office to the corpse
of another person of inferior rank, and was now under the same
restriction; but not for so long a time. At another place, hard by, we
saw another woman fed; and we learnt, that she had assisted in washing
the corpse of the above-mentioned chief.

Early the next morning, the king came on board, to invite me to an
entertainment, which he proposed to give the same day. He had already
been under the barber's hands; his head being all besmeared with red
pigment, in order to redden his hair, which was naturally of a
dark-brown colour. After breakfast, I attended him to the shore; and we
found his people very busy, in two places, in the front of our area,
fixing, in an upright and square position, thus [::], four very long
posts, near two feet from each other. The space between the posts was
afterward filled up with yams; and as they went on filling it, they
fastened pieces of sticks across, from post to post, at the distance of
about every four feet, to prevent the posts from separating by the
weight of the inclosed yams, and also to get up by. When the yams had
reached the top of the first posts, they fastened others to them, and so
continued till each pile was the height of thirty feet, or upward. On
the top of one, they placed two baked hogs; and on the top of the other,
a living one; and another they tied by the legs, half-way up. It was
matter of curiosity to observe, with what facility and dispatch these
two piles were raised. Had our seamen been ordered to execute such a
work, they would have sworn that it could not be performed without
carpenters; and the carpenters would have called to their aid a dozen
different sorts of tools, and have expended, at least, a hundred weight
of nails; and, after all, it would have employed them as many days as it
did these people hours. But seamen, like most other amphibious animals,
are always the most helpless on land. After they had completed these two
piles, they made several other heaps of yams and bread-fruit on each
side of the area; to which were added a turtle, and a large quantity of
excellent fish. All this, with a piece of cloth, a mat, and some red
feathers, was the king's present to me; and he seemed to pique himself
on exceeding, as he really did, Feenou's liberality, which I experienced
at Hepaee.

About one o'clock they began the _mai_, or dances; the first of which
was almost a copy of the first that was exhibited at Mareewagee's
entertainment. The second was conducted by Captain Furneaux's Toobou,
who, as we mentioned, had also danced there; and in this, four or five
women were introduced, who went through the several parts with as much
exactness as the men. Toward the end, the performers divided to leave
room for two champions, who exercised their clubs, as described on a
former occasion. And, in the third dance, which was the last now
presented, two more men, with their clubs, displayed their dexterity.
The dances were succeeded by wrestling and boxing; and one man entered
the lists with a sort of club, made from the stem of a cocoa-leaf, which
is firm and heavy; but could find no antagonist to engage him at so
rough a sport. At night we had the _bomai_ repeated; in which Poulaho
himself danced, dressed in English manufacture. But neither these, nor
the dances in the daytime, were so considerable, nor carried on with so
much spirit, as Feenou's, or Mareewagee's; and, therefore, there is less
occasion to be more particular in our description of them.

In order to be present the whole time, I dined ashore. The king sat down
with us, but he neither ate nor drank. I found that this was owing to
the presence of a female, whom, at his desire, I had admitted to the
dining-party; and who, as we afterward understood, had superior rank to
himself. As soon as this great personage had dined, she stepped up to
the king, who put his hands to her feet, and then she retired. He
immediately dipped his fingers into a glass of wine, and then received
the obeisance of all her followers. This was the single instance we
ever observed of his paying this mark of reverence to any person. At the
king's desire, I ordered some fire-works to be played off in the
evening; but, unfortunately, being damaged; this exhibition did not
answer expectation.

SECTION VIII.

_Some of the Officers plundered by the Natives.--A fishing Party.--A
Visit to Poulaho.--A Fiatooka described.--Observations on the Country
Entertainments at Poulaho's House.--His Mourning Ceremony.--Of the Kava
Plant, and the Manner of preparing the Liquor.--Account of Onevy, a
little Island.--One of the Natives wounded by a Sentinel.--Messrs King
and Anderson visit the Kings Brother.--Their Entertainment.--Another
Mourning Ceremony.--Manner of passing the Night.--Remarks on the Country
they passed through.--Preparations made for Sailing.--An Eclipse of the
Sun, imperfectly observed.--Mr Anderson's Account of the Island, and its
Productions_.

As no more entertainments were to be expected on either side, and the
curiosity of the populace was, by this time, pretty well satisfied, on
the day after Poulaho's _haiva_, most of them left us. We still,
however, had thieves about us; and, encouraged by the negligence of our
own people, we had continual instances of their depredations.

Some of the officers, belonging to both ships, who had made an excursion
into the interior parts of the island, without my leave, and, indeed,
without my knowledge, returned this evening, after an absence of two
days. They had taken with them their musquets, with the necessary
ammunition, and several small articles of the favourite commodities; all
which the natives had the dexterity to steal from them in the course of
their expedition. This affair was likely to be attended with
inconvenient consequences. For our plundered travellers, upon their
return, without consulting me, employed Omai to complain to the king of
the treatment they had met with. He, not knowing what step I should
take, and, from what had already happened, fearing lest I might lay him
again under restraint, went off early the next morning. His example was
followed by Feenou; so that we had not a chief of any authority
remaining in our neighbourhood. I was very much displeased at this, and
reprimanded Omai for having presumed to meddle. This reprimand put him
upon his mettle to bring his friend Feenou hack; and he succeeded in the
negociation, having this powerful argument to urge, that he might depend
upon my using no violent measures to oblige the natives to restore what
had been taken from the gentlemen. Feenou, trusting to this declaration,
returned toward the evening; and, encouraged by the reception, Poulaho
favoured us with his company the day after. Both these chiefs, upon this
occasion, very justly observed to me, that, if any of my people, at any
time, wanted to go into the country, they ought to be acquainted with
it; in which case they would send proper people along with them; and
then they would be answerable for their safety. And I am convinced, from
experience, that, by taking this very reasonable precaution, a man and
his property may be as safe among these islanders, as in other parts of
the more civilized world. Though I gave myself no trouble about the
recovery of the things stolen upon this occasion, most of them, through
Feenou's interposition, were recovered, except one musquet, and a few
other articles of inferior value. By this time, also, we had recovered
the turkey-cock, and most of the tools, and other matters, that had been
stolen from our workmen.

On the 25th, two boats, which I had sent to look for a channel, by which
we might, most commodiously, get to sea, returned. The masters, who
commanded them, reported, that the channel to the north, by which we
came in, was highly dangerous, being full of coral rocks from one side
to the other; but that, to the eastward, there was a very good channel,
which, however, was very much contracted in one place by the small
islands, so that a leading wind would be requisite to get through it;
that is, a westerly wind, which, we had found, did not often blow here.
We had now recruited the ships with wood and water, we had finished the
repairs of our sails, and had little more to expect from the inhabitants
of the produce of their island. However, as an eclipse of the sun was to
happen upon the 5th of next month, I resolved to defer sailing till that
time had elapsed, in order to have a chance of observing it.