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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I had prolonged my stay at this island, on account of the approaching
eclipse; but, on the 2d of July, on looking at the micrometer belonging
to the board of longitude, I found some of the rack work broken, and the
instrument useless till repaired, which there was not time to do before
it was intended to be used. Preparing now for our departure, I got on
board, this day, all the cattle, poultry, and other animals, except such
as were destined to remain. I had designed to leave a turkey-cock and
hen, but having now only two of each undisposed of, one of the hens,
through the ignorance of one of my people, was strangled, and died upon
the spot. I had brought three turkey-hens to these islands. One was
killed as above-mentioned, and the other by an useless dog belonging to
one of the officers. These two accidents put it out of my power to leave
a pair here; and, at the same time, to carry the breed to Otaheite, for
which island they were originally intended. I was sorry, afterward, that
I did not give the preference to Tongataboo, as the present would have
been of more value there than at Otaheite; for the natives of the former
island, I am persuaded, would have taken more pains to multiply the
breed.

The next day we took up our anchor, and moved the ships behind
Pangimodoo, that we might be ready to take the advantage of the first
favourable wind, to get through the narrows. The king, who was one of
our company this day at dinner, I observed, took particular notice of
the plates. This occasioned me to make him an offer of one, either of
pewter, or of earthenware. He chose the first; and then began to tell us
the several uses to which he intended to apply it. Two of them are so
extraordinary, that I cannot omit mentioning them. He said, that,
whenever he should have occasion to visit any of the other islands, he
would leave this plate behind him at Tongataboo, as a sort of
representative, in his absence, that the people might pay it the same
obeisance they do to himself in person. He was asked, what had been
usually employed for this purpose before he got this plate? and we had
the satisfaction of learning from him, that this singular honour had
hitherto been conferred on a wooden bowl in which he washed his hands.
The other extraordinary use to which he meant to apply it, in the room
of his wooden bowl, was to discover a thief. He said, that, when any
thing was stolen, and the thief could not be found out, the people were
all assembled together before him, when he washed his hands in water in
this vessel; after which it was cleaned, and then the whole multitude
advanced, one after another, and touched it in the same manner as they
touch his foot, when they pay him obeisance. If the guilty person
touched it, he died immediately upon the spot, not by violence, but by
the hand of Providence; and if any one refused to touch it, his refusal
was a clear proof that he was the man.

In the morning of the 5th, the day of the eclipse, the weather was dark
and cloudy, with showers of rain, so that we had little hopes of an
observation. About nine o'clock, the sun broke out at intervals for
about half an hour; after which it was totally obscured, till within a
minute or two of the beginning of the eclipse. We were all at our
telescopes, viz. Mr Bayly, Mr King, Captain Clerke, Mr Bligh, and
myself. I lost the observation, by not having a dark glass at hand,
suitable to the clouds that were continually passing over the sun; and
Mr Bligh had not got the sun into the field of his telescope; so that
the commencement of the eclipse was only observed by the other three
gentlemen; and by them, with an uncertainty of several seconds, as
follows:--

H. M. S.
By Mr Bayly, at 11 46 23 1/2 }
Mr King, at 11 46 28 }Apparent time.
Capt. Clerke, at 11 47 5 }

Mr Bayly and Mr King observed, with the achromatic telescopes, belonging
to the board of longitude, of equal magnifying powers; and Captain
Clerke observed with one of the reflectors. The sun appeared at
intervals, till about the middle of the eclipse, after which it was seen
no more during the day, so that the end could not be observed. The
disappointment was of little consequence, since the longitude was more
than sufficiently determined, independently of this eclipse, by lunar
observations, which will be mentioned hereafter.

As soon as we knew the eclipse to be over, we packed up the instruments,
took down the observatories, and sent every thing on board that had not
been already removed. As none of the natives had taken the least notice
or care of the three sheep allotted to Mareewagee, I ordered them to be
carried back to the ships. I was apprehensive, that, if I had left them
here, they run great risk of being destroyed by dogs. That animal did
not exist upon this island, when I first visited it in 1773; but I now
found they had got a good many, partly from the breed then left by
myself, and partly from some, imported since that time, from an island
not very remote, called Feejee. The dogs, however, at present, had not
found their way into any of the Friendly Islands, except Tongataboo; and
none but the chiefs there had, as yet, got possession of any.

Being now upon the eve of out departure from this island, I shall add
some particulars about it, and its productions, for which I am indebted
to Mr Anderson. And, having spent as many weeks there, as I had done
days,[169] when I visited it in 1773, the better opportunities that now
occurred, of gaining more accurate information, and the skill of that
gentleman, in directing his enquiries, will, in some measure, supply the
imperfection of my former account of this island.

[Footnote 169: From the 4th to the 7th of October.]

"Amsterdam, Tongataboo, or (as the natives also very frequently called
it) Tonga, is about twenty leagues in circuit, somewhat oblong, though
by much broadest at the east end, and its greatest length from east to
west. The south shore, which I saw in 1773, is straight, and consists of
coral rocks, eight or ten feet high, terminating perpendicularly, except
in some places, where it is interrupted by small sandy beaches, on
which, at low water, a range of black rocks may be seen. The west end is
not above five or six miles broad, but has a shore somewhat like that of
the south side, whereas the whole north side is environed with shoals
and islands, and the shore within them low and sandy. The east side or
end is, most probably, like the south, as the shore begins to assume a
rocky appearance toward the north-east point, though not above seven or
eight feet high.

"The island may, with the greatest propriety, be called a low one, as
the trees on the west part, where we now lay at anchor, only appeared;
and the only eminent part, which can be seen from a ship, is the
south-east point, though many gently rising and declining grounds are
observable by one who is ashore. The general appearance of the country
does not afford that beautiful kind of landscape that is produced from a
variety of hills and valleys, lawns, rivulets, and cascades; but, at the
same time, it conveys to the spectator an idea of the most exuberant
fertility, whether we respect the places improved by art, or those still
in a natural state, both which yield all their vegetable productions
with the greatest vigour, and perpetual verdure. At a distance, the
surface seems entirely clothed with trees of various sizes, some of
which are very large. But, above the rest, the tall cocoa-palms always
raise their tufted heads, and are far from being the smallest ornament
to any country that produces them. The _boogo_, which is a species of
fig, with narrow pointed leaves, is the largest sized tree of the
island; and on the uncultivated spots, especially toward the sea, the
most common bushes and small trees are the _pandanus_, several sorts of
_hibiscus_, the _faitanoo_, mentioned more than once in the course of
our voyage, and a few others. It ought also to be observed, that though
the materials for forming grand landscapes are wanting, there are many
of what might, at least, be called neat prospects, about the cultivated
grounds and dwelling-places, but more especially about the _fiatookas_,
where sometimes art, and sometimes nature, has done much to please the
eye.

"From the situation of Tongataboo, toward the tropic, the climate is
more variable, than in countries farther within that line, though,
perhaps, that might be owing to the season of the year, which was now
the winter solstice. The winds are, for the most part, from some point
between south and east; and, when moderate, are commonly attended with
fine weather. When they blow fresher, the weather is often cloudy,
though open; and, in such cases, there is frequently rain. The wind
sometimes veers to the N.E., N.N.E, or even N.N.W., but never lasts
long, nor blows strong from thence, though it is commonly accompanied by
heavy rain, and close sultry weather. The quick succession, of
vegetables has been already mentioned; but I am not certain that the
changes of weather, by which it is brought about, are considerable
enough to make them perceptible to the natives as to their method of
life, or rather that they should be very sensible of the different
seasons. This, perhaps, may be inferred from the state of their
vegetable productions, which are never so much affected, with respect to
the foliage, as to shed that all at once; for every leaf is succeeded by
another as fast as it falls, which causes that appearance of universal
and continual spring found here.

"The basis of the island, as far as we know, is entirely a coral rock,
which is the only sort that presents itself on the shore. Nor did we see
the least appearance of any other stone, except a few small blue pebbles
strewed about the _fiatookas_; and the smooth, solid black stone,
something like the _lapis lydius_, of which the natives make their
hatchets. But these may, probably, have been brought from other islands
in the neighbourhood; for a piece of slaty, iron-coloured stone was
bought at one of them, which was never seen here. Though the coral
projects in many places above the surface, the soil is, in general, of a
considerable depth. In all cultivated places, it is commonly of a loose,
black colour, produced seemingly, in a great measure, from the rotten
vegetables that are planted there. Underneath which is, very probably, a
clayey _stratum_; for a soil of that kind is often seen, both in the low
and in the rising grounds, but especially in several places toward the
shore, where it is of any height, and, when broken off, appears
sometimes of a reddish, though oftener of a brownish yellow colour, and
of a pretty stiff consistence. Where the shore is low, the soil is
commonly sandy, or rather composed of triturated coral, which, however,
yields bushes growing with great luxuriance, and is sometimes planted,
not unsuccessfully, by the natives.

"Of cultivated fruits, the principal are plantains, of which they have
fifteen different sorts or varieties; breadfruit; two sorts of fruit
found at Otaheite, and known there under the names of _jambu_ and
_geevee_; the latter a kind of plumb; and vast numbers of shaddocks,
which, however, are found as often in a natural state, as planted.

"The roots are yams, of which are two sorts; one black, and so large,
that it often weighs twenty or thirty pounds; the other white and long,
seldom weighing a pound; a large root called _kappe_; one not unlike our
white potatoes, called _mawhaha_; the _talo_, or _coccos_ of other
places; and another named _jeejee_.

"Besides vast numbers of cocoa-nut trees, they have three other sorts of
palms, two of which are very scarce. One of them is called _beeoo_,
which grows almost as high as the cocoa-tree, has very large leaves
plaited like a fan, and clusters or bunches of globular nuts, not larger
than a small pistol ball, growing amongst the branches, with a very hard
kernel, which is sometimes eat. The other is a kind of cabbage-tree, not
distinguishable from the cocoa, but by being rather thicker, and by
having its leaves more ragged. It has a cabbage three or four feet long;
at the top of which are the leaves, and at the bottom the fruit, which
is scarcely two inches long, resembling an oblong cocoa-nut, with an
insipid tenacious kernel, called, by the natives, _neeoogoola_, or red
cocoa-nut, as it assumes a reddish cast when ripe. The third sort is
called _ongo ongo_, and much commoner, being generally found planted
about their _fiatookas_. It seldom grows higher than five feet, though
sometimes to eight, and has a vast number of oval compressed nuts, as
large as a pippin, sticking immediately to the trunk, amongst the
leaves, which are not eat. There is plenty of excellent sugar-cane,
which is cultivated; gourds, bamboo, turmeric, and a species of fig,
about the size of a small cherry, called _matte_, which, though wild, is
sometimes eat. But the catalogue of uncultivated plants is too large to
be enumerated here. Besides the _pemphis decaspermum, mallococca, maba_,
and some other new genera, described by Dr Forster,[170] there are a few
more found here, which, perhaps, the different seasons of the year, and
his short stay, did not give him an opportunity to take notice of.
Although it did not appear, during our longer stay, that above a fourth
part of the trees, and other plants, were in flower; a circumstance
absolutely necessary to enable one to distinguish the various kinds.

[Footnote 170: See his _Characteres Generum Plantarum_. Lond. 1776.]

"The only quadrupeds, besides hogs, are a few rats, and some dogs,
which are not natives of the place, but produced from some left by us in
1773, and by others got from Feejee. Fowls, which are of a large breed,
are domesticated here.

"Amongst the birds, are parrots, somewhat smaller than the common grey
ones, of an indifferent green on the back and wings, the tail bluish,
and the rest of a sooty or chocolate brown; parroquets, not larger than
a sparrow, of a fine yellowish green, with bright azure on the crown of
the head, and the throat and belly red; besides another sort as large as
a dove, with a blue crown and thighs, the throat and under part of the
head crimson, as also part of the belly, and the rest a beautiful green.

"There are owls about the size of our common sort, but of a finer
plumage; the cuckoos mentioned at Palmerston's Island; king-fishers,
about the size of a thrush, of a greenish blue, with a white ring about
the neck; and a bird of the thrush kind, almost as big, of a dull green
colour, with two yellow wattles at the base of the bill, which is the
only singing one we observed here; but it compensates a good deal for
the want of others by the strength and melody of its notes, which fill
the woods at dawn, in the evening, and at the breaking up of bad
weather.

The other land-birds are rails, as large as a pigeon, of a variegated
grey colour, with a rusty neck; a black sort with red eyes, not larger
than a lark; large violet-coloured coots, with red bald crowns; two
sorts of fly-catchers; a very small swallow; and three sorts of pigeons,
one of which is _le ramier cuivre_ of Mons. Sonnerat;[171] another, half
the size of the common sort, of a light green on the back and wings,
with a red forehead; and a third, somewhat less, of a purple brown, but
whitish underneath.

[Footnote 171: _Voyage a la Nouvelle Guinee_, Tab. CII.]

"Of water-fowl, and such as frequent the sea, are the ducks seen at
Annamooka, though scarce here; blue and white herons; tropic birds;
common noddies; white terns; a new species of a leaden colour, with a
black crest; a small bluish curlew; and a large plover, spotted with
yellow. Besides the large bats, mentioned before, there is also the
common sort.

"The only noxious or disgusting animals of the reptile or insect tribe,
are sea-snakes, three feet long, with black and white circles
alternately, often found on shore; some scorpions, and _centipedes_.
There are fine green _guanoes_, a foot and a half long; another brown
and spotted lizard about a foot long; and two other small sorts. Amongst
the other insects are some beautiful moths, butterflies, very large
spiders, and others, making, in the whole, about fifty different sorts.

The sea abounds with fish, though the variety is less than might be
expected. The most frequent sorts are mullets; several sorts of
parrot-fish; silver-fish; old wives; some beautifully spotted soles;
leather-jackets; bonnetos, and albicores; besides the eels mentioned at
Palmerston's Island, some sharks, rays, pipe-fish, a sort of pike, and
some curious devil-fish.

"The many reefs and shoals on the north side of the island, afford
shelter for an endless variety of shell-fish; amongst which are many
that are esteemed precious in Europe. Such as the true hammer oyster, of
which, however, none could be obtained entire; a large indentated
oyster, and several others, but none of the common sort, panamas, cones,
a sort of gigantic cockle, found also in the East Indies, pearl shell
oysters, and many others, several of which, I believe, have been
hitherto unknown to the most diligent enquirers after that branch of
natural history. There are likewise several sorts of sea-eggs, and many
very fine star-fish, besides a considerable variety of corals, amongst
which are two red sorts, the one most elegantly branched, the other
tubulous. And there is no less variety amongst the crabs and cray-fish,
which are very numerous. To which may be added, several sorts of sponge,
the sea-hare, _holothuriae_, and the like."

SECTION IX.

_A grand Solemnity, called Natche, in Honour of the King's Son,
performed.--The Processions and other Ceremonies, during the first day,
described.--The Manner of passing the Night at the King's
House.--Continuation of the Solemnity, the next Day.--Conjectures about
the Nature of it.--Departure from Tongataboo, and Arrival at
Eooa.--Account of that Island, and Transactions there_.

We were now ready to sail, but the wind being easterly, we had not
sufficient day-light to turn through the narrows, either with the
morning, or with the evening flood, the one falling out too early, and
the other too late. So that, without a leading wind, we were under a
necessity of waiting two or three days.

I took the opportunity of this delay to be present at a public
solemnity, to which the king had invited us, when we went last to visit
him, and which, he had informed us, was to be performed on the 8th. With
a view to this, he and all the people of note quitted our neighbourhood
on the 7th, and repaired to Mooa, where the solemnity was to be
exhibited. A party of us followed them the next morning. We understood,
from what Poulaho had said to us, that his son and heir was now to be
initiated into certain privileges, amongst which was, that of eating
with his father, an honour he had not, as yet, been admitted to.

We arrived at Mooa about eight o'clock, and found the king, with a large
circle of attendants sitting before him, within an inclosure so small
and dirty, as to excite my wonder that any such could be found in that
neighbourhood. They were intent upon their usual morning occupation, in
preparing a bowl of _kava_. As this was no liquor for us, we walked out
to visit some of our friends, and to observe what preparations might be
making for the ceremony, which was soon to begin. About ten o'clock, the
people began to assemble in a large area, which is before the _malaee_,
or great house, to which we had been conducted the first time we visited
Mooa. At the end of a road, that opens into this area, stood some men
with spears and clubs, who kept constantly reciting or chanting short
sentences in a mournful tone, which conveyed some idea of distress, and
as if they called for something. This was continued about an hour; and,
in the mean time, many people came down the road, each of them bringing
a yam, tied to the middle of a pole, which they laid down before the
persons who continued repeating the sentences. While this was going on,
the king and prince arrived, and seated themselves upon the area; and we
were desired to sit down by them, but to pull off our hats, and to untie
our hair. The bearers of the yams being all come in, each pole was taken
up between two men, who carried it over their shoulders. After forming
themselves into companies of ten or twelve persons each, they marched
across the place with a quick pace; each company headed by a man bearing
a club or spear, and guarded on the right by several others armed with
different weapons. A man carrying a living pigeon on a perch, closed the
rear, of the procession, in which about two hundred and fifty persons
walked.

Omai was desired by me to ask the chief, to what place the yams were to
be thus carried with so much solemnity? but, as he seemed unwilling to
give us the information we wanted, two or three of us followed the
procession contrary to his inclination. We found that they stopped
before a _morai_ or _fiatooka_ of one house standing upon a mount, which
was hardly a quarter of a mile from the place where they first
assembled. Here we observed them depositing the yams, and making them up
into bundles; but for what purpose we could not learn. And, as our
presence seemed to give them uneasiness, we left them and returned to
Poulaho, who told us we might amuse ourselves by walking about, as
nothing would be done for some time. The fear of losing any part of the
ceremony prevented our being long absent. When we returned to the king,
he desired me to order the boat's crew not to stir from the boat; for,
as every thing would very soon be _taboo_, if any of our people, or of
their own, should be found walking about, they would be knocked down
with clubs, nay _mateed_, that is, killed. He also acquainted us, that
we could not be present at the ceremony, but that we should be conducted
to a place, where we might see every thing that passed. Objections were
made to our dress. We were told, that, to qualify us to be present, it
was necessary that we should be naked as low as the breast, with our
hats off, and our hair untied. Omai offered to conform to these
requisites, and began to strip; other objections were then started; so
that the exclusion was given to him equally with ourselves.

I did not much like this restriction, and, therefore, stole out to see
what might now be going forward. I found very few people stirring,
except those dressed to attend the ceremony; some of whom had in their
hands small poles about four feet long, and to the underpart of these
were fastened two or three other sticks; not bigger than one's finger,
and about six inches in length. These men were going toward the _morai_
just mentioned. I took the same road, and was several times stopped by
them, all crying out _taboo_. However, I went forward without much
regarding them, till I came in sight of the _morai_, and of the people
who were sitting before it. I was now urged very strongly to go back,
and, not knowing what might be the consequence of a refusal, I complied.
I had observed, that the people who carried the poles passed this
_morai_, or what I may as well call temple; and guessing from this
circumstance that something was transacting beyond it, which might be
worth looking at, I had thoughts of advancing by making a round for this
purpose; but I was so closely watched by three men, that I could not put
my design in execution. In order to shake these fellows off, I returned
to the _malaee_, where I had left the king, and from thence made an
elopement a second time; but I instantly met with the same three men, so
that it seemed as if they had been ordered to watch my motions. I paid
no regard to what they said or did, till I came within sight of the
king's principal _fiatooka_ or _morai_, which I have already described,
before which a great number of men were sitting, being the same persons
whom I had just before seen pass by the other _morai_, from which this
was but a little distant. Observing that I could watch the proceedings
of this company from the king's plantation, I repaired thither very much
to the satisfaction of those who attended me.

As soon as I got in, I acquainted the gentlemen who had come with me
from the ships, with what I had seen; and we took a proper station to
watch the result. The number of people at the _fiatooka_ continued to
increase for some time; and, at length, we could see them quit their
sitting-posture, and march off in procession. They walked in pairs, one
after another, every pair carrying between them one of the small poles
above-mentioned on their shoulders. We were told, that the small pieces
of sticks fastened to the poles were yams; so that probably they were
meant to represent this root emblematically. The hindmost man of each
couple, for the most part, placed one of his hands to the middle of the
pole, as if, without this additional support, it were not strong enough
to carry the weight that hung to it, and under which they all seemed to
bend as they walked. This procession consisted of one hundred and eight
pairs, and all or most of them men of rank. They came close by the fence
behind which we stood, so that we had a full view of them.