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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Having waited here till they had all passed, we then repaired to
Poulaho's house, and saw him going out. We could not be allowed to
follow him, but were forthwith conducted to the place allotted to us,
which was behind a fence, adjoining to the area of the fiatooka, where
the yams had been deposited in the forenoon. As we were not the only
people who were excluded from being publicly present at this ceremony,
but allowed to peep from behind the curtain, we had a good deal of
company; and I observed, that all the other inclosures round the place
were filled with people. And yet all imaginable care seemed to be taken,
that they should see as little as possible; for the fences had not only
been repaired that morning, but in many places raised higher than
common, so that the tallest man could not look over them. To remedy this
defect in our station; we took the liberty to cut holes in the fence
with our knives, and by this means we could see pretty distinctly every
thing that was transacting on the other side.

On our arrival at our station, we found two or three hundred people
sitting on the grass, near the end of the road that opened into the area
of the _morai_, and the number continually increased by others joining
them. At length, arrived a few men carrying some small poles, and
branches or leaves of the cocoa-nut tree; and, upon their first
appearance, an old man seated himself in the road and, with his face
toward them, pronounced a long oration in a serious tone. He then
retired back, and the others advancing to the middle of the area, began
to erect a small shed, employing for that purpose the materials
above-mentioned. When they had finished their work, they all squatted
down for a moment before it, then rose up, and retired to the rest of
the company. Soon after came Poulaho's son, preceded by four or five
men, and they seated themselves a little aside from the shed, and rather
behind it. After them, appeared twelve or fourteen women of the first
rank, walking slowly in pairs, each pair carrying between them a narrow
piece of white cloth extended, about two or three yards in length. These
marched up to the prince, squatted down before him, and, having wrapped
some of the pieces of the cloth they had brought round his body, they
rose up, and retired in the same order to some distance on his left, and
there seated themselves. Poulaho himself soon made his appearance,
preceded by four men, who walked two and two abreast, and sat down on
his son's left hand, about twenty paces from him. The young prince then
quitting his first position, went and sat down under the shed with, his
attendants; and a considerable number more placed themselves on the
grass before this royal canopy. The prince himself sat facing the
people, with his back to the _morai_. This being done, three companies,
of ten or a dozen men in each, started up from amongst the large crowd a
little after each other, and running hastily to the opposite side of the
area, sat down for a few seconds; after which they returned in the same
manner to their former stations. To them succeeded two men, each of whom
held a small green branch in his hand, who got up and approached the
prince, sitting down for a few seconds three different times as they
advanced; and then, turning their backs, retired in the same manner,
inclining their branches to each other as they sat. In a little time,
two more repeated this ceremony.

The grand procession which I had seen march off from the other _morai_,
now began to come in. To judge of the circuit they had made from the
time they had been absent, it must have been pretty large. As they
entered the area, they marched up to the right of the shed, and, having
prostrated themselves on the grass, deposited their pretended burthens
(the poles above-mentioned), and faced round to the prince. They then
rose up, and retired in the same order, closing their hands, which they
held before them, with the most serious aspect, and seated themselves
along the front of the area. During all the time that this numerous band
were coming in, and depositing their poles, three men who sat under the
shed with the prince, continued pronouncing separate sentences in a
melancholy tone. After this, a profound silence ensued for a little
time, and then a man, who sat in the front of the area, began an oration
(or prayer), during which, at several different times, he went and broke
one of the poles, which had been brought in by those who had walked in
procession. When he had ended, the people sitting before the shed
separated, to make a lane, through which the prince and his attendants
passed, and the assembly broke up.

Some of our party, satisfied with what they had already seen, now
returned to the ships; but I, and two or three more of the officers,
remained at Mooa to see the conclusion of the solemnity, which was not
to be till the next day, being desirous of omitting no opportunity,
which might afford any information about the religious or the political
institutions of this people. The small sticks or poles, which had been
brought into the area by those who walked in procession, being left
lying on the ground, after the crowd had dispersed, I went and examined
them. I found, that to the middle of each, two or three small sticks
were tied, as has been related. Yet we had been repeatedly told by the
natives, who stood near us, that they were young yams, insomuch that
some of our gentlemen believed them, rather than their own eyes. As I
had the demonstration of my senses to satisfy me, that they were not
real yams, it is clear, that we ought to have understood them, that they
were only the artificial representations of these roots.

Our supper was got ready about seven o'clock. It consisted of fish and
yams. We might have had pork also, but we did not choose to kill a large
hog, which the king had given to us for that purpose. He supped with us,
and drank pretty freely of brandy and water, so that he went to bed with
a sufficient dose. We passed the night in the same house with him and
several of his attendants.

About one or two o'clock in the morning they waked, and conversed for
about an hour, and then went to sleep again. All, but Poulaho himself,
rose at day-break, and went, I know not whither. Soon after a woman, one
of those who generally attended upon the chief, came in, and enquired
where he was. I pointed him out to her, and she immediately sat down by
him, and began the same operation, which Mr Anderson had seen practised
upon Futtafaihe, tapping of beating gently, with her clinched fists, on
his thighs. This, instead of prolonging his sleep, as was intended, had
the contrary effect; however, though he awaked, he continued to lie
down.

Omai and I now went to visit the prince, who had parted from us early in
the evening. For he did not lodge with the king, but in apartments of
his own, or at least such as had been allotted to him at some distance
from his father's house. We found him with a circle of boys or youths
about his own age, sitting before him, and an old woman and an old man,
who seemed to have the care of him, sitting behind. There were others,
both men and women, employed about their necessary affairs in different
departments, who probably belonged to his household.

From the prince we returned to the king. By this time he had got up, and
had a crowded circle before him, composed chiefly of old men. While a
large bowl of _kava_ was preparing, a baked hog and yarns, smoking hot,
were brought in; the greatest part of which fell to our share, and was
very acceptable to the boat's crew; for these people eat very little in
a morning, especially the _kava_-drinkers. I afterward walked out, and
visited several other chiefs, and found that all of them were taking
their morning draught, or had already taken it. Returning to the king, I
found him asleep in a small retired hut, with two women tapping on his
breech. About eleven o'clock he arose again, and then some fish and
yams, which tasted as if they had been stewed in cocoa-nut milk, were
brought to him. Of these he eat a large portion, and lay down once more
to sleep. I now left him, and carried to the prince a present of cloth,
beads, and other articles, which I had brought with me from the ship for
the purpose. There was a sufficient quantity of cloth to make him a
complete suit, and he was immediately decked out with it. Proud of his
dress, he first went to shew himself to his father, and then conducted
me to his mother, with whom were about ten or a dozen other women of a
respectable appearance. Here the prince changed his apparel, and made me
a present of two pieces of the cloth manufactured in the island. By this
time it was past noon, when, by appointment, I repaired to the palace to
dinner. Several of our gentlemen had returned this morning from the
ships, and we were all invited to the feast, which was presently served
up, and consisted of two pigs and yams. I roused the drowsy monarch to
partake of what he had provided for our entertainment. In the mean time,
two mullets, and some shellfish, were brought to him, as I supposed, for
his separate portion. But he joined it to our fare, sat down with us,
and made a hearty meal.

When dinner was over, we were told that the ceremony would soon begin,
and were strictly enjoined not to walk out. I had resolved, however, to
peep no longer from behind the curtain, but to mix with the actors
themselves, if possible. With this view, I stole out from the
plantation, and walked toward the _morai_, the scene of the solemnity. I
was several times desired to go back by people whom I met, but I paid no
regard to them, and they suffered me to pass on. When I arrived at the
_morai_, I found a number of men seated on the side of the area, on
each side of the road that leads up to it. A few were sitting on the
opposite side of the area, and two men in the middle of it, with their,
faces turned to the _morai_. When I got into the midst of the first
company, I was desired to sit down, which I accordingly did. Where I
sat, there were lying a number of small bundles or parcels, composed of
cocoa-nut leaves, and tied to sticks made into the form of hand-barrows.
All the information I could get about them was, that they were _taboo_.
Our number kept continually increasing, every one coming from the same
quarter. From time to time, one or another of the company turned himself
to those who were coming to join us, and made a short speech, in which I
could remark that the word _arekee_, that is, king, was generally
mentioned. One man said something that produced bursts of hearty
laughter from all the crowd; others of the speakers met with public
applause. I was several times desired to leave the place, and, at last,
when they found that I would not stir, after some seeming consultation,
they applied to me to uncover my shoulders as theirs were. With this
request I complied, and then they seemed to be no longer uneasy at my
presence.

I sat a full hour, without any thing more going forward, beside what I
have mentioned. At length the prince, the women, and the king, all came
in, as they had done the day before. The prince being placed under the
shed, after his father's arrival, two men, each carrying a piece of mat,
came repeating something seriously, and put them about him. The
assembled people now began their operations; and first, three companies
ran backward and forward across the area, as described in the account of
the proceedings of the former day. Soon after, the two men, who sat in
the middle of the area, made a short speech or prayer, and then the
whole body, amongst whom I had my place, started up, and ran and seated
themselves before the shed under which the prince, and three or four
men, were sitting. I was now partly under the management of one of the
company, who seemed very assiduous to serve me. By his means, I was
placed in such a situation, that if I had been allowed to make use of my
eyes, nothing that passed could have escaped me. But it was necessary to
sit with down-cast looks, and demure as maids.

Soon after the procession came in, as on the day before; each two
persons bearing on their shoulders a pole, round the middle of which, a
cocoa-nut leaf was plaited. These were deposited with ceremonies similar
to those observed on the preceding day. This first procession was
followed by a second; the men composing which, brought baskets, such as
are usually employed by this people to carry provisions in, and made of
palm leaves. These were followed, by a third procession, in which were
brought different kinds of small fish, each fixed at the end of a forked
stick. The baskets were carried up to an old man, whom I took to be the
chief priest, and who sat on the prince's right hand, without the shed.
He held each in his hand, while he made a short speech or prayer, then
laid it down, and called for another, repeating the same words as
before; and thus he went through the whole number of baskets. The fish
were presented, one by one, on the forked sticks, as they came in, to
two men, who sat on the left, and who, till now, held green branches in
their hands. The first fish they laid down on their right, and the
second on their left. When the third was presented, a stout-looking man,
who sat behind the other two, reached his arm over between them, and
made a snatch at it; as also did the other two at the very same time.
Thus they seemed to contend for every fish that was presented; but as
there were two hands against one, besides the advantage of situation,
the man behind got nothing but pieces; for he never quitted his bold,
till the fish was torn out of his hand, and what little remained in it
he shook out behind him. The others laid what they got on the right and
left alternately. At length, either by accident or design, the man
behind got possession of a whole fish, without either of the other two
so much as touching it. At this the word _mareeai_, which signifies
_very good_ or _well done_, was uttered in a low voice throughout the
whole crowd. It seemed that he had performed now all that was expected
from him, for he made no attempt upon the few fish that came after.
These fish, as also the baskets, were all delivered, by the persons who
brought them in, sitting; and, in the same order and manner, the small
poles, which the first procession carried, had been laid upon the
ground.

The last procession being closed, there was some speaking or praying by
different persons. Then, on some signal being given, we all started up,
ran several paces to the left, and sat down with our backs to the
prince, and the few who remained with him; I was desired not to look
behind me. However, neither this injunction nor the remembrance of Lot's
wife, discouraged me from facing about. I now saw that the prince had
turned his face to the _morai_. But this last movement had brought so
many people between him and me, that I could not perceive what was
doing. I was afterward assured, that, at this very time, the prince was
admitted to the high honour of eating with his father, which, till now,
had never been permitted to him; a piece of roasted yam being presented
to each of them for this purpose; This was the more probable, as we had
been told before-hand, that this was to happen during the solemnity, and
as all the people turned their backs to them at this time, which they
always do when their monarch eats.

After some little time, we all faced about, and formed a semicircle
before the prince, leaving a large open space between us. Presently
there appeared some men coming toward us, two and two, bearing large
sticks or poles upon their shoulders, making a noise that might be
called singing, and waving their hands as they advanced. When they had
got close up to us, they made a shew of walking very fast, without
proceeding a single step. Immediately after, three or four men started
up from the crowd, with large sticks in their hands, who ran toward
those newcomers. The latter instantly threw down the poles from their
shoulders, and scampered off; and the others attacked the poles, and,
having beat them most unmercifully, returned to their places. As the
pole-bearers ran off, they gave the challenge that is usual here in
wrestling; and, not long after, a number of stout fellows came from the
same quarter, repeating the challenge as they advanced. These were
opposed by a party who came from the opposite side almost at the same
instant. The two parties paraded about the area for a few minutes, and
then retired, each to their own side. After this, there were wrestling
and boxing-matches for about half an hour. Then two men seated
themselves before the prince, and made speeches, addressed, as I
thought, entirely to him. With this the solemnity ended, and the whole
assembly broke up.

I now went and examined the several baskets which had been presented; a
curiosity that I was not allowed before to indulge, because every thing
was then _taboo_. But the solemnity being now over, they became simply
what I found them to be, empty baskets. So that, whatever they were
supposed to contain, was emblematically represented. And so, indeed, was
every other thing which had been brought in procession, except the fish.

We endeavoured in vain to find out the meaning, not only of the ceremony
in general, which is called _Natche_, but of its different parts. We
seldom got any other answer to our enquiries, but _taboo_, a word which,
I have before observed, is applied to many other things. But as the
prince was evidently the principal person concerned in it, and as we had
been told by the king ten days before the celebration of the _Natche_,
that the people would bring in yams for him and his son to eat together,
and as he even described some part of the ceremony, we concluded, from
what he had then said, and from what we now saw, that an oath of
allegiance, if I may so express myself, or solemn promise, was on this
occasion made to the prince, as the immediate successor to the regal
dignity, to stand by him, and to furnish him with the several articles
that were here emblematically represented. This seems the more probable,
as all the principal people of the island, whom we had ever seen,
assisted in the processions. But, be this as it may, the whole was
conducted with a great deal of mysterious solemnity; and that there was
a mixture of religion in the institution was evident, not only from the
place where it was performed, but from the manner of performing it. Our
dress and deportment had never been called in question upon any former
occasion whatever. Now, it was expected that we should be uncovered as
low as the waist; that our hair should be loose, and flowing over our
shoulders; that we should, like themselves, sit cross-legged; and, at
times, in the most humble posture, with down-cast eyes, and hands locked
together; all which requisites were most devoutly observed by the whole
assembly. And, lastly, every one was excluded from the solemnity; but
the principal people, and those who assisted in the celebration. All
these circumstances were to me a sufficient testimony, that, upon this
occasion, they consider themselves as acting under the immediate
inspection of a Supreme Being;

The present _Natche_ may be considered, from the above account of it,
as merely figurative. For the small quantity of yams, which we saw the
first day, could not be intended as a general contribution; and, indeed,
we were given to understand, that they were a portion consecrated to the
_Otooa_, or Divinity. But we were informed, that, in about three months,
there would be performed, on the same account, a far more important and
grander solemnity; on which occasion, not only the tribute of
Tongataboo, but that of Hepaee, Vavaoo, and of all the other islands;
would be brought to the chief, and confirmed more awfully, by
sacrificing ten human victims from amongst the inferior sort of people.
A horrid solemnity indeed! and which is a most significant instance of
the influence of gloomy and ignorant superstition, over the minds of one
of the most benevolent and humane nations upon earth. On enquiring into
the reasons of so barbarous a practice, they only said, that it was a
necessary part of the _Natche_, and that, if they omitted it, the Deity
would certainly destroy their king.

Before the assembly broke up, the day was far spent; and as we were at
some distance from the ships, and had an intricate navigation to go
through, we were in haste to set out from Mooa. When I took leave of
Poulaho, he pressed me much to stay till the next day, to be present at
a funeral ceremony. The wife of Mareewagee, who was mother-in-law to the
king, had lately died, and her corpse had, on account of the _Natche_,
been carried on board a canoe that lay in the _lagoon_. Poulaho told me,
that, as soon as he had paid the last offices to her, he would attend me
to Eooa, but, if I did not wait, he would follow me thither. I
understood at the same time, that, if it had not been for the death of
this woman, most of the chiefs would have accompanied us to that island,
where, it seems, all of them have possessions. I would gladly have
waited to see this ceremony also, had not the tide been now favourable
for the ships to get through the narrows. The wind besides, which, for
several days past, had been very boisterous, was now moderate and
settled, and to have lost this opportunity, might have detained us a
fortnight longer. But what was decisive against my waiting, we
understood that the funeral ceremonies would last five days, which was
too long a time, as the ships lay in such a situation, that I could not
get to sea at pleasure. I, however, assured the king, that, if we did
not sail, I should certainly visit him again the next day. And so we all
took leave of him, and set out for the ships, where we arrived about
eight o'clock in the evening.

I had forgot to mention, that Omai was present at this second day's
ceremony as well as myself, but we were not together, nor did I know
that he was there, till it was almost over. He afterward told me, that,
as soon as the king saw that I had stolen out from the plantation, he
sent several people, one after another, to desire me to come back.
Probably, these messengers were not admitted to the place where I was,
for I saw nothing of them. At last, intelligence was brought to the
chief, that I had actually stripped, in conformity to their custom; and
then he told Omai, that he might be present also, if he would comply
with all necessary forms. Omai had no objection, as nothing was required
of him, but to conform to the custom of his own country. Accordingly, he
was furnished with a proper dress, and appeared at the ceremony as one
of the natives. It is likely, that one reason of our being excluded at
first, was an apprehension, that we would not submit to the requisites
to qualify us to assist.

While I was attending the _Natche_ at Mooa, I ordered the horses, bull
and cow, and goats, to be brought thither, thinking that they would be
safer there, under the eyes of the chiefs, than at a place that would
be, in a manner, deserted, the moment after our departure. Besides the
above-mentioned animals, we left with our friends here, a young boar,
and three young sows, of the English breed. They were exceedingly
desirous of them, judging, no doubt, that they would greatly improve
their own breed, which is rather small. Feenou also got from us two
rabbits, a buck and a doe; and, before we sailed, we were told that
young ones had been already produced. If the cattle succeed, of which I
make no doubt, it will be a vast acquisition to these islands; and as
Tongataboo is a fine level country, the horses cannot but be useful.

On the 10th, at eight o'clock in the morning, we weighed anchor, and,
with a steady gale at S.E., turned through the channel, between the
small isles called Makkahaa and Monooafai, it being much wider than the
channel between the last-mentioned island and Pangimodoo. The flood set
strong in our favour, till we were the length of the channel leading up
to the _lagoon_, where the flood from the eastward meets that from the
west. This, together with the indraught of the _lagoon_, and of the
shoals before it, causeth strong ripplings and whirlpools. To add to
these dangers, the depth of water in the channel exceeds the length of a
cable; so that there is no anchorage, except close to the rocks, where
we meet with forty and forty-five fathoms, over a bottom of dark sand.
But then, here, a ship would be exposed to the whirlpools. This
frustrated the design which I had formed, of coming to an anchor as soon
as we were through the narrows, and of making an excursion to see the
funeral. I chose rather to lose that ceremony, than to leave the ships
in a situation in which I did not think them safe. We continued to ply
to windward, between the two tides, without either gaining or losing an
inch, till near high water, when, by a favourable slant, we got into the
eastern tide's influence. We expected, there, to find the ebb to run
strong to the eastward in our favour, but it proved so inconsiderable,
that, at any other time, it would not have been noticed. This informed
us, that most of the water which flows into the _lagoon_, comes from the
N.W., and returns the same way. About five in the afternoon, finding
that we could not get to sea before it was dark, I came to an anchor,
under the shore of Tongataboo, in forty-five fathoms water, and about
two cables length from the reef, that runs along that side of the
island. The Discovery dropped anchor under our stern; but before the
anchor took hold, she drove off the bank, and did not recover it till
after midnight.