Volume 1

A new and complete collection of voyages and travels / [John Hamilton Moore].

  • John Hamilton Moore
Date:
[1785?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new and complete collection of voyages and travels / [John Hamilton Moore]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    t APT AI principal ornaments. The form of fome of their faces was agreeable, and their nofes were rather pro¬ minent than flat. Their dialed was not fo guttural as that of the others, and they fpoke like the people of the ifland'of Otaheite. Having anchored in a bay about two leagues to the northward of the foreland, two chiefs came on board here, and the natives invited them aftiore. The chiefs received prefents of linen* but they did not feem to value fpike-nails fo much as the inhabitants of the other iflands. They were drefied in jackets, the one ornamented with tufts of red feathers, the other with dog’s-fkin. The natives received Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander courteoufly on fhore; where they did not appear in numerous bodies. In the courfe of their journey round the bay, frefh water was found. All night they remained on fhore, and the next day the Dodlor and Mr. Banks dilcovered feveral plants and many beautiful birds, among wfhich were large pigeons and quails. Many ftages for the purpofe of drying fifh were obferved near the place where the gentlemen landed, and fome lioufcs with fences were Teen. Some dogs were remarked on the ifland, which had pointed ears, and were very ugly. Sweet potatoes, like thofe of North America were found here ; and the cloth-plant grew fpontaneous. The lands in the neighbouring valleys were laid out in regular plantations. In the bay there is plenty of crabs, cray-fifh, and horfe-mackarel, larger than thofe upon our coafts. The woods were almoft impaflable on account of the number of fupple jacks (as they are called) which grow there. As to the flat lands, they were planted with cocoas, as the hollow parts were with gourds. The Dodlor and Mr. Banks vifited fe¬ veral of the natives houfes, and they met with a very civil reception. Fifli conftituted their principal food at this time ; and a root of a fort of fern ferved them for bread, which, when roafted upon a fire, and di¬ verted of its bark, was fweet and clammy ; in tafte not difagreeeable, but unpleafant from its number of fibres. Vegetables were, doubtlefs, at other feafons very plentiful. The women painted their faces red, which fo far from increafing, diminifhed the very lit¬ tle beauty they had.' The mens faces were not in general painted, but rubbed over with, red ocre from head to foot, their apparel not excepted. Though they could not be compared to the inhabitants of Ota¬ heite for cleanlinefs in general, they furpafTed them in this refpedt in fome particulars. Every dwelling was fupplied with a privy, and they had dunghills for de- pofiting dirt and filth. The women wore a girdle made of the blade of grafs under a petticoat, and to this girdle was tied in front a bunch of fragrant leaves. They feemed to hold chaftity but in little eftimation, many of the young females reforting to the watering- place where they bountifully beftowed every favour that was requefted. One of the officers on fhore, meeting with an elderly woman, he accompanied her to her houfe, and having prefented her with fome cloth and beads, a young girl was Tingled out, and he was given to underhand he might retire with her. Soon after, an elderly man with two women, came in as vi- fitors, and with much formality faluted all the com¬ pany, according to the curtom of the place, which is by gently joining the tips of their nofes together. The officer, on his return, was furnifhed with a guide, who led him a much better road than that he had came, and whenever they came to a brook or rivulet, the In¬ dian took him upon his back to preferve him from be¬ ing wet; feveral of the inhabitants were curioully ta- taowed, and one old man in particular, was marked on the bread with various figures. There was an axe made of thegreen-rtone, already mentioned, which could not be purchafed, though many things were of¬ fered in exchange. At night they danced in a very uncouth manner, making antic geftures, lolling out their tongues, with other rtrange grimaces ; and in thefe dances old men with grey beards, as well as the young ones, were capital performers. They carried their civility fo far, as to afiift Mr. Banks and his company with one of their canoes to carry them on N COOK; board, but the Endeavour’s people being unacquainted with the method of fleering fuch a v'efiel, fine was overfet, but no one was drowned ; and they reached the fhip without any farther accident, fome of the Indians having voluntarily engaged to conduct her; During the ftay of the gentlemen on fhore, many of the natives went out in their canoes, and trafficked with the fhip’s company, preferring at firrt the cloth of Otaheite to that of Europe} but it foon diminifhed in its value. Several of the Indians went on board, and teftified their curiofity and furprife with regard to the different parts of the fhip. On Sunday the 22d, in the evening, they failed from this bay, which by the natives is called Tegadoo} and lies in latitude 38° 10'fouth. The wind being contrary, they put into another bay a little to the fouth, called by the natives Toltaga in order to com¬ plete their wood and water, and extend their corre- fpondence with the natives : in this bay they came to an anchor in about feven fathom water, with a good fandybottom. Several canoes appeared with Indians on board, and they trafficked very fairly for glafs bottles and cloth. The captain, Mr. Banks, and the Dodlor went in the afternoon to examine the wa¬ ter, and found it extremely good } here was alio plenty of wood, and the natives behaved with as much ci¬ vility as thofe they had juft departed from. On the 24th, Mr. Gore and the marines were fent on fhore, to guard the people employed in cutting wood and filling water, Captain Cook, Mr. Banks and the Dodlor alfo went on fhore } the two latter employed themfelves in colledling plants. In their route they found in the vales many houfes uninhabited, the natives refiding chiefly in flight fheds on the ridges of the hills, which are very fteep. In a valley be¬ tween two very high hills they faw a curious rock, that formed a large arch, oppofite to the fea : this cavity was in length above feventy feet, in breadtli 30, and near 50 in heighth } it commanded a view of the hill and the bay, which had a very happy ef¬ fect. Indeed, the whole country about the bay being agreeable beyond defeription, if properly cultivated would be a moft fertile fpof. The hills are covered with beautiful flowering fhrubs, intermixed with a number of tall and flately palms, which perfume the air, and make it moft agreeably odoriferous. Mr* Banks and the Dodlor found the tree that produces the cabbage, which, when boiled, was very good; and fome other trees that yielded a fine tranfparent gum. Between the hills were fruitful valleys that might have been fuccefi fully cultivated or turned into pafturage. Various kinds of edible herbage, were met v/ith in great abundance} and there was reafon to believe there were many trees that produced fruit fit to eat, fome of which the gentlemen examined. The plant from which the cloth is made, is a kind of He- merocallis, the leaves of which afford a ftronggloffy flax, equally adapted tocloathing, and making of ropes. There are fweet potatoes and young plantains near their houfes, which are carefully cultivated. Thefe gentlemen, on their return, met an old man who enter¬ tained them with the military exercifes of the natives, which were performed with the Patoo-Patoo, and the lance. The former has already been mentioned, and is ufed as a battle-axe, the latter is 18 or 20 feet in length, made of extreme hard wood, and fharpened at each end. A flake was fubflituted for their old war¬ rior’s fuppofed enemy ; he firft attacked him with his lance, when, having pierced him, the patoo-patoo was ufed to demolifh his head, and the force with which he ftruck, would at one blow have fplit any man’s fcull. This mode of fighting induced the gentlemen to believe no quarter was ever given here in war. The natives in this part are not very numerous, they are tolerably well-fhaped, but lean and tall, their faces refemble thofe of the Europeans, their nofes are aquiline, their eyes dark coloured, their hair is black, which is tied up on the top of their heads, and theft beards are of a moderate length, their tataowing is done very curioufly in various figures, which makes
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