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Teceptacle of all that is low, mean, and unmanly, to deftroy, by over-indulgence, the natural paffions; in a word, to add new charms to the means of perdition-To do this was referved for the -$, and the

s of the prefent day. In this work they labour conftantly, and in this work they have no reason to be weary for want of encouragement. On the contrary, the evils they occafion are confeffed on all hands. The loft and abandoned woman confeffes their fuccefs; the dying profligate claims à merit from declaring, that his natural paffions would never have led him aftray without their affiftance.

As fo much has been faid, my Lord, on this fubject, I fhall not enlarge. Suffice it to add, that it is not only probable, but practicable, to put a ftop to this evil. Some attempts have been made, but have proved abortive from the weakness and mifmanage ment of the propofer. I fhall not prefume to dictate to any magiftrate what he muft know. There is one objection to be obviated, It is faid, that a profecution would only ferve to render the publications better known. This is a miftake; they cannot be better known, because the best works in our lan guage are not made more public. He, who cannot read, is the only perfon who is fup pofed ignorant of them. This alfo might be an objection if the penalty was to be trifling, because their profits are fo great as to enable them to pay a fmall penalty every day rather than leave a traffic fo produc

tive.

I believe, my Lord, there is no law inflicting a capital punishment on fuch wretches, It were to be wilhed that a law were made on purpose. Is there a criminal, at prefent, in confinement, whofe crime equals their's? Can a thousand robbers, or houfebreakers, with all their fum of guilt, make up their's? Were I to addrefs them-were any one to address them, would it not be in a language like this?

"After all your efforts, what fatisfaction have you gained by the acquifition of wealth which hath not brought refpectability with it. You have defolated many a mind once fruitful of virtue and piety-You have brought diftrefs, difeafe, and death into many a family, happy ere their acquaintance with your poisonous productions-You have deprived the young mind of its firmnefs. its fenfibility, its delicacy- You have bereft it of its virtue, even before experience had taught the value of a good character-You have adminiflered to the defires of the impotent, the defigns of the profligate, and to the natural corruption of --And if ever reflection comes on you, you must think that If ever there was a hell upon earth, it is in your minds, and if there be a place of eter

nal punishment hereafter, it must be defign ed for wretches like you.

I earnestly recommend an attention to thi fubject, and am, my Lord,

Your Lordship's moft obedient, &c. (To be continued.)

Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, undertaken b the command of bis Majefly, for makin Difcoveries in the Northern Hemisphere and performed under the Direction o Captains Cook, Clerke, and Gore, of his Ma jefly's Ships the Refolution and Difcovery in the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779 and 1780.

(Continued from Page 693, of our Appendix for 1785.)

W

E were now led back into the othe divifion of the Morai, where there was a space, ten or twelve feet fquare, funk about three feet below the level of the area. Into this we defcended, and Captain Cook was feated between two wooden idols, Koah fupporting one of his arms, whilft I was defired to fupport the other. At this time,`arrived a fecond proceffion of natives, carrying a baked hog, and a pudding, fome breadfruit, cocoa-nuts, and other vegetables. When they approached us, Kaireekeea put himself at their head, and prefenting the pig to Captain Cook in the ufual manner, began the fame kind of chant as before, his companions making regular refponfes. We obferved, that after every refponfe, their parts became gradually fhorter, till, toward the clofe, Kaireekeea's confifted of only ty o or three words, which the rest answered by the word Orono.

When this offering was concluded, which lafted a quarter of an hour, the natives fat down, fronting us, and began to cut up the baked hog, to peel the vegetables, and break the cocoa-nuts; whilft others employed themfelves in brewing the ava; which is done, by chewing it in the fame manner as at the Friendly Ilands. Kaireekeea then took part of the kernel of a cocoa-nut, which he chewed, and wrapping it in a piece of cloth, rubbed with it the Captain's face, head, hands, arms, and thoulders. The ava was then handed round, and after we had tafted it, Koah and Pareea began to pull the flesh of the hog in pieces, and to put it into our mouths. I had no great objection to being fed by Pareca, who was very cleanly in his perfon; but Captain Cook, who was ferved by Koah, recollecting the putrid hog, could not fwallow a morfel; and his reluct ance, as may be fuppofed, was not diminished, when the old man, according to his own mode of civility, had chewed it for him.

When this laft ceremony was finished, which Captain Cook put an end to as foon as he decently could, we quitted the Morai,

after

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1786

Voyage of Captain Cook.

after diftributing amongst the people fome pieces of iron and other trifles, with which they feemed highly gratified. The inen with wands conducted us to the boats, repeating the fame words as before. The people again retired, and the few that remain ed, proftrated themselves as we paffed along the hore. We immediately went on board, our minds full of what we had feen, and extremely well fatisfied with the good difpofitions of our new friends. The meaning of the various ceremonies, with which we had been received, and which, on account of their novelty and fingularity, have been related at length, can only be lubject of conjectures: they were, however, without doubt, expreffive of high refpect on the part of the natives; and, as far as related to the perfon of Captain Cook, they feemed approaching to adoration.

"The next morning, the 18th, I went on fhore with a guard of eight marines, including the corporal and lieutenant, having orders to erect the obfervatory in fuch a fituation as night beft enable me to fuperintend and protect the waterers, and the other working parties that were to be on fhore. As we were viewing a spot conveniently fituated for this purpose, in the middle of the village, Pareea, who was always ready to hew both his power and his good will, offered to pull down fome houfes that would have obftructed our obfervations. However, we thought it proper to decline this offer, and fixed on a field of fweet potatoes adjoining to the Morai, which was readily granted us; and the priests, to prevent the intrufion of the natives, immediately confecrated the place, by fixing their wands round the wall by which it was inclosed.

This fort of religious interdiction they call taboo; a word we heard often repeated, during our ftay among these iflanders, and found to be of very powerful and extenfive operation. A more particular explanation of it will be given in the general account of thefe inlands, under the article of religion; a prefent it is only neceffary 'to obferve, that it procured us even more privacy than we defired. No canoes ever prefumed to land near us; the natives fat on the wall, but none offered to come within the tabooed fpace, till he had obtained our permiffion. But though the men, at our requeft, would come across the field with provisions, yet not all our endeavours could prevail on the women to approach us. Prefents were tried, but without effect; Pareea and Koah were tempted to bring them, but in vain; we were invariably anfwered, that the Eatooa and Terrecoboo (which was the name of their king) would kill them. This circumftance afforded no fmall matter of amufement to our friends on board, where the crowds of people, and particularly of women, that continued to flock thither, obliged them

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almoft every hour to clear the veffel, in order to have roam to do the neceflary duties of the ship. On thefe occafions, two or three hundred women were frequently made to jump into the water at once, where they continued fwinning and playing about, till they could again procure admittance.

From the 19th to the 24th, nothing very material happened. The caulkers were fet to work on the fides of the fhips, and the rigging was overhauled and repaired. The falting of hogs for fea-ftore was alío one of the principal objects of Captain Cook's attention; in which, notwithstanding it has generally been thought impracticable to cure the flesh of animals by falting, in tropical climates, he was very fuccefsful.

We had not long been fettled at the obfervatory, before we difcovered, in our neighbourhood, the habitations of a fociety of priests, whofe regular attendance at the Morai had excited our curiofity. Their huts flood round a pond of water, and were, furrounded by a grove of cocoa-nut trees, which feparated them from the beach and the rest of the village, and gave the place an air of religious retirement. On my acquainting Captain Cook with this, he refolved to pay them a vifit; which he accordingly did, and was received with nearly the fame religious ceremonies as at the Morai.

During the rest of the time we remained in the bay, whenever Captain Cook came on thore, he was attended by one of these priefts, who went before him, giving notice that the Orono had landed, and ordering the people to proftrate themfelves. The fame perion alfo conftantly accompanied him on the water, ftanding in the bow of the boat, with a wand in his hand, and giving notice of his approach to the natives, who were in canoes, on which they immediately left off paddling, and lay down on their faces till he had paffed. Whenever he ftopped at the obfervatory, Kaireekeea and his brethren immediately made their appearance with hogs, cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, &c. and prefented them with the ufual folemnities. It was on thefe occafions that fome of the inferior Chiefs frequently requested to be permitted to make an offering to the Orono. When this was granted, they prefented the hog themselves, generally with evident marks of fear in their countenances; whilst Kaireekeea and the priests chanted their accuftomed hymns.

The civilities of this fociety were not, however, confined to mere ceremony and parade. Our party on fhore received from them, every day, a conftant fupply of hogs and vegetables, more than fufficient for our fubfiftence; and feveral canoes loaded with provifions were fent to the fhips with the fame punctuality. No return was ever demanded, or even hinted at in the moft dif

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tant manner. Their prefents were made with a regularity, more like the difcharge of a religious duty, than the effect of mere liberality; and when we enquired at whofe charge all this munificence was difplayed, we were told, it was at the expence of a great man called Kaoo, the chief of the priefts, and grandfather to Kaireekeea, who was at that time absent attending the king of the island,

Things continued in this ftate till the 24th, when we were a good deal furprized to find that no canoes were fuffered to put off from the fhore, and that the natives kept close to their houses. After feveral hours fufpence, we learned that the bay was tabooed, and all intercourse with us interdicted, on account of the arrival of Terreeoboo. As we had not foreseen an accident of this fort, our crews were obliged to pass the day without their ufual fupply of vegetables. The next morning, therefore, they endeavoured, both by threats and promifes, to induce the natives to come along-fide; and as fome of them were at laft venturing to put off, a Chief was observed attempting to drive them away. A mufquet was immediately fired over his head, to make him defift, which had the defired effect, and refreshments were foon after purchased as ufual. In the afternoon, Terreeohoo arrived, and vifited the fhips in a private manner, attended only by one canoe, in which were his wife and children. He flaid on board till near ten o'clock,

The next day, the king, in a large canoe, attended by two others, paddled toward the fhips in great ftate. Their appearance was grand and magnificent. In the firft canoe was Terreeoboo and his Chiefs, drefled in their rich feathered cloaks and helmets, and armed with long spears and daggers; in the fecond, came the venerable Kaoo, the Chief of the priests, and his brethren, with their idols difplayed on red cloth. These idols were bufts of a gigantic fize, made of wicker-work, and curiously covered with fmall feathers of various colours, wrought in the fame manner with their cloaks. Their eyes were made of large pearl oysters, with a black nut fixed to the centre; their mouths were set with a double row of the fangs of dogs, and, together with the reft of their features, were ftrangely diftorted. The third canoe was filled with hogs and various forts of vegetables. As they went along, the priests in the centre canoe fung their hymns with great folemnity; and after paddling round the fhips, inftead of going on board, as was expected, they made toward the shore at the beach where we were stationed.

As foon as I faw them approaching, I ordered out our little guard to receive the

king; and Captain Cook, perceiving that he was going on fhore, followed him, and arrived nearly at the fame time. We conducted them into the tent, where they had fcarcely been feated, when the king rofe up, and in a very graceful manner threw over the Captain's fhoulders the cloak he himself wore, put a feathered helmet upon his head, and a curious fan in his hand. He alfo fpread at his feet five or fix other cloaks, all exceedingly beautiful, and of the greatest value. His attendants then brought four very large hogs, with fuger-canes, cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit; and this part of the ceremony was concluded by the king's exchanging names with Captain Cook, which, amongst all the islanders of the Pacific Ocean, is esteemed the ftrongest pledge of friendship. A proceffion of priests, with a venerable old V perfonage at their head, now appeared, followed by a long train of men leading large hogs, and others carrying plantains, fweet potatoes, &c. By the looks and geftures of Kaireekeea, I immediately knew the old man to be the chief of the priests before mentioned, on whose bounty we had fo long fubfifted. He had a piece of red cloth in his hands, which he wrapped round Captain Cook's fhoulders, and afterwards prefented him with a small pig in the ufual form. A feat was then made for him, next to the king, after which, Kaireekeea and his foilowers began their ceremonies, Kaoo and the Chiefs joining in the refponfes.

As foon as the formalities of the meeting were over, Captain Cook carried Terreeoboo, and as many Chiefs as the pinnace could hold, on board the Refolution. They were received with every mark of refpect; and Captain Cook, in return for the feathered cloak, put a linen fhirt on the king, and girt his own hanger round him. The ancient Kaoo, and about half a dozen more old Chiefs, remained on fhore, and took up their abode at the priefts houfes. During all this time, not a canoe was feen in the bay, and the natives either kept within their huts, or lay proftrate on the ground. Before the king left the Refolution, Captain Cook obtained leave for the natives to come and trade with the ships as ufual; but the women, for what reafon we could not learn, ftill continued under the effects of the taboo that is, were forbidden to ftir from home, or to have any communication with us.

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thofe occafions. Wherever we went, the people flocked about us, eager to offer every affiftance, and highly gratified if their fervices were accepted. Various little arts were practifed to attract our notice, or to delay our departure. The boys and girls ran before, as we walked through their villages, and flopped us at every opening, where there was room to form a group for dancing. At one time, we were invited to accept a draught of cocoa-nut milk, or fome other refreshment under the fhade of their huts; at another, we were feated within a circle of young women, who exerted all their skill to amufe us with fongs and dances.

The fatisfaction we derived from their gentleness and hofpitality, was, however, frequently interrupted by their propenfity to ftealing. Some of their most expert fwimmers were one day difcovered under the fhips, drawing out the filling nails of the sheathing, which they performed very dexterously by means of a fhort ftick, with a flint ftone fixed in the end of it. To put a stop to this practice, which endangered the very exiftence of the veffels, we at firft fired small fhot at the offenders; but they eafily got out of our reach by diving under the fhip's bottom. It was therefore found neceflary to make an example, by flogging one of them on board the Discovery.

'On the 28th, died William Watman, a feaman of the gunner's crew; an event which I mention the more particularly, as death had hitherto been very rare amongst us. He was an old man, and much refpect ed on account of his attachment to Captain Cook. He had formerly ferved as a marine twenty-one years; after which he entered as a feaman on board the Refolution in 1772, and ferved with Captain Cook in his voyage toward the South Pole. At their return, he was admitted into Greenwich Hofpital, through the Captain's intereft, at the fame time with himself; and being refolved to follow throughout the fortunes of his benefactor, he alfo quitted it along with him, on his being appointed to the command of the prefent expedition. During the voyage, he had frequently been fubject to flight fevers, and was a convalefcent when he came into the bay, where being fent on fhore for a few days, he conceived himself perfectly recovered, and, at his own defire, returned on board; but the day following, he had a paralytic ftroke, which in two days carried

him off.

At the request of the king, he was buried on the Morai, and the ceremony was performed with proper folemnity. Old Kaoo and his brethren were fpectators, and preferved the moft profound filence and attention, whilft the fervice was reading. When we began to fill up the grave, they approach

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ed it with great reverence, threw in a dead pig, fome cocoa-nuts, and plantains; and, for three nights afterward, they furrounded it, facrificing hogs, and performing their ufual ceremonies of hymns and prayers, which continued till day-break.

At the head of the grave, we erected a poft, and nailed upon it a fquare piece of board, on which was infcribed the name of the deceased, his age, and the day of his death. This they promised not to remove; and we have no doubt, but that it will be fuffered to remain, as long as the frail materials, of which it is made, will permit.

The fhips being in great want of fuel, the Captain defired me, on the 2d of Febru ary, to treat with the priests for the purchase of the rail, that furrounded the top of the Morai. I must confefs, I had, at first, fome doubt about the decency of this proposal, and was apprehenfive, that even the bare mention of it might be confidered by them, as a piece of fhocking impiety. In this, however, I found myfelf miftaken. Not the fmalleft furprize was expressed at the application, and the wood was readily given, even without ftipulating for any thing in return. Whilft the failors were taking it away, I obferved one of them carrying off a carved image; and, on further inquiry, I found that they had conveyed to the boats the whole femicircle. Though this was done in the prefence of the natives, who had not fhewn any mark of refentment at it, but had even affifted them in the removal, I thought it proper to speak to Kaoo on the subject; who appeared very indifferent about the matter, and only defired, that we would reftore the centre image, I have mentioned before, which he carried into one of the priest's houfes.

Terrecoboo, and his chiefs, had, for fome days paft, been very inquifitive about the time of our departure. This circumftance had excited in me a great curiofity to know, what opinion this people had formed of us, and what were their ideas respecting the cause and objects of our voyage. I took fome pains to fatisfy myself on these points; but could never learn any thing farther, than that they imagined we came from fome country where provifions had failed; and that our vifit to them was merely for the purpose of filling our bellies. Indeed, the meagre appearance of fome of our crew, the hearty appetites with which we fat down to their fresh provifions, and our great anxiety to purchase, and carry off, as much as we were able, led them, naturally enough, to fuch a conclufion. To thefe may be added, a circumftance which puzzled them exceedingly, our having no women with us; together with our quiet conduct, and unwarlike appearacce. It was ridiculous enough

to fee them ftroking the fides, and patting the bellies, o the failors (who were certainly much improved in the fleeknefs of their looks, during our fhort ftay on the island, and telling them, partly by figns, and partly by words, that it was time for them to go: but if they would come again the next breadfruit feafon, they fhould be better able to fupply their wants. We had now been fixteen days in the bay; and if our enormous confumption of hogs and vegetables be confidered, it need not be wondered, that they fhould wish to fee us take our leave. It is very probable, however, that Terreeoboo had no other view, in his inquiries, at prefent, than a defire of making fufficient preparation for difmiffing us with prefents, fuitable to the refpect and kindness with which he had received us. For, on our telling him we fhould leave the ifland the next day but one, we obferved, that a fort of proclamation was immediately made through the villages, to require the people to bring in their hogs, and vegetables, for the king to prefent to the Orono, on his departure.

The next day, being fixed for our departure, Terreeoboo invited Captain Cook and myself to attend him, on the 3d, to the place where Kaoo refided. On our arrival, we found the ground covered with parcels of cloth; a vaft quantity of red and yellow feathers, tied to the fibres of cocoa-nut hufks, and a great number of hatchets, and other pieces of iron-ware, that had been got in barter from us. At a little diftance from thefe, lay an immenfe quantity of vegetables, of every kind, and near them was a large herd of hogs. At first, we imagined the whole to be intended as a prefent for us, till Kaireekeea informed me, that it was a gift or tribute from the people of that diftrict to the king; and, accordingly, as foon as we were feated, they brought all the bundles, and laid them feverally at Terrecoboo's feet; fpreading out the cloth, and difplaying the feathers and iron-ware before him. The king feemed much pleased with this mark of their duty'; and having felected about a third part of the iron-ware, the fame proportion of feathers, and a few pieces of cloth, thefe were fet afide by themselves; and the remainder of the cloth, together with all the hogs and vegetables, were afterwards prefented to Captain Cook and myself. We were astonished at the value and magnitude of this prefent, which far exceeded every thing of the kind we had feen, either at the Friendly or Society Iflands. Boats were immediately fent to carry them on board; the large hogs were picked out, to be falted for fea-ftore; and upwards of thirty fmaller pigs, and the vegetables, were divided between the two crews.

• The fame day, we quitted the Morai,

and got the tents and aftronomical inftruments on board. The charm of the Taboo was now removed: and we had no fooner left the place, than the natives rushed in, and fearched eagerly about, in expectation of finding fomething of value, that we might have left behind. As I happened to remain the laft on fhore, and waited for the return of the boat, feveral came crowding about me, and having made me fit down by them, began to lament our feparation. It was indeed, not without difficulty, I was able to quit them. And here, I hope, I may be permitted to relate a trifling occurrence, in which I was principally concerned. Ha← ving had the command of the party on fhere, during the whole time we were in the bay, I had an opportunity of becoming better acquainted with the natives, and of being better known to them, than thofe whofe duty required them to be generally on board. As I had every reafon to be fatisfied with their kindnefs in general, fo I cannot too often nor too particularly mention the unbounded and conftant friendfhip of their priests.

On my part, I fpared no endeavours to conciliate their affections, and gain their ef teem; and I had the good fortune to fucceed fo far, that when the time of our departure was made known, I was ftrongly folicited to remain behind, not without offers of the moft flattering kind. When I excufed nyfelf, by faying, Captain Cook would not give his confent, they proposed that I fhould retire into the mountains; where, they said, they would conceal me, till after the departure of the fhips; and on my farther affuring them, that the Captain would not leave the bay without me, Terreeoboo and Kaoo waited on Captain Cook, whofe fon they fuppofed I was, with a formal requeft, that I might be left behind. The Captain, to avoid giving a positive refufal, to an offer fo kindly intended, told them, that he could not part with me at that time, but that he should return to the island next year, and would then endeavour to fettle the matter to their fatisfaction.

Early in the morning of the 4th, we unmoored and failed out of the bay, with the Difcovery in company, and were followed by a great number of canoes. Capt. Cook's defign was to finish the furvey of Owhyhee, before he vifited the other iflands, in hopes of meeting with a road better sheltered than the bay we had just left; and in cafe of not fucceeding here, he purpofed to take a view of the South Eaft part of Mowee, where the natives informed us we should find an excellent harbour.

Capt. Cook had calm weather, for the three fucceeding days, which much impeded his progrefs; and, at midnight, on the 8th, a violent

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