Arrival of an Arreoy Woman from Tethuroa.
A Present delivered by Tinah for his Majesty.
Other Occurrences to the Time of the Ship's Departure from Otaheite.
1789. March.
From the 5th to the 14th of this month the wind blew constantly from
between the north-west and south-west with a great deal of rain. This was
the longest continuance of westerly winds without interruption that we
experienced. On the 13th several canoes arrived here and at Matavai from
Tethuroa: in these were a large tribe of Arreoys, and among them Huheine
Moyere, the wife of Oreepyah, who is an Arreoy woman, and remained at
Tethuroa after Oreepyah came away. On her arrival a ceremony was
performed called Hooepippee, which seemed to be designed as a public
visit to all their friends, who are collected on the occasion. In this
ceremony there was nothing remarkable: the Arreoy men took their
opportunity to plunder the women who were near them, and Iddeah made a
present of some cloth to Huheine Moyere, and a baked hog to the Arreoys.
Friday 13.
After this ceremony a present was produced from many of the principal
people for young Otoo, the Earee Rahie, which was received by Iddeah,
Tinah being absent. This present consisted of five hogs, and forty-eight
baskets filled with breadfruit, coconuts, tarro, and different kinds of
puddings. The baskets were decorated with slips of cloth, stained with
variety of colours and carried by 24 men, each of whom had a pole on his
shoulder, at each end of which was a basket.
I have seldom spoken of Otoo who was too young to have any share in the
management of affairs, and with whom we were not permitted to have any
intercourse, except speaking to him now and then across a river; at which
times I did not neglect to send the children some little presents, so
that they always rejoiced to see me. I might have been admitted to a
nearer acquaintance if I would have gone with my shoulders uncovered, as
his parents did, but this I declined. The children do not all live under
the same roof, the two sisters eating and sleeping in a separate house,
though at other times they are generally together.
The island Tethuroa may very properly be compared to some of our
watering-places in England, producing a similar effect upon those who
visit it. Many who went there covered with scurf returned plump and fair,
and scarce like the same people. This alteration for the better is in a
great measure to be attributed to the discontinuance of the Ava, which
Tethuroa does not produce: the coconut trees, likewise, which supply them
with their only beverage, growing on low sandy keys and having their
roots below the level of the sea may probably have qualities different
from the coconuts of Otaheite which, with a plenty of fish, that at other
times they are not accustomed to, must no doubt contribute to the
amendment described.
Saturday 14.
I was visited today by a very old man, an uncle to Tupia, the person who
went from these islands in the Endeavour in the year 1769, and who died
at Batavia. He appeared to be near 70 years old and was treated with much
respect by the natives. He made several enquiries concerning his nephew
and requested that when I came again I would bring his hair. At the time
that Tinah mentioned to me his desire of visiting England I asked what
account I could give to his friends if he should not live to return; to
which he replied that I must cut off his hair and carry it to them and
they would be perfectly satisfied.
Monday 16.
On the 16th I was informed that a stop was put to the sale of hogs in the
district of Tettaha. Teppahoo, the Earee of that district, told me that
they had very few hogs left there, and that it was necessary for a
certain time to prohibit every person from killing or selling, that they
might have time to breed. I did not think it reasonable to solicit any
indulgence on this head: my friends at Matavai and Oparre promised to
supply us as long as we remained here, though we had considerably thinned
their stock. After our departure the same restriction was to take place
in these districts, and it being delayed on our account certainly
deserves to be regarded among their acts of friendship towards us.
As it was generally known that we were preparing to sail a number of the
natives from other parts of the island were constantly with us, and petty
thefts were committed whenever the negligence of our people afforded an
opportunity: but no attempt of any consequence was made.
Thursday 19.
This evening Mr. Samwel my clerk returned from an excursion to the
mountains, having been two days absent. He described the hills to be well
clothed with wood, except the tops of the higher mountains which only
produced bushes and fern. The birds he saw were blue parakeets and green
doves, except one which he found burrowing in the ground and brought to
me. This bird was about the size of a pigeon, and proved to be a
white-bellied petrel of the same kind as those seen in high latitudes,
which are called shearwaters. He likewise brought a branch of a plant
like the New Zealand tea-plant, and which at Van Diemen's land we had
made use of for brooms. From the hills he saw the islands Maitea and
Huaheine, which are situated nearly in opposite directions from Otaheite
and are 70 leagues distant from each other.
Friday 27.
For some days past Tinah had been busied in getting two parais, or
mourning-dresses, made, which he intended as a present to King George.
Being finished they were this morning hung up in his house as a public
exhibition, and a long prayer made on the occasion, the substance of
which was that the King of England might forever remain his friend and
not forget him. When he presented the parais for me to take on board he
could not refrain from shedding tears. During the short remainder of our
stay here there appeared among the natives an evident degree of sorrow
that we were so soon to leave them, which they showed by unusual kindness
and attention.
We began this afternoon to remove the plants to the ship. They were in
excellent order: the roots had appeared through the bottom of the pots
and would have shot into the ground if care had not been taken to prevent
it.
The weather was considerably altered for the better and the tradewind
appeared settled. The rainy and bad season of the year may be reckoned to
begin towards the end of November and to continue till near the end of
March. During this time the winds are variable and often westerly, though
we seldom found them to blow strong in that direction. We likewise
experienced frequent intervals of fine weather; but during these months
so open a road as Matavai bay is not a safe anchoring-place for ships
that intend remaining any length of time at Otaheite.
Tuesday 31.
Today all the plants were on board, being in 774 pots, 39 tubs, and 24
boxes. The number of breadfruit plants were 1015, besides which we had
collected a number of other plants. The avee, which is one of the
finest-flavoured fruits in the world. The ayyah, which is a fruit not so
rich but of a fine flavour and very refreshing. The rattah, not much
unlike a chestnut, which grows on a large tree in great quantities: they
are singly in large pods from one to two inches broad, and may be eaten
raw or boiled in the same manner as Windsor beans, and so dressed are
equally good. The oraiah, which is a very superior kind of plantain. All
these I was particularly recommended to collect by my worthy friend, Sir
Joseph Banks. I had also taken on board some plants of the ettow and
matte, with which the natives here make a beautiful red colour; and a
root called peeah, of which they make an excellent pudding.
I now made my last presents to several of my friends with whom I had been
most intimate, particularly to Teppahoo. Several people expressed great
desire to go with us to England. Oedidee, who was always very much
attached to us, said he considered it as his right, having formerly left
his native place to sail with Captain Cook. Scarce any man belonging to
the ship was without a tyo, who brought to him presents, chiefly of
provisions for a sea store.
April. Friday 3.
Tinah and his wife, with his parents, brothers, and sister, dined with me
today and, as I meant to sail early the next morning, they all remained
on board for the night. The ship was crowded the whole day with the
natives, and we were loaded with coconuts, plantains, breadfruit, hogs,
and goats. In the evening there was no dancing or mirth on the beach such
as we had been accustomed to, but all was silent.
Saturday 4.
At daylight we unmoored: the stock of the best bower anchor was so much
eaten by the worms that it broke in stowing the anchor: the small bower
had an iron stock, and in these voyages it is very necessary that ships
should be provided with iron anchor stocks. At half-past six there being
no wind we weighed and, with our boats and two sweeps, towed the ship out
of the harbour. Soon after the sea breeze came, and we stood off towards
the sea.
The outlet of Toahroah harbour being narrow I could permit only a few of
the natives to be on board: many others however attended in canoes till
the breeze came, when I was obliged to leave them. We stood off and on
almost all the remainder of the day. Tinah and Iddeah pressed me very
strongly to anchor in Matavai bay and stay one night longer but, as I had
already taken leave of most of my friends, I thought it better to keep to
my intention of sailing. After dinner I ordered the presents which I had
preserved for Tinah and his wife to be put in one of the ship's boats,
and as I had promised him firearms I gave him two muskets, a pair of
pistols, and a good stock of ammunition. I then represented to them the
necessity of their going away, that the boat might return to the ship
before it was dark, on which they took a most affectionate leave of me
and went into the boat. One of their expressions at parting was "Yourah
no t' Eatua tee eveerah." "May the Eatua protect you, for ever and ever."
All the time we remained at Otaheite the picture of Captain Cook, at the
desire of Tinah, was kept on board the ship. On delivering it to him I
wrote on the back the time of the ship's arrival and departure, with an
account of the number of plants on board.
Tinah had desired that I would salute him at his departure with the great
guns, which I could not comply with for fear of disturbing the plants;
but as a parting token of our regard we manned ship with all hands and
gave him three cheers. At sunset the boat returned and we made sail,
bidding farewell to Otaheite where for twenty-three weeks we had been
treated with the utmost affection and regard, and which seemed to
increase in proportion to our stay. That we were not insensible to their
kindness the events which followed more than sufficiently proves: for to
the friendly and endearing behaviour of these people may be ascribed the
motives for that event which effected the ruin of an expedition that
there was every reason to hope would have been completed in the most
fortunate manner.
To enter into a description of the island or its inhabitants I look upon
as superfluous. From the accounts of former voyages and the facts which I
have related the character of the people will appear in as true a light
as by any description in my power to give. The length of time that we
remained at Otaheite, with the advantage of having been there before,
gave me opportunities of making perhaps a more perfect vocabulary of the
language than has yet appeared; but I have chosen to defer it for the
present as there is a probability that I may hereafter be better
qualified for such a task.
We left Otaheite with only two patients in the venereal list, which shows
that the disease has not gained ground. The natives say that it is of
little consequence, and we saw several instances of people that had been
infected who, after absenting themselves for 15 or 20 days, made their
appearance again without any visible symptom remaining of the disease.
Their method of cure I am unacquainted with; but their customary diet and
mode of living must contribute towards it. We saw a great many people
however with scrofulous habits and bad sores: these they denied to be
produced from any venereal cause; and our surgeon was of the same
opinion.
The result of the mean of 50 sets of lunar observations taken by me on
shore gives for the Longitude of Point Venus 210 degrees 33 minutes 57
seconds east.
Captain Cook in 1769 places it in 210 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds east.
In 1777, his last voyage, 210 degrees 22 minutes 28 seconds east.
The tide in Toahroah harbour was very inconsiderable and not regular. The
greatest rise that I observed was 11 inches; but what was most singular
the time of high-water did not appear to be governed by the moon, it
being at the highest every day between noon and two o'clock. The variable
winds and weather at this time of the year has no doubt an influence on
the tides: on some days scarce any rise was perceptible.