exchanges all the day. We likewise opened new branches of commerce; for,
besides the fruits, which they brought the day before, and other
refreshments, such as fowls and pigeons, the islanders brought with them
several instruments for fishing; stone chisels, (_herminettes de
pierre_) strange kinds of cloth, shells, &c. They wanted iron and
ear-rings in exchange. This bartering trade was carried on very
honestly, as the day before: this time some pretty and almost naked
women came in the periaguas. One of the islanders went on board the
Etoile, and stayed there all night, without being in the least uneasy.
This night was likewise spent in plying; and on the 6th in the morning
we were got to the most northerly extremity of the island. Another isle
now came within sight: but seeing several breakers that seemed to
obstruct the passage between the two isles, I determined to return in
search of anchorage in the first bay, which we saw on the day of our
land-fall. Our boats which sounded a-head of us towards shore, found the
north side of the bay every where surrounded, at a quarter of a league’s
distance, by a reef which appears at low water. However, about a league
from the north point, they discovered a gap in the reef, of the width of
twice a cable’s length at most, where there was 30 and 35 fathom of
water, and within it a pretty extensive road, where the bottom varied
from nine to thirty fathom. This road was bounded to the south by a
reef, which, proceeding from the land, joined that which surrounded the
shore. Our boats had constantly found a sandy bottom, and discovered
several little rivers fit for watering at. Upon the reef, on the north
side, there are three little islands.
[Sidenote: Anchorage at Taiti.]
This account determined me to come to an anchor in the road, and we
immediately made sail to enter into it. We ranged the point of the
starboard reef in entering; and as soon as we were got within it, we let
go our best bower in 34 fathom, bottom of grey sand, shells, and gravel;
and we immediately carried out the stream-anchor to the north-west, in
order to let go our small bower there. The Etoile went to windward, and
came to an anchor a cable’s length to the northward of us. As soon as we
were moored, we struck yards and top-masts.
[Sidenote: Difficulty of mooring the ships.]
As we came nearer the shore, the number of islanders surrounding our
ships encreased. The periaguas were so numerous all about the ships,
that we had much to do to warp in amidst the croud of boats and the
noise. All these people came crying out _tayo_, which means friend, and
gave a thousand signs of friendship; they all asked nails and ear-rings
of us. The periaguas were full of females; who, for agreeable features,
are not inferior to most European women; and who in point of beauty of
the body might, with much reason, vie with them all. Most of these fair
females were naked; for the men and the old women that accompanied them,
had stripped them of the garments which they generally dress themselves
in. The glances which they gave us from their periaguas, seemed to
discover some degree of uneasiness, notwithstanding the innocent manner
in which they were given; perhaps, because nature has every where
embellished their sex with a natural timidity; or because even in those
countries, where the ease of the golden age is still in use, women seem
least to desire what they most wish for. The men, who were more plain,
or rather more free, soon explained their meaning very clearly. They
pressed us to choose a woman, and to come on shore with her; and their
gestures, which were nothing less than equivocal, denoted in what manner
we should form an acquaintance with her. It was very difficult, amidst
such a sight, to keep at their work four hundred young French sailors,
who had seen no women for six months. In spite of all our precautions, a
young girl came on board, and placed herself upon the quarter-deck, near
one of the hatchways, which was open, in order to give air to those who
were heaving at the capstern below it. The girl carelessly dropt a
cloth, which covered her, and appeared to the eyes of all beholders,
such as Venus shewed herself to the Phrygian shepherd, having, indeed,
the celestial form of that goddess. Both sailors and soldiers
endeavoured to come to the hatch-way; and the capstern was never hove
with more alacrity than on this occasion.
At last our cares succeeded in keeping these bewitched fellows in order,
though it was no less difficult to keep the command of ourselves. One
single Frenchman, who was my cook, having found means to escape against
my orders, soon returned more dead than alive. He had hardly set his
feet on shore, with the fair whom he had chosen, when he was immediately
surrounded by a croud of Indians, who undressed him from head to feet.
He thought he was utterly lost, not knowing where the exclamations of
those people would end, who were tumultuously examining every part of
his body. After having considered him well, they returned him his
clothes, put into his pockets whatever they had taken out of them, and
brought the girl to him, desiring him to content those desires which had
brought him on shore with her. All their persuasive arguments had no
effect; they were obliged to bring the poor cook on board, who told me,
that I might reprimand him as much as I pleased, but that I could never
frighten him so much, as he had just now been frightened on shore.
-----
Footnote 89:
It must be supposed, that the author means South America. F.
Footnote 90:
Mr. Bougainville writes _David_: indeed, he and most writers of his
nation, mutilate all foreign names; not only inadvertently, but often
on purpose, through mere caprice. F.
Footnote 91:
A Mecklenburger, who, with his father, had been in the Dutch service.
F.
Footnote 92:
A kind of sea-fowl; probably of the gull or tern kind. F.
Footnote 93:
Isle of Lancebearers.
Footnote 94:
_Rester en travers._
Footnote 95:
The continent, which the geographers place in these parts, ought to
have been laid down only as a sign of land, which Quiros says he met
with the 27th of January 1606. But these signs of continent Quiros
found before he came to the isle of Sagittaria, which is the first he
landed at, after sailing from Peru. See Mr. _Dalrymple’s Historical
Collection of Voyages in the South Pacific Ocean_, part i. 107, 108,
and the chart of the South Seas annexed. F.
Footnote 96:
Reaumur’s.
-----
_CHAP. II._
_Stay at Taiti; account of the good and evil which befel us there._
[Sidenote: Landing.]
I have pointed out the obstacles which we met with in coming to an
anchor. When we were moored, I went on shore with several officers, to
survey the watering-place. An immense croud of men and women received us
there, and could not be tired with looking at us; the boldest among them
came to touch us; they even pushed aside our clothes with their hands,
in order to see whether we were made exactly like them: none of them
wore any arms, not so much as a stick. They sufficiently expressed their
joy at our arrival. [Sidenote: Visit paid to the chief of the district.]
The chief of this district conducted and introduced us into his house,
in which we found five or six women, and a venerable old man. The women
saluted us, by laying their hands on their breasts, and saying several
times _tayo_. The old man was the father of our host. He had no other
character of old age, than that respectable one which is imprinted on a
fine figure. His head adorned with white hair, and a long beard; all his
body, nervous and fleshy, had neither wrinkles, nor shewed any marks of
decrepitude. This venerable man seemed to be rather displeased with our
arrival; he even retired without answering our civilities, without
giving any signs of fear, astonishment, or curiosity; very far from
taking part in the raptures all this people was in at our sight, his
thoughtful and suspicious air seemed to shew that he feared the arrival
of a new race of men would trouble those happy days which he had spent
in peace.
[Sidenote: Description of his house.]
We were at liberty to examine the interior parts of the house. It had no
furniture, no ornament to distinguish it from the common huts, except
its extent. It was about eighty feet long and twenty feet wide. In it we
observed a cylinder of ozier, three or four feet long, set with black
feathers, which was suspended from the thatch; and besides it, there
were two wooden figures which we took for idols. One, which was their
god[97], stood upright against one of the pillars; the goddess was
opposite, leaned against the wall, which she surpassed in height, and
was fattened to the reeds, of which their walls are made. These figures,
which were ill made, and without any proportion, were about three feet
high, but stood on a cylindrical pedestal, hollow within, and carved
quite through. This pedestal was made in the shape of a tower, was six
or seven feet high, and about a foot in diameter. The whole was made of
a black and very hard wood.
The chief then proposed that we should sit down upon the grass before
his house, where he ordered some fruit, broiled fish and water to be set
before us: during the meal he sent for some pieces of cloth, and for two
great collars or gorgets of oziers, covered with black feathers and
shark’s teeth. They are pretty like in form to the immense ruffs, worn
in the time of Francis the first. One of these he put upon the neck of
the Chevalier d’Oraison, another upon mine, and distributed the cloths.
We were just going to return on board when the Chevalier de Suzannet
missed a pistol, which had been very dexterously stolen out of his
pocket. We informed the chief of it, who immediately was for searching
all the people who surrounded us, and even treated some of them very
harshly. We stopt his researches, endeavouring only to make him
understand, that the thief would fall a victim to his own crime, and
that what he had stolen could kill him.
The chief and all his people accompanied us to our boats. We were almost
come to them when we were stopped by an islander, of a fine figure, who
lying under a tree, invited us to sit down by him on the grass. We
accepted his offer: he then leaned towards us, and with a tender air he
slowly sung a song, without doubt of the Anacreontic kind, to the tune
of a flute, which another Indian blew with his nose: this was a charming
scene, and worthy the pencil of a Boucher. Four islanders came with
great confidence to sup and lye on board. We let them hear the music of
our flutes, base-viols, and violins, and we entertained them with a
fire-work of sky-rockets and fire-snakes. This sight caused a mixture of
surprize and of horror in them.
[Sidenote: Project of a camp for our sick on shore.]
On the 7th in the morning, the chief, whose name was Ereti, came on
board. He brought us a hog, some fowls, and the pistol which had been
stolen at his house the day before. This act of justice gave us a good
opinion of him. However, we made every thing ready in the morning, for
landing our sick people, and our water casks, and leaving a guard for
their defence. In the afternoon I went on shore with arms and
implements, and we began to make a camp on the banks of a little brook,
where we were to fill our water. Ereti saw the men under arms, and the
preparations for the encampment, without appearing at first surprised or
discontented. [Sidenote: Opposition on the part of the islanders.]
However, some hours after he came to me, accompanied by his father and
the principal people of the district, who had made remonstrances to him
on this occasion, and gave me to understand that our stay on shore
displeased them, that we might stay there during day-time as long as we
pleased, but that we should ly on board our ships at night. I insisted
upon establishing the camp, making him comprehend that it was necessary
to us, in order to get wood and water, and to facilitate the exchanges
between both nations. They then held a second council, the remit of
which, was, that Ereti came to ask me whether we intended to stay here
for ever, or whether we intended to go away again, and how soon that
would be. I told him that we should set sail in eighteen days, in sign
of which, I gave him eighteen little stones. Upon this they held a new
conference, at which they desired I would be present. [Sidenote: They
consent to it on some conditions.] A grave man, who seemed to have much
weight with the members of the council, wanted to reduce the number of
days of our encamping to nine; but as I insisted on the number I had at
first required, they at last gave their consent.
From that moment their joy returned; Ereti himself offered us an
extensive building like a shed, close to the river, under which were
some periaguas, which he immediately got taken away. [Sidenote:
Establishment of a camp for our sick and artificers.] Under this shed we
raised the tents for those who were ill of the scurvy, being thirty-four
in number, twelve from the Boudeuse, and twenty-two from the Etoile, and
for some necessary hands. The guard consisted of thirty soldiers, and I
likewise landed muskets enough to arm the workmen and the sick. I staid
on shore the first night, which Ereti likewise chose to pass under our
tents. He ordered his supper to be brought, and joined it to ours,
driving away the crowd which surrounded the camp, and retaining only
five or six of his friends. After supper he desired to see some
sky-rockets played off, and they frightened him at least as much as they
gave him pleasure. Towards the end of night he sent for one of his
wives, whom he sent to sleep in prince Nassau’s tent. She was old and
ugly.
[Sidenote: Precautions taken. Conduct of the natives.]
The next day was spent in completing our camp. The shed was well made,
and entirely covered over by a kind of mats. We left only one entrance
to it, which we provided with a barrier, and placed a guard there.
Ereti, his wives and his friends alone were allowed to come in; the
croud kept on the outside of the shed, and only a single man of our
people with a switch in his hand was sufficient to clear the way. Hither
the natives from all sides brought fruits, fowls, hogs, fish, and pieces
of cloth, which they exchanged for nails, tools, beads, buttons, and
numberless other trifles, which were treasures to them. They were, upon
the whole, very attentive to learn what would give us pleasure; they saw
us gathering antiscorbutic plants, and searching for shells: their women
and children soon vied with each other in bringing us bundles of the
same plants, which they had seen us collecting, and baskets full of
shells of all sorts. Their trouble was paid at a small expence.
[Sidenote: Assistance they give us.]
This same day I desired the chief to shew me where I might cut wood. The
low country where we were, was covered only with fruit trees, and a kind
of wood full of gum, and of little consistence; the hard wood grows upon
the mountains. Ereti pointed out to me the trees which I might cut down,
and even shewed towards which side I should fell them. The natives
assisted us greatly in our works; our workmen cut down the trees and
made them into faggots, which the islanders brought to the boats; they
likewise gave us their assistance in making our provision of water,
filling the casks, and bringing them to the boats. Their labour was paid
in nails, of which, the number was proportionate to the work they had
done. The only constraint which their presence put upon us, was, that
they obliged us to have our eyes upon every thing that was brought on
shore, and even to look to our pockets; for even in Europe itself, one
cannot see more expert filchers than the people of this country.
[Sidenote: Precautions taken against thieves.]
However, it does not appear that stealing is usual among themselves.
Nothing is shut up in their houses, every piece of furniture lies on the
ground, or is hung up, without being under locks, or under any person’s
care. Doubtless their curiosity for new objects excited violent desires
in them; and besides that, there are always base-minded people every
where. During the two first nights we had some things stolen from us,
notwithstanding our guards and patroles, at whom the thieves had even
thrown stones. These thieves hid themselves in a marsh full of grass and
reeds, extending behind our camp. This marsh was partly cleared by my
orders, and I commanded the officer upon duty to fire upon any thieves
who should come for the future. Ereti himself told me to do it, but took
great care to shew me several times the spot where his house was
situated, earnestly recommending it to me, to fire towards the opposite
quarter. I likewise sent every evening three of our boats, armed with
pedereroes and swivel guns, to ly at anchor before the camp.
All our transactions were carried on in as friendly a manner as
possible, if we except thieving. Our people were daily walking in the
isle without arms, either quite alone, or in little companies. They were
invited to enter the houses, where the people gave them to eat; nor did
the civility of their landlords stop at a slight collation, they offered
them young girls; the hut was immediately filled with a curious croud of
men and women, who made a circle round the guest, and the young victim
of hospitality. The ground was spread with leaves and flowers, and their
musicians sung an hymeneal song to the tune of their flutes. Here Venus
is the goddess of hospitality, her worship does not admit of any
mysteries, and every tribute paid to her is a feast for the whole
nation. They were surprised at the confusion which our people appeared
to be in, as our customs do not admit of these public proceedings.
However, I would not answer for it, that every one of our men had found
it impossible to conquer his repugnance, and conform to the customs of
the country.
[Sidenote: Beauty of the interior parts of the country.]
I have often, in company with only one or two of our people, been out
walking in the interior parts of the isle. I thought I was transported
into the garden of Eden; we crossed a turf, covered with fine
fruit-trees, and interfered by little rivulets, which keep up a pleasant
coolness in the air, without any of those inconveniences which humidity
occasions. A numerous people there enjoy the blessings which nature
showers liberally down upon them. We found companies of men and women
sitting under the shade of their fruit-trees: they all greeted us with
signs of friendship: those who met us upon the road stood aside to let
us pass by; every where we found hospitality, ease, innocent joy, and
every appearance of happiness amongst them.
[Sidenote: Presents of European fowls and seeds made to the chief.]
I presented the chief of the district in which we were with a couple of
turkies, and some ducks and drakes; they were to be considered as the
mites of the widow. I likewise desired him to make a garden in our way,
and to sow various sorts of feeds in them, and this proposal was
received with joy. In a short time, Ereti prepared a piece of ground,
which had been chosen by our gardeners, and got it inclosed. I ordered
it to be dug; they admired our gardening instruments. They have likewise
around their houses a kind of kitchen gardens, in which they plant an
eatable hibiscus or okra, potatoes, yams, and other roots. We sowed for
their use some wheat, barley, oats, rice, maize, onions, and pot herbs
of all kinds. We have reason to believe that these plantations will be
taken care of; for this nation appeared to love agriculture, and would I
believe be easily accustomed to make advantage of their soil, which is
the most fertile in the universe.
[Sidenote: Visit of the chief of a neighbouring district.]
During the first days of our arrival, I had a visit from the chief of a
neighbouring district, who came on board with a present of fruits, hogs,
fowls, and cloth. This lord, named _Toutaa_, has a fine shape, and is
prodigiously tall. He was accompanied by some of his relations, who were
almost all of them six feet (French measure) high: I made them presents
of nails, some tools, beads, and silk stuffs. We were obliged to repay
this visit at his house, where we were very well received, and where the
good-natured Toutaa offered me one of his wives, who was very young and
pretty handsome. The assembly was very numerous, and the musicians had
already began the hymenean. Such is their manner of receiving visits of
ceremony.
On the 10th, an islander was killed, and the natives came to complain of
this murder. I sent some people to the house, whither they had brought
the dead body; it appeared very plain that the man had been killed by a
fire-arm. However, none of our people had been suffered to go out of the
camp, or to come from the ships with fire-arms. The most exact enquiries
which I made to find out the author of this villainous action proved
unsuccessful. The natives doubtless believed that their countryman had
been in the wrong; for they continued to come to our quarters with their
usual confidence. However, I received intelligence that many of the
people had been seen carrying off their effects to the mountains, and
that even Ereti’s house was quite unfurnished. I made him some more
presents, and this good chief continued to testify the sincerest
friendship for us.
[Sidenote: Loss of our anchors, dangers which we meet with.]
I hastened in the mean while the completing of our works of all kinds;
for though this was an excellent place to supply our wants at, yet I
knew that we were very ill moored. Indeed, though we under-run the
cables almost every day with the long boat, and had not yet found them
chafed[98], yet we had found the bottom was strewed with large coral;
and besides, in case of a high wind from the offing, we had no room to
drive. Necessity had obliged us to take this anchorage, without leaving
us the liberty of choosing, and we soon found that our fears were but
too well grounded.
[Sidenote: Account of the manoeuvres which saved us.]
The 12th, at five in the morning, the wind being south, our S. E. cable,
and the hawser of the stream-anchor, which by way of precaution we had
extended to the E. S. E. parted at the bottom. We immediately let go our
sheet-anchor, but before it had reached the bottom, the frigate swung
off to her N. W. anchor, and we fell aboard the Etoile on the larboard
side. We hove upon our anchor, and the Etoile veered out cable as fast
as possible, so that we were separated before any damage was done. The
store ship then sent us the end of a hawser, which she had extended to
the eastward, and upon which we hove, in order to get farther from her.
We then weighed our sheet-anchor, and hove in our hawser and cable,
which parted at the bottom. The latter had been cut about thirty fathom
from the clinch; we shifted it end for end, and bent it to a spare
anchor of two thousand seven hundred weight, which the Etoile had stowed
in her hold, and which we sent for. Our S. E. anchor, which we had let
go without any buoy-rope, on account of the great depth, was entirely
lost; and we endeavoured, without success, to save the stream-anchor,
whose buoy was sunk, and for which it was impossible to sweep the
bottom. We presently swayed up our fore-top-mast and fore-yard, in order
to be ready for sailing as soon as the wind should permit.
In the afternoon the wind abated and shifted to the eastward. We then
carried out to the S. E. a stream-anchor, and the anchor we had got from
the Etoile, and I sent a boat to sound to the northward, in order to
know whether there was a passage that way, by which means we might have
got out almost with any wind. One misfortune never comes alone; as we
were occupied with a piece of work on which our safety depended,
[Sidenote: Another murder of some islanders.] I was informed that three
of the natives had been killed or wounded with bayonets in their huts,
that the alarm was spread in the country, that the old men, the women
and the children fled towards the mountains with their goods, and even
the bodies of the dead, and that we should perhaps be attacked by an
army of these enraged men. Thus our situation gave us room to fear a war
on shore, at the very moment when both ships were upon the point of
being stranded. I went ashore, and came into the camp, where, in
presence of the chief, I put four soldiers in irons, who were suspected
to be the authors of this crime: these proceedings seemed to content the
natives.
[Sidenote: Precautions against the consequences which it might have
had.]