A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xv Part 40

Farther up on the ascent, the trees were of the deep green mentioned before. Some of us supposed these to be the _rima_, intermixed with low cocoa palms; and a few of some other sorts. They seemed not so thick as on the S.W. part, and higher; which appearance might be owing to our nearer approach to the sh.o.r.e. On the little hills were some trees of a taller sort, thinly scattered; but the other parts of them were either bare, and of a reddish colour, or covered with something like fern. Upon the whole, the island has a pretty aspect, and might be made a beautiful spot by cultivation.

As the inhabitants seemed to be both numerous and well fed, such articles of provision as the island produces must be in great plenty. It might, however, be a matter of curiosity to know, particularly, their method of subsistence; for our friend Mourooa told us, that they had no animals, as hogs and dogs, both which, however, they had heard of; but acknowledged they had plantains, bread-fruit, and taro. The only birds we saw, were some white egg-birds, terns, and noddies; and one white heron, on the sh.o.r.e.

The language of the inhabitants of Mangeea is a dialect of that spoken at Otaheite; though their p.r.o.nunciation, as that of the New Zealanders, be more guttural. Some of their words, of which two or three are perhaps peculiar to this island, are here subjoined, as taken, by Mr Anderson, from Omai, who had learnt them in his conversations with Mourooa. The Otaheite words, where there is any resemblance, are placed opposite.

English. _Mangeea._ _Otaheite._ _A cocoa nut_, Eakkaree, Aree.

_Bread-fruit_, Kooroo, Ooroo.

_A canoe_, Ewakka, Evaa.

_Friend_, Naoo, mou.

_A man_, Taata, or Tangata, Taata.

_Cloth_, or _cloth plant_, Taia, taia aoutee, Eoute.

_Good_, Mata, Myty.

_A club_, Pooroohee.

_Yes_, Aee, Ai.

_No_, Aoure, Aoure.

_A spear_, Heyhey.

A_fight, or battle_, Etamagee, Tamaee.

_A woman_, Waheine, Waheine.

_A daughter_, Maheine, Maheine.

_The sun_, Heetaia matooa.

_I_, Ou, Wou.

_The sh.o.r.e_, Euta, Euta.

_What is that?_ Ehataieee? Owytaieeoa?

_There_, Oo.

English. _Mangeea_. _Otaheite_.

_A chief_, Ereekee, Eree.

_Great_, or _powerful_, Manna (_an adjunct to the last_.)

_To kiss_, Ooma.

The natives of Mangeea seem to resemble those of Otaheite and the Marquesas in the beauty of their persons, more than any other nation I have seen in these seas; having a smooth skin, and not being muscular.

Their general disposition also corresponds, as far as we had opportunities of judging, with that which distinguishes the first-mentioned people. For they are not only cheerful, but, as Mourooa shewed us, are acquainted with all the lascivious gesticulations which the Otaheitans practise in their dances. It may also be supposed, that their method of living is similar. For, though the nature of the country prevented our seeing many of their habitations, we observed one house near the beach, which much resembled, in its mode of construction, those of Otaheite. It was pleasantly situated in a grove of trees, and appeared to be about thirty feet long, and seven or eight high, with an open end, which represented an ellipse divided transversely. Before it, was spread something white on a few bushes; which we conjectured to be a fis.h.i.+ng net, and, to appearance, of a very delicate texture.

They salute strangers much after the manner of the New Zealanders, by joining noses; adding, however, the additional ceremony of taking the hand of the person to whom they are paying civilities, and rubbing it with a degree of force upon their nose and mouth.[150]

[Footnote 150: The inhabitants of the Palaos, New Philippine, or rather Caroline Islands, at the distance of almost fifteen hundred leagues from Mangeea, have the same mode of salutation. "Leur civilitie, et la marque de leur respect, consiste a prendre la main ou la pied de celui a qui ils veulent faire honneur, et s'en frotter doucement toute le visage."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 208. _Edit_.

1781.--- D.]

SECTION II.

_The Discovery of an Island called Wateeoo.--Its Coasts examined.--Visits from the Natives on board the s.h.i.+ps.--Mess. Gore, Barney, and Anderson, with Omai, sent on Sh.o.r.e.--Mr Anderson's Narrative of their Reception.--Omai's Expedient to prevent their being detained.--His meeting with some of his Countrymen, and their distressful Voyage.--Farther Account of Wateeoo, and of its Inhabitants_.

After leaving Mangeea, on the afternoon of the 30th of March, we continued our course northward, all that night, and till noon on the 31st; when we again saw land, in the direction of N.E. by N., distant eight or ten leagues.

Next morning, at eight o'clock, we had got abreast of its north end, within four leagues of it, but to leeward; and could now p.r.o.nounce it to be an island, nearly of the same appearance and extent with that we had so lately left. At the same time, another island, but much smaller, was seen right ahead. We could have soon reached this; but the largest one had the preference, as most likely to furnish a supply of food for the cattle, of which we began to be in great want.

With this view I determined to work up to it; but as there was but little wind, and that little was unfavourable, we were still two leagues to leeward at eight o'clock the following morning. Soon after, I sent two armed boats from the Resolution, and one from the Discovery, under the command of Lieutenant Gore, to look for anchoring-ground, and a landing-place. In the mean time, we plyed up under the island with the s.h.i.+ps.

Just as the boats were putting off, we observed several single canoes coming from the sh.o.r.e. They went first to the Discovery, she being the nearest s.h.i.+p. It was not long after, when three of these canoes came along-side of the Resolution, each conducted by one man. They are long and narrow, and supported by outriggers. The stern is elevated about three or four feet, something like a s.h.i.+p's stern-post. The head is flat above, but prow-like below, and turns down at the extremity, like the end of a violin. Some knives, beads, and other trifles were conveyed to our visitors; and they gave us a few cocoa-nuts, upon our asking for them. But they did not part with them by way of exchange for what they had received from us. For they seemed to have no idea of bartering; nor did they appear to estimate any of our presents at a high rate.

With a little persuasion, one of them made his canoe fast to the s.h.i.+p, and came on board; and the other two, encouraged by his example, soon followed him. Their whole behaviour marked that they were quite at their ease, and felt no sort of apprehension of our detaining, or using them ill.

After their departure, another canoe arrived, conducted by a man who brought a bunch of plantains as a present to me; asking for me by name, having learnt it from Omai, who was sent before us in the boat with Mr Gore. In return for this civility, I gave him an axe, and a piece of red cloth; and he paddled back to the sh.o.r.e well satisfied. I afterward understood from Omai, that this present had been sent from the king, or princ.i.p.al chief of the island.

Not long after, a double canoe, in which were twelve men, came toward us. As they drew near the s.h.i.+p, they recited some words in concert, by way of chorus,[151] one of their number first standing up, and giving the word before each repet.i.tion. When they had finished their solemn chant, they came along-side, and asked for the chief. As soon as I shewed myself, a pig and a few cocoa-nuts were conveyed up into the s.h.i.+p; and the princ.i.p.al person in the canoe made me an additional present of a piece of matting, as soon as he and his companions got on board.

[Footnote 151: Something like this ceremony was performed by the inhabitants of the Marquesas, when Captain Cook visited them in 1774. It is curious to observe, at what immense distances this mode of receiving strangers prevails. Padillo, who sailed from Manilla in 1710, on a voyage to discover the Palaos Islands, was thus received there. The writer of the relation of his voyage says, "Aussitot qu'ils approcherent de notre bord, ils se mirent a chanter. Ils regloient la cadence, en frappant des mains sur leurs cuisses."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 323.--D.]

Our visitors were conducted into the cabin, and to other parts of the s.h.i.+p. Some objects seemed to strike them with a degree of surprise; but nothing fixed their attention for a moment. They were afraid to come near the cows and horses; nor did they form the least conception of their nature. But the sheep and goats did not surpa.s.s the limits of their ideas; for they gave us to understand, that they knew them to be birds. It will appear rather incredible, that human ignorance could ever make so strange a mistake; there not being the most distant similitude between a sheep or goat, and any winged animal. But these people seemed to know nothing of the existence of any other land-animals, besides hogs, dogs, and birds. Our sheep and goats, they could see, were very different creatures from the two first, and therefore they inferred, that they must belong to the latter cla.s.s, in which they knew there is a considerable variety of species.[152] I made a present to my new friend of what I thought might be most acceptable to him; but, on his going away, he seemed rather disappointed than pleased. I afterward understood that he was very desirous of obtaining a dog, of which animal this island could not boast, though its inhabitants knew that the race existed in other islands of their ocean. Captain Clerke had received the like present, with the same view, from another man, who met with from him the like disappointment.

[Footnote 152: "I would add," says Mr Stewart, in his Elements of the Phil, of Hum. Mind, p. 154, 2d ed., "I would add to Cook's very judicious remarks, that the mistake of these islanders probably did not arise from their considering a sheep or a goat as bearing a more striking resemblance to a bird, than to the two cla.s.ses of quadrupeds with which they were acquainted; but to the want of a generic word, such as _quadruped_, comprehending these two species; which men in their situation would no more be led to form, than a person, who had only seen one individual of each species, would think of an appellation to express both, instead of applying a proper name to each. In consequence of the variety of birds, it appears that they had a generic name comprehending all of them, to which it was not unnatural for them to refer any new animal they met with."--This solution is very specious, but when narrowly examined, will be found to rest on two suppositions not altogether borne out by evidence, and also to be liable to yield a conclusion not readily reconcileable with all the circ.u.mstances of the case. In the first place, it is not proved that these islanders had no generic word to comprehend the two species of quadrupeds with which they were acquainted; and the reason given for their want of it, which, after all, is merely a probable one, cannot be allowed much force. Its weakness will appear from the consideration, that men in their situation, having certainly an idea of number, must, according to Mr S.'s own principles stated in the next page, have possessed the power of attending separately to the things which their senses had presented to them in a state of union, and have found it necessary to apply to all of them one common name, or, in other words, "to have reduced them all to the same genus." It is requisite, therefore, for the validity of Mr S.'s reason, to shew that these islanders either were not able to distinguish betwixt their hogs and dogs, or had never numbered them together, which it is quite impossible to credit. Even the case of the person who had seen only one individual of each species, which Mr S.

conceives similar to that we are considering, may be argued against in the same manner, and besides this, will be found not a.n.a.logous. The reason is plain. He may or may not have been able, from a solitary observation, to infer that the distinction he noticed betwixt them was a radical difference, or, in the language of the schoolmen, was essential: Whereas the islanders, from the constancy of the differences they observed, must have been necessitated to form a cla.s.sification of the objects, the result of which would be, the use of one term for the common properties or the resemblance, and two words for the comprehended individuals. In the second place, it cannot otherwise be made appear, that these islanders had a generic name comprehending the variety of birds with which they were acquainted, than on such principles of reasoning as we have now been considering, the proper inference from which, as we have seen, is destructive of the foundation of Mr S.'s solution. Here, it may be remarked, it is somewhat unfortunate that we cannot depend implicitly on Captain Cook's account as to the words in which the islanders conveyed the notions we have been commenting on; because, as the reader will find at the end of this section, these people, who, whatever rank they may be allowed to hold as logicians, were at all events very dexterous thieves, stole the memorandum book in which Mr Anderson had recorded a specimen of their language. But admitting Mr S.'s suppositions, it then may be shewn, that not only the sheep and the goats, but also the horses and cows, considered, in the words of Mr S., as _new animals_, would have been referred by these islanders to the same genus, and therefore considered as birds. The circ.u.mstance of their greater size, or, indeed, any other discernible difference, cannot here be pleaded as exceptive, without in reality abandoning the principles on which the solution is constructed. On the whole, perhaps, it may seem more correct to imagine, that these islanders were struck with some fanciful and distant resemblance to certain birds they were acquainted with, from which they hastily inferred ident.i.ty of nature, notwithstanding some very visible discrepancies; whereas the remarkable dissimilarity betwixt the new quadrupeds and those they were previously acquainted with, impressed their minds with the notion of complete contrariety. In other words, they concluded, from the unlikeness, that these animals were neither dogs nor hogs, and, from the resemblance, that they were birds. It is erroneous to say, with Cook, that there is not the most distant similitude between a sheep or goat, and any winged animal. For the cla.s.sifications adopted in every system of natural history, proceed upon the discovery of still more remote resemblances among the objects of the science, than such as may be noticed in the present case; and it will almost always be found, that there is greater difficulty in ascertaining differences amongst those objects which are allied, than similarity amongst those which are unconnected. The facility with which ideas are a.s.sociated in the mind, as Mr S. informs us, p. 295, is very different in different individuals, and "lays the foundation of remarkable varieties of men both in respect of genius and of character;"

and he elsewhere (p. 291) admits, "that things which have no known relation to each other are often a.s.sociated, in consequence of their producing similar effects on the mind." With respect to the former remark, the facility, it might be practicable to shew, that, in general, it is proportioned to the ignorance and imperfect education, of the individuals, hence children and the female s.e.x (as Mr S. himself a.s.serts) exhibit most of it; and, in consistency with the latter observation, we have but to imagine, that some effect having been produced on the minds of these islanders by the sight of the animals in question, similar to what they had previously experienced from some bird or birds which they had occasionally seen, led them to the remarkable a.s.sociation we have been considering. It would not be very difficult to intimate how this might have happened, but the length of our note, the reader may think, is much greater than its importance, and he may prefer to amuse himself at another time, by following out the investigation.

Let it be our apology for entering on it at all, that it is only by diligent reflection on such mysterious trains of thought, we can hope to acquire any just conceptions of the faculties and operations of our own minds.--E.]

The people in these canoes were in general of a middling size, and not unlike those of Mangeea; though several were of a blacker cast than any we saw there. Their hair was tied on the crown of the head, or flowing loose about the shoulders; and though in some it was of a frizzling disposition, yet, for the most part, that, as well as the straight sort, was long. Their features were various, and some of the young men rather handsome. Like those of Mangeea, they had girdles of glazed cloth, or fine matting, the ends of which, being brought-betwixt their thighs, covered the adjoining parts. Ornaments, composed of a sort of broad gra.s.s, stained with red, and strung with berries of the nightshade, were worn about their necks. Their ears were bored, but not slit; and they were punctured upon the legs, from, the knee to the heel, which made them appear as if they wore a kind of boots. They also resembled the inhabitants of Mangeea in the length of their beards, and, like them, wore a sort of sandals upon their feet. Their behaviour was frank and cheerful, with a great deal of good-nature.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Mr Gore returned with the boat, and informed me, that he had examined all the west side of the island, without finding a place where a boat could land, or the s.h.i.+ps could anchor, the sh.o.r.e being every where bounded by a steep coral rock, against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. But as the natives seemed very friendly, and to express a degree of disappointment when they saw that our people failed in their attempts to land, Mr Gore was of opinion, that by means of Omai, who could best explain our request, they might be prevailed upon to bring off to the boats, beyond the surf, such articles as we most wanted; in particular, the stems of plantain trees, which make good food for the cattle. Having little or no wind, the delay of a day or two was not of any moment; and therefore I determined to try the experiment, and got every thing ready against the next morning.

Soon after day-break, we observed some canoes coming off to the s.h.i.+ps, and one of them directed its course to the Resolution. In it was a hog, with some plantains and cocoa nuts, for which the people who brought them demanded a dog from us, and refused every other thing that we offered in exchange. One of our gentlemen on board happened to have a dog and a b.i.t.c.h, which were great nuisances in the s.h.i.+p, and might have been disposed of on this occasion for a purpose of real utility, by propagating a race of so useful an animal in this island. But their owner had no such views, in making them the companions of his voyage.

However, to gratify these people, Omai parted with a favourite dog he had brought from England; and with this acquisition they departed highly satisfied.

About ten o'clock, I dispatched Mr Gore with three boats, two from the Resolution, and one from the Discovery, to try the experiment he had proposed. And, as I could confide in his diligence and ability, I left it entirely to himself, to act as, from circ.u.mstances, he should judge to be most proper. Two of the natives, who had been on board, accompanied him, and Omai went with him in his boat as an interpreter.

The s.h.i.+ps being a full league from the island when the boats put off, and having but little wind, it was noon before we could work up to it.

We then saw our three boats riding at their grapplings, just without the surf, and a prodigious number of the natives on the sh.o.r.e, abreast of them. By this we concluded, that Mr Gore, and others of our people, had landed, and our impatience to know the event may be easily conceived. In order to observe their motions, and to be ready to give them such a.s.sistance as they might want, and our respective situations would admit of, I kept as near the sh.o.r.e as was prudent. I was sensible, however, that the reef was as effectual a barrier between us and our friends who had landed, and put them as much beyond the reach of our protection, as if half the circ.u.mference of the globe had intervened. But the islanders, it was probable, did not know this so well as we did. Some of them, now and then, came off to the s.h.i.+ps in their canoes, with a few cocoa nuts; which they exchanged for whatever was offered to them, without seeming to give the preference to any particular article.

These occasional visits served to lessen my solicitude about our people who had landed. Though we could get no information from our visitors, yet their venturing on board seemed to imply, at least, that their countrymen on sh.o.r.e had not made an improper use of the confidence put in them. At length, a little before sun-set, we had the satisfaction of seeing the boats put off. When they got on board, I found that Mr Gore himself, Omai, Mr Anderson, and, Mr Burney, were the only persons who had landed. The transactions of the day were now fully reported to me by Mr Gore; but Mr Anderson's account of them being very particular, and including some remarks on the island and its inhabitants, I shall give it a place here, nearly in his own words.

"We rowed toward a small sandy beach, upon which, and upon the adjacent rocks, a great number of the natives had a.s.sembled; and came to an anchor within a hundred yards of the reef, which extends about as far, or a little farther, from the sh.o.r.e. Several of the natives swam off, bringing cocoa-nuts; and Omai, with their countrymen, whom we had with us in the boats, made them sensible of our wish to land. But their attention was taken up, for a little time, by the dog, which had been carried from the s.h.i.+p, and was just brought on sh.o.r.e, round whom they flocked with great eagerness. Soon after, two canoes came off; and, to create a greater confidence in the islanders, we determined to go unarmed, and run the hazard of being treated well or ill."

"Mr Burney, the first lieutenant of the Discovery, and I went in one canoe, a little time before the other; and our conductors, watching attentively the motions of the surf, landed us safely upon the reef. An islander took hold of each of us, obviously with an intention to support us in walking, over the rugged rocks, to the beach, where several of the others met us, holding the green boughs of a species of _Mimosa_ in their hands, and saluted us by applying their noses to ours."

"We were conducted from the beach by our guides, amidst a great crowd of people, who flocked with very eager curiosity to look at us; and would have prevented our proceeding, had not some men, who seemed to have authority, dealt blows, with little distinction, amongst them, to keep them off. We were then led up an avenue of cocoa-palms; and soon came to a number of men, arranged in two rows, armed with clubs, which they held on their shoulders, much in the manner we rest a musquet. After walking a little way amongst these, we found a person who seemed a chief, sitting on the ground cross-legged, cooling himself with a sort of triangular fan, made from a leaf of the cocoa palm, with a polished handle, of black wood, fixed to one corner. In his ears were large bunches of beautiful red feathers, which pointed forward. But he had no other mark, or ornament, to distinguish him from the rest of the people; though they all obeyed him with the greatest alacrity. He either naturally had, or at this time put on, a serious, but not severe countenance; and we were desired to salute him as he sat, by some people who seemed of consequence."

"We proceeded still amongst the men armed with clubs, and came to a second chief, who sat fanning himself, and ornamented as the first. He was remarkable for his size, and uncommon corpulence, though, to appearance, not above thirty years of age. In the same manner, we were conducted to a third chief, who seemed older than the two former, and, though not so fat as the second, was of a large size. He also was sitting, and adorned with red feathers; and after saluting him as we had done the others, he desired us both to sit down, which we were very willing to do, being pretty well fatigued with walking up, and with the excessive heat we felt amongst the vast crowd that surrounded us."

"In a few minutes, the people were ordered to separate; and we saw, at the distance of thirty yards, about twenty young women, ornamented as the chiefs, with red feathers, engaged in a dance, which they performed to a slow and serious air, sung by them all. We got up, and went forward to see them; and though we must have been strange objects to them, they continued their dance, without paying the least attention to us. They seemed to be directed by a man who served as a prompter, and mentioned each motion they were to make. But they never changed the spot, as we do in dancing, and though their feet were not at rest, this exercise consisted more in moving the fingers very nimbly, at the same time holding the hands in a p.r.o.ne position near the face, and now and then also clapping them together.[153] Their motions and songs were performed in such exact concert, that it should seem they had been taught with great care; and probably they were selected for this ceremony, as few of those whom we saw in the crowd equalled them in beauty. In general, they were rather stout than slender, with black hair flowing in ringlets down the neck, and of an olive complexion. Their features were rather fuller than what we allow to perfect beauties, and much alike; but their eyes were of a deep black, and each countenance expressed a degree of complacency and modesty, peculiar to the s.e.x in every part of the world, but perhaps more conspicuous here, where Nature presented us with her productions in the fullest perfection, unbia.s.sed in sentiment by custom, or unrestrained in manner by art. Their shape and limbs were elegantly formed. For, as their dress consisted only of a piece of glazed cloth fastened about the waist, and scarcely reaching so low as the knees, in many we had an opportunity of observing every part. This dance was not finished, when we heard a noise, as if some horses had been galloping toward us; and, on looking aside, we saw the people armed with clubs, who had been desired, as we supposed, to entertain us with the sight of their manner of fighting. This they now did, one party pursuing another who fled."

[Footnote 153: The dances of the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands have a great resemblance to those here described. See Lettres Edif. et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 315. See also, in the same volume, p. 207, what is said of the singing and dancing of the inhabitants of the Palaos Islands, which belong to the same group.--D.]

"As we supposed the ceremony of being introduced to the chiefs was at an end, we began to look about for Mr Gore and Omai; and, though the crowd would hardly suffer us to move, we at length found them coming up, as much incommoded by the number of people as we had been, and introduced in the same manner to the three chiefs, whose names were Otteroo, Taroa, and Fatouweera. Each of these expected a present; and Mr Gore gave them such things as he had brought with him from the s.h.i.+p, for that purpose.

After this, making use of Omai as his interpreter, he informed the chiefs with what intention we had come on sh.o.r.e; but was given to understand, that he must wait till the next day, and then he should have what was wanted."

"They now seemed to take some pains to separate us from each other; and every one of us had his circle to surround and gaze at him. For my own part, I was, at one time, above an hour apart from my friends; and when I told the chief, with whom I sat, that I wanted to speak to Omai, he peremptorily refused my request. At the same time, I found the people began to steal several trifling things which I had in my pocket; and when I took the liberty of complaining to the chief of this treatment, he justified it. From these circ.u.mstances, I now entertained apprehensions, that they might have formed the design of detaining us amongst them. They did not, indeed, seem to be of a disposition so savage, as to make us anxious for the safety of our persons; but it was, nevertheless, vexing to think we had hazarded being detained by their curiosity. In this situation, I asked for something to eat; and they readily brought to me some cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a sort of sour pudding; which was presented by a woman. And on my complaining much of the heat, occasioned by the crowd, the chief himself condescended to fan me, and gave me a small piece of cloth, which he had round his waist."