ful to us in the management of his countrymen, as we had foon occafion to experience; for we had not been long at anchor, when it was observed that the Discovery had fuch a number of people hanging on one fide, as occafioned her to heel confiderably; and that the men were unable to keep of the crowds which continued preffing into her. Captain Cook, being apprehenfive that the might fuffer fome injury, pointed out the danger to Pareea, who immediately went to their affiftance, cleared the fhip of its incumbrances, and drove away the canoes that fur'rounded her.

The authority of the chiefs over the inferior people appeared, from this incident, to be of the moft defpotic kind. A fimilar inftance of it happened the fame day on board the Refolution, where the crowd being fo great as to impede the neceffary bufinefs of the thip, we were obliged to have recourfe to the affiftance of Kakeena, another of their chiefs, who had likewife attached himself to Captain Cook. The inconvenience we laboured under being made known, he immediately ordered his countrymen to quit the veffel; and we were not a little furprised to fee them jump overboard without a moment's hesitation.

Both thefe chiefs were men of ftrong and well proportioned bodies, and of countenances remarkably pleafing; Kaneena, especially, was one of the finest men I ever faw. He was about fix feet high, had regular and expreflive features, with lively dark eyes; his carriage was easy, firm, and graceful.

The inhabitants had hitherto behaved with great fairness and honefty, but we now found the cafe exceedingly altered. The immense

X 3

crowd

1

crowd of iflanders, which blocked up every part of the ships, not only afforded frequent opportunity of pilfering, without risk of difcovery; but our inferiority in number held forth a profpect of escaping with impunity, in cafe of detection. Another circumftance, to which we attributed this alteration in their behaviour, was the prefence and encouragement of their chiefs; for generally tracing the booty into the poffeflion of fome men of confequence, we had the strongest reason to fufpect that thefe depredations were committed at their inftigation.

Soon after the Refolution had got into her ftation, our two friends, Pareca and Kaneena, brought on board a third chief, named Koah, who, we were told, was a priest, and had been, in his youth, a diftinguished warrior. He was a little old man, of an emaciated figure; his eyes exceedingly fore and red, and his body covered with a white leprous fcurf, the effects of an immoderate ufe of the ava. Being led into the cabin, he approached Captain Cook with great veneration, and threw over his shoulders a piece of red cloth, which he had brought along with him. Then stepping a few paces back, he made an offering of a fmall pig, which he held in his hand, whilft he pronounced a difcourse that lafted for a confiderable time.

When this ceremony was over, Koah dined with Captain Cook, eating plentifully of what was fet before him; but, like the reft of the inhabitants of the islands in thefe feas, could fcarcely be prevailed on to taste a fecond time our wine or fpirits. In the evening, Captain Cook, attended by Mr. Bayly and myfelf, accompanied him on fhore. We landed at the

beach,

beach, and were received by four men, who carried wands tipt with dog's hair, and marched before us, pronouncing with a loud voice a thort fentence, in which we could only diftinguifh the word Orono *. The crowd which had been collected on the fhore, retired at our approach; and not a perfon was to be feen, except a few lying proftrate on the ground, near the huts of the adjoining village.

Before I proceed to relate the adoration that was paid to Captain Cook, and the peculiar ceremonies with which he was received on this fatal ifland, it will be neceffary to defcribe a morai, or burying-place, fituated at the fouth fide of the beach at Kakooa. It was a fquare folid pile of ftones, about forty yards long, twenty broad, and fourteen in height. The top was flat and well paved, and furrounded by a wooden rail, on which were fixed the fculls of the captives facrificed on the death of their chiefs. In the centre of the area, flood a ruinous old building of wood, connected with the rail on each fide, by a stone wall, which divided the whole space into two parts. On the fide next the country were five poles, upward of twenty feet high, fupporting an irregular kind of fcaffold; on the oppofite fide, toward the fea, ftood two fmall houfes, with a covered communication.

We were conducted by Koah to the top of this pile, by an eafy ascent. At the entrance we faw two large wooden images, with features violently distorted, and a long piece of carved wood, of, a

*Captain Cook generally went by this name amongst the natives of Owhyhee; but we could never learn its precife meaning, though it was certainly a title of religious veneration.

conical

conical form inverted, rifing from the top of their heads; the reft was without form, and wrapped round with red cloth. We were here met by a tall young man, with a long beard, who prefented Captain Cook to the images; and, after chanting a kind of hymn, in which he was joined by Koah, they led us to that end of the morai where the five poles were fixed. At the foot of them were twelve images, ranged in a femicircular form, and before the middle figure ftood a high ftand or table, on which lay a putrid hog, and under it pieces of fugar-cane, cocoanuts, bread-fruit, plantains, and fweet potatoes, Koah, having placed the captain under this ftand, took down the hog, and held it toward him; and after having a fecond time addreffed him in a long speech, pronounced with much vehemence and rapidity, he let it fall on the ground, and led him to the fcaffolding, which they began to climb together, not without great risk of falling. At this time we faw, coming in folemn proceffion, at the entrance of the top of the morai, ten men carrying a live hog, and a large piece of red cloth. Being advanced a few paces, they ftopped, and proftrated themselves; and Kaireekeea, the young man above mentioned, went to them, and receiving the cloth, carried it to Koah, who wrapped it round the captain, and afterward offered him the hog, which was brought by Kaireekeea with the fame ceremony.

Whilft Captain Cook was aloft, in this awkward fituation, fwathed round with red cloth, and with difficulty keeping his hold amongst the pieces of rotten fcaffolding, Kaireekeea and Koah began their office, chanting fometimes in concert, and fometimes alternately. This lafted a confi

derable

derable time; at length Koah let the hog drop, when he and the captain defcended together, He then led him to the images before mentioned, and having faid fomething to each in a fneering tone, fuapped his fingers at them as he paffed, he brought him to that in the centre, which, from its being covered with red cloth, appeared to be in greater eftimation than the reft. Before this figure he proftrated himfelf, and kiffed it; defiring Captain Cook to do the fame; who fuffered himfelf to be directed by Koah throughout the whole of this ceremony.

We were now led back into the other 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 bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other vegetables, which were presented as before.

When this offering was concluded, 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 Iflands. Kaireekeea then took part of the kernel of a cocoa-nut, which he chewed, and wrapped it in a piece of cloth, rubbed with it the captain's face, head, hands, arms, and fhoulders. 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