They renewed their frolic of carrying me, and whenever I seated myself, came round me as many as could approach, each with a green leaf for a fan. I entered unceremoniously a number of the huts, where I almost always found one or more men, in nearly every instance, extended on their backs, their heads resting on a log laid along on one side of the hut, and their heels on another, about four feet from the first. They would never rise to receive me, but utter "motake," when I was perceived by them, and make motions for me to do as they did, offering me at the same time a fan, one of which they were using almost constantly. In the course of my ramble, I met with a little girl, twelve or fourteen years old, who was very pretty, attended by a servant, the only instance in which I remarked such a thing on the island. She was evidently walking out to make a visit, and had just arrived at the house of her destination when I met her. I put some beads round her neck, which seemed to delight her very much; but an old man present, whose hut she was about to visit, assumed an angry look, and seemed to threaten by his manner. He changed his conduct, however, when I made him a trifling present, and the little girl, taking my hand, led me to her father's hut. He was a chief of some consequence, as was indicated by the possession of two or three casks of powder, and six muskets. These he took down, and displayed very ostentatiously, and wanted to know if I had not others to dispose of. His conduct was altogether kind and hospitable, in acknowledgment for which I made him a present at my departure. Whenever I wanted cocoa-nuts to quench my thirst, I had only to signify it to one of the men that was following me about, and he would supply me from the nearest tree. With one fellow I was very much amused. He carried his arms full of cocoa-nuts following me about nearly all day, and when I returned to the vessel I presented him with a musket ball, with which he was perfectly satisfied, said it was "motake," and went away. When I returned to the beach in the evening, I found the natives, male and female, assembled in as great numbers as on the day previous, and amusing themselves in the same way. The females were again in their finest attire, and at a distance might any where else have been mistaken for an assemblage of fashionable belles. We were apprehensive that our men, a number of whom were at work on shore, would have been very much annoyed by the intrusion of the natives. This, however, was not the case. When they commenced their work in the morning a circle was made, comprehending the whole space we wished them to occupy, which we told the natives was tabooed, and there was not an instance of their passing it. The next day they held quite a fair on the beach. Amongst other things, they had for trade large quantities of cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit. The former they exchanged for small pieces of tobacco; but a piece of iron hoop, fashioned into a tool or instrument of husbandry, was demanded for the latter. They were all day on the beach, cooking and eating their bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts. In the evening, the boys and men amused us with playing soldiers, by ranging themselves in a line with sticks for muskets. One of our officers took a particular pleasure in making grimaces, and talking a gibberish to the natives in imitation of their manner of speaking. It was very offensive to them; but they respected us too much to betray their displeasure. Upon one occasion, however, he amused himself in this way with the boys, about a hundred of whom were assembled, when I encouraged them to retaliate on him, by clucking like a hen. They soon discovered that it was disagreeable to him, and assembled round him like so many little furies, clucking with all their might. It seemed to delight them to have an opportunity of revenging themselves upon him, which they did most amply, for they did not let him rest a moment until he went on board, which was soon afterwards, highly displeased with me for conspiring with the Indians against him. We were often amused with the strange and ridiculous taste of the natives in the article of dress.
They were all desirous of obtaining clothes, and a number of old garments were given them, or exchanged for curiosities by the officers and crew. When obtained, whether they fitted or not, the Indians immediately put them on, and scarcely ever more than one garment at a time. Thus, half naked and half attired, a native would walk about with exceeding gravity, admiring himself, and believing that every one else was equally pleased with his genteel appearance.
Whenever they seated themselves to sing, a person was selected to occupy a conspicuous station, and perform a dance round the circle, slowly, and in the most graceful native style, striking at the same time the hollow of his left arm with his right hand, in time with the music of their voices. This distinction was always conferred upon some one who had obtained an old jacket or tattered shirt. If he had on a jacket, it was sure to be buttoned closely round him, with the two or three remaining buttons, and the sleeves, if not torn off, would probably not reach more than half the length of his arms. Thus attired, he would perform his evolutions round the circle slowly, and with a most serious air, stopping occasionally to receive the applause of the singers, who bestowed it upon him with great enthusiasm. Soon after daylight, one morning I was on the beach, and my curiosity led me to a place, where a number of females were busily employed in collecting something from the rocks. When I approached them they discontinued their occupation, and would have fled, but I called them back, and prevailed upon them to renew their occupation. Each of them was provided with a green leaf, in which she was gathering from the rocks a species of fine green sea moss and small snails. What they preserved in the leaf was intended for their families at home. They ate freely of them, and said it was "motake." The moss was tender, but to me had no other taste than that of salt water, with which it was covered at high tide. The snails were not larger than a pea, covered with a hard shell, and when broken, heated the tongue like pepper. The moss, when gathered, had a most disgusting appearance. I was told by the Englishmen, residing here, that the natives esteem it a very great delicacy. One of the females had an infant with her a few months old, which she was teaching to swim by holding it in a pool of water, and occasionally letting it go. The infant would make a slight effort, when let go by the mother, and, no doubt, was taught to swim almost as soon as it could walk. On the third of October, in walking through the habitable part of the valley, I was every where met by females, who addressed me with a smile, and finely modulated tone of voice, "Coare ta whyhene?"[[6]] The father of one of these, good naturedly conducted me to the hut of a chief, highest in blood of any in the valley. He was a man upwards of fifty, and apparently more civilized than any of the natives I had seen before. He told the interpreter to say, that he felt pleasure in seeing me at his hut. It was about forty by twenty feet, and constructed in the same way as that occupied by the Happah chief, differing in no respect from those of the common people, except in dimensions. His rank and importance was displayed in the possession of six muskets, and two casks of powder that hung directly fronting the door, and which the chief took occasion to point out to me soon after I entered. To him they were a treasure, and, in fact, the wealth and consequence of every individual seemed to be estimated by this standard alone. The powder was covered over with canvass, and the muskets highly polished. On one side of the hut were two logs, about three feet apart, and between them a coarse mat, for the convenience of laying down on, one log being intended for the head, and the other for the feet. Whilst I was here, a number of visitors came in, and, walking directly to the logs, without noticing any one, threw themselves down between them, their heads on one, and feet on the other, where they lay, fanning themselves, and looking at us, without saying a word, except once or twice, when they saw me looking at them, I was saluted with "motake." In the middle of the hut was the coffin of the chief's father, who had died about six months previous. It was the trunk of a large bread-fruit tree, six or eight feet long, highly polished, and the lid so ingeniously fitted, that the place of contact could not be seen but by the closest examination. He told me that his father had been a great warrior, and the friend of Opotee.[[7]] Before his door was a swivel, and a number of shot, that he said he had obtained from Opotee. He prized them very highly, although they could not be of the least use to him, except as they served to gratify his vanity. When I expressed a desire to know the manner in which they prepared the paint, used by the females, he directed his son to get some of the root, and grind it between two stones, mixing a little water with it, the only process required. I gave the chief's wife (who was an old woman) some beads, and a cotton handkerchief, with which she was so delighted, that she threw both her arms around my neck, and embraced me most affectionately. She was painted all over, quite yellow, and so thoroughly smeared my clothes, that I paid dearly for this expression of her regard. At parting, the chief presented me with a hog (the only one we obtained at the Marquesas), some sticks of the tappa tree, and offered whatever was acceptable to me, about his house. We also exchanged names, and I promised again to visit him, but had no opportunity afterwards. His son accompanied me on board, carrying the presents his father had made me, and all the way calling me "Kappe," the name of his father, and himself, by my name.
In the evening, when I returned to the vessel, she was crowded with natives, the work of the day being completed. The men and women were in different circles, singing their songs. That of the women, resembled the croaking of a great many frogs. The quick and lively motion of their hands, accompanying the various modulations of the voice, exhibited a great activity, and command of muscle, and was far more pleasing than their music. There was one amongst the females, who possessed great powers of voice, in the utterance of strange sounds, in which none of the rest could accompany her. The performance seemed to distress her very much, and was certainly very disagreeable; yet the natives would all stop occasionally, to listen to her, and, when she was done, exclaimed, with seeming surprise, "motake!"
On the 4th of October, I took a boat, prepared with arms, and providing myself with a few presents, ran down for Lewis' Bay, to ascertain the depth of water at the entrance of the harbour, what difficulties might probably attend our running in with the schooner, and whether it afforded any better prospect than the other places we had visited, of obtaining a supply of hogs. The distance was only six miles, and, with a fine breeze, we were at the entrance of the harbour in little more than an hour. It was very narrow, formed by two high points of land, and the depth of water abundantly sufficient for ships of the largest class. A heavy and broken swell made the entrance appear difficult: and, without a fair wind, it is so confined, that it would be hazardous to attempt it; but the gorge being once passed, you enter a large smooth basin, where there is scarcely a ripple, the land rising high all around it, and the points locking with each other. In the basin we found good anchorage, in from four to nine fathoms water, and a clay bottom. Lewis' Bay is divided into two parts by a projecting point of rocks. I first landed in that which fronts the entrance, or rather went into the edge of the surf. A great many people, of all ages, came swimming off through the surf, and in a few moments the boat was full of them, and of fruit of various kinds. They were anxious for me to land, but I saw there would be great difficulty in my getting off again, in the event of any misunderstanding with them, which was not altogether impossible. I did not remain long, but, dismissing the natives who had crawled into the boat, or were hanging on the gunwale, pulled round the point of rocks to the other landing. When first I went into this part of the harbour, I could perceive only two or three persons, who were afraid to come near us. They gradually relaxed in their timidity, however, and kept nearing us a little, until we at last prevailed upon them to get into the boat. As soon as they saw our muskets, which they thought were intended for trade; but which were only for our protection, they ran away, saying, they would bring us hogs directly. In the mean time the news of our arrival spread, far and wide, over the valley, and the people came running from every direction, with whatever they could most readily possess themselves of, for trade. Every body wanted muskets, and a chief had seven or eight hogs brought to the beach, all of which he offered for one gun. After spending an hour or two here, on the most friendly terms with the natives, I prepared to depart, and missed one of my shoes, that I had thrown off wet. Search was made in the boat, without finding it, when it was remarked, that a native had been seen crawling in the water for a considerable distance to a rock near the shore, where he deposited something, and returned. Upon examination, we found the shoe wrapped up in a piece of tappa cloth, the Indian having stolen it, without reflecting that the possession of one shoe, without the other, was of no value to him, or perhaps not caring whether it was or not, so that he gratified his propensity to steal. When I returned a short distance, and held the shoe up to show the natives that I had recovered it, they set up a loud laugh, which I interpreted into applause, of the ingenious exploit of their countryman. The valley of Lewis' Bay is not to be compared to either of the other places we visited on the island, for beauty or fertility. It is, however, quite populous, and the scenery is grand and picturesque. The land gradually rises from a small plain below, like the valley occupied by the Typees, in a succession of hills, and terminates in a perpendicular high ledge of rocks. In returning from Lewis' to Massachusetts' Bay, the wind was ahead, and we pulled close in with the shore, which, for nearly the whole distance, rises abruptly, from the ocean, to the height of six or seven hundred feet. Numerous falls, which were only perceptible in heavy mist, before they reached the water, were leaping from the top, whilst the sea beat the sides with unceasing fury, throwing its spray to the height of more than a hundred feet. Whilst we were tugging at our oars, contemplating this magnificent scene, the sea suddenly became unusually agitated, and threatened, at every instant, to swallow up the boat. We pulled directly from the shore, and for half an hour our situation was very critical, after which the sea became regular. A phenomenon, so remarkable, baffled all our speculation, and we were entirely at a loss to determine respecting its cause. On our arrival on board, we learned that the vessel had narrowly escaped being driven on shore in a squall It was not the fault of the anchorage, but in consequence of the baffling winds which had several times driven the vessel over her anchor, whereby it was fouled by the cable, and tripped with the violence of the squall.
The natives, as usual, were assembled on the shore near us, amusing themselves in their customary way, by singing and dancing. The females, having learned from some of the Dolphin's crew, that it was not in good taste to use cocoa-nut oil, and paint, in such profusion, left it off, as well as the golden yellow fruit, which had also been highly disapproved of. It improved their appearance, and they seemed to be sensible of the superior estimation in which they were held. These wild ladies, in truth, who, on our first arrival, came swimming round, like so many mermaids, grew very fastidious in the short time we remained at their island. After the first day or two, they requested to be allowed to go on board, in our boats, and then, seeing some of the officers carried through the surf by the seamen, nothing less would please them, when they did us the honour of a visit, but to be gallanted on board with the same ceremony. Our sailors gallantly condescended to gratify two or three of them; but, instead of taking them to the boat, they most uncourteously let them fall into the first heavy roller they encountered, leaving them to the choice of swimming to the boat, or back to the shore again, after which none ever asked to be carried. With regard to their superstitions or worship, we could learn but little. John Luxon told me, that he was tabooed by his father, who was a chief, and that no common man dared to pass over his head. He was usually dressed in a sailor's shirt and trowsers, and an old hat. He came off regularly every morning, and ate with us three time a day, taking his seat at the table, without the least ceremony, and never waiting to be asked.
One day, some one had, designedly or accidentally, thrown some bread in John's hat, which he did not perceive when he took it up, and put it on. When he felt the bread upon his head, he threw his hat off instantly, and, with a look of the utmost horror, exclaimed, "who put dat dare? Me Taboo here!" (putting his hand on his head) "To-morrow me sick, me die!" This, he repeated over a number of times, and with great earnestness of manner tried to find out who had put the bread in his hat, insisting upon it, that, on the morrow, he should sicken and die. The morrow, however, came, and John was alive and well, and was heartily laughed at for his foolish superstition, when he came on board as usual to spend the day with us. I do not believe that John had the same implicit faith in taboo afterwards. I tried to find out from him what was meant by his being tabooed, but he spoke English so badly, and seemed to understand so little of the matter himself, that I was not much the wiser for his explanation. We were told here, that, a few years since, the missionaries at the Society Islands, moved by the benevolent purpose of converting the Marquesas islanders to Christianity, sent one of their number to reside at Massachusetts' Bay. The missionary landed amongst his charge, by whom he was received with characteristic kindness and hospitality. No other notice was taken of him, however, than would have been bestowed upon the most poor and ignorant mariner, seeking an asylum amongst them. He was permitted to fix upon his place of residence, and live in such way as pleased him best. He soon commenced preaching the doctrines of his faith. The natives listened to him, wondering at all he said, but not less at his singular manner of life,—to them unexampled, in all their acquaintance with the whites,—and, certainly, unparalleled amongst themselves. They had always seen the white men, who visited their islands, take liberties with their females, and mingle with them in all their pleasures, whilst this man, who called himself a messenger from the Great Spirit, lived a life of celibacy, retired from all that, to them, was amusing or agreeable. When a free interchange of opinion had taken place amongst them, respecting him, they came to the conclusion, that he was differently made and constituted from all other men they had ever seen, and curiosity being raised to the highest pitch, they, with a levity peculiar to savages, determined to subject him to a scrutiny. The missionary, alarmed at a disposition that evinced so little respect for his character and personal rights, took his departure by the first opportunity, since which no attempt has been made to convert the natives of the Marquesas to Christianity.
The men of the Marquesas, were, in general, quite naked. But few ornaments were worn by either sex. The women frequently had no other ornament than a small flower, stuck through a slit in their ears. Some of the men wore polished whale's teeth round their necks, and some shell bracelets, but they were not in common use. A few were tattooed all over, and others but slightly. The mode of their tattooing seemed to be altogether a matter of fancy. Some had indulged the most whimsical taste, in having indelibly pricked into their flesh, fish, birds, and beasts, of all kinds known to them. Others were tattooed black, even to the inner part of their lips. It is an art in high estimation amongst them. There are men, who pursue it as a regular business, and are in great favour with their countrymen, for their skilful performance. The women tattoo more tastefully than the men. Their feet and legs, half-way to the knee, are usually covered with figures, wrought with great neatness, and the right hand and arm, half-way to the elbow, is often similarly ornamented. Both men and women commonly wear their hair short, and when instances to the contrary are met with, the persons invariably have a disgusting appearance, their hair hanging in long and disagreeable looking matted locks.
The men are finely formed, large, and active; and both men and women would, in many instances, be considered handsome, were it not for our fastidious objection to their copper colour. Their teeth are very beautiful, and formed a subject of remark to us all, while we were amongst them. I do not think that, of all the people that came under my observation at Nooaheeva, there was a single one with bad teeth. This is the more remarkable in the men, as they are accustomed all their lives to strip the husk of the cocoa-nut in the manner I have described.
A plurality of wives is not admitted amongst them under any circumstances. The sexes rarely live together, as man and wife, until they have arrived at the middle age of life. When a man wishes to take a wife, he first obtains the consent of the female, who solicits that of her friends, which, being obtained, the girl's father kills a hog, or, if a chief, a number of hogs, and makes a feast, to which all the friends of both parties are invited. After this ceremonial is performed, which is an occasion of great merriment, the parents of the girl furnish her with a few pieces of tappa cloth, and she is conducted by her husband to his house. The females, although invited to these feasts, are not permitted to partake of the hogs, roasted for the occasion. They are tabooed for the men alone. Hogs are scarcely ever used by the natives, but upon the occasion of a death or marriage. When a chief, or other person dies, possessing many hogs, a great feast is made. The only arms, that are now generally used, are muskets. Most of the natives, who have any property, own one or more. I did not see a single war club at Nooaheeva, and but few spears. I met several persons, who had the scars of musket balls, that they told me were received in battle. Each of the renegade Englishmen was living with a chief, who thought there was scarcely any thing that he could not perform. Besides supporting them, they gave them all the consequence of chiefs in their intercourse with the natives, so far as their own authority would admit of it. They were highly respected by the natives, and even John Luxon boasted to me of his superiority over the other Indians, in speaking English. I asked John, of what advantage his speaking English was to him, to which he replied, that it enabled him to cheat his countrymen.