[175]. For an account of the discovery of Savage Island; a description of it; and the behaviour of its inhabitants, on Captain Cook’s landing, see Vol. IV. p. 3. to p. 6.
[176]. That is, Little Annamooka.
[177]. See Captain Cook’s last Voyage, Vol. IV. p. 7.
[178]. See Tasman’s account of this island, in Mr. Dalrymple’s valuable Collection of Voyages to the Pacific Ocean, vol. ii. p. 79, 80. The few particulars mentioned by Tasman, agree remarkably with Captain Cook’s more extended relation.
[179]. As a proof of the great difficulty of knowing accurately the exact names of the South Sea Islands, as procured from the natives, I observe that what Captain Cook calls Aghao, Mr. Anderson calls Kao; and Tasman’s drawing, as I find it in Mr. Dalrymple’s Collection of Voyages, gives the name of Kaybay to the same island. Tasman’s and Captain Cook’s Amattafoa, is, with Mr. Anderson, Tofoa. Captain Cook’s Komango, is Tasman’s Amango. There is scarcely an instance in which such variations are not observable. Mr. Anderson’s great attention to matters of this sort being, as we learn from Captain King, well known to every body on board, and admitted always by Captain Cook himself, his mode of spelling has been adopted on the engraved chart of the Friendly Islands, which has made it necessary to adopt it also, in printing the journal.
[180]. Mr. Anderson’s account of the night dances being much fuller than Captain Cook’s, the reader will not be displeased that it has been adopted.
[181]. In a former note, at p. 258. it was observed, that the songs and dances of the Caroline Islanders, in the north Pacific, bear a great resemblance to those of the inhabitants of Wateeoo. The remark may be now extended to those of the Friendly Islanders, described at large in this chapter. That the reader may judge for himself, I have selected the following particulars from Father Cantova’s account. “Pendant la nuit, au clair de la lune, ils s’assemblent, de temps en temps, pour chanter et danser devant la maison de leur Tamole. Leurs danses se font au son de la voix, car ils n’ont point d’instrument de musique. La beauté de la danse, consiste dans l’exacte uniformité des mouvemens du corps. Les hommes, séparés des femmes, se postent vis-à-vis les uns des autres; après quoi, ils remuent la tête, les bras, les mains, les pieds, en cadence.—Leur tête est couverte de plumes, ou de fleurs; et l’on voit, attachées à leurs oreilles, des feuilles de palmier tissues avec assez d’art.—Les femmes, de leur côté, se regardant les unes les autres, commencent un chant pathétique et langoureux, accompagnant le son de leur voix du mouvement cadencé de la tête et des bras.” Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 314, 315.
[182]. See Vol. III. book ii. ch. 2. The name of this extraordinary personage is there said to be Kohagee-too Fallangou; which cannot, by the most skilful etymologist, be tortured into the least most distant resemblance of Latooliboula. It is remarkable, that Captain Cook should not take any notice of his having called the same person by two names so very different. Perhaps we may account for this by supposing one to be the name of the person, and the other the description of his title or rank. This supposition seems well founded, when we consider, that Latoo, in the language of these people, is sometimes used to signify a great chief; and Dr. Foster, in his Observations, p. 378, 379, and elsewhere, speaks of the sovereign of Tongataboo, under the title of their Latoo. This very person is called by Dr. Foster, p. 370, Latoo-Nipooroo; which furnishes a very striking instance of the variations of our people in writing down the same word as pronounced by the natives. However, we can easily trace the affinity between Nipooroo and Liboula, as the changes of the consonants are such as are perpetually made, upon hearing a word pronounced, to which our ears have not been accustomed. Mr. Anderson here agrees with Captain Cook in writing Latooliboula.
[183]. Tangata, in their language is man; Arekee, king.
[184]. Marks of profound respect, very similar to those paid by natives of the Friendly Islands to their sovereign, are also paid to the principal chiefs, or Tamoles of the Caroline Islands, as appears from father Cantova’s account here transcribed. “Lorsqu’un Tamole donne audience, il paroît assis sur une table élevée: les peuples s’inclinent devant lui jusqu’à terre; et du plus loin qu’ils arrivent, ils marchent, le corps tout courbé, et la tête presqu’entre les génoux, jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient auprès de sa personne; alors ils s’asséyent à plate terre; et, les yeux baissés, ils reçoivent ses ordres avec le plus profond respect. Quand le Tamole les congedie, ils se retirent, en se courbant de la même manière que quand ils sont venus, et ne se relèvent que lorsqu’ils sont hors de sa présence. Ses paroles sont autant d’oracles qu’on revère; on rend à ses ordres une obeissance aveugle; enfin, on baise les mains et les pieds, quand on lui demande quelque grace.”