[203]. See Vol. IV. p. 19., where Captain Cook gives a particular account of meeting with a person afflicted with this disease, at Annamooka, on his landing there in 1773.
[204]. So at the Caroline Islands. “Ils sont accoutumés à se baigner trois fois le jour, le matin, à midi, et sur le soir.”
Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 314.
[205]. How remarkably does Captain Cook’s account of the employments of the women and men here, agree with Father Cantova’s, of the Caroline Islanders!—“La principale occupation des hommes, est de construire des barques, de pêcher, et de cultiver la terre. L’affaire des femmes est de faire la cuisine, et de mettre en œuvre un espèce de plante sauvage, et un arbre, pour en faire de la toile.”
Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 313.
[206]. Vol. III. p. 222, 223. The reader, by comparing that account, with what Cantova says of the sea-boats of the Caroline Islands, will find, in this instance, also, the greatest similarity. See Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, p. 286.
[207]. Cantova says of his islanders, “Ils prennent leur repos dès que le soleil est couché, et ils se levent avec l’aurore.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 314.
[208]. If, to the copious descriptions that occur in the preceding pages, of the particular entertainments exhibited in Hapaee and Tongataboo, we add the general view of the usual amusements of the inhabitants of these islands, contained in this paragraph, and compare it with the quotations from the Jesuit’s Letters, in a former note (p. 255.), we shall be still more forcibly struck with the reasonableness of tracing such singularly resembling customs to one common source. The argument, in confirmation of this, drawn from identity of language, has been already illustrated, by observing the remarkable coincidence of the name by which the chiefs at the Caroline Islands, and those at Hamao, one of the Friendly ones, are distinguished. But the argument does not rest on a single instance, though that happens to be a very striking one. Another of the very few specimens of the dialect of the North Pacific islanders, preserved by father Cantova, furnishes an additional proof. Immediately after the passage above referred to, he proceeds thus: “Ce divertissement s’appelle, en leur langue, tanger ifaifil; qui veut dire, la plainte des femmes.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 315. Now, it is very remarkable, that we learn from Mr. Anderson’s collection of words, which will appear in this chapter, that la plainte des femmes, or, in English, the mournful song of the women, which the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands express in their language tanger ifaifil, would, by those of Tongataboo, be expressed tangee vefaine.
If any one should still doubt, in spite of this evidence, it may be recommended to his consideration, that long separation and other causes have introduced greater variations in the mode of pronouncing these two words, at places confessedly inhabited by the same race, than subsist in the specimen just given. It appears, from Mr. Anderson’s vocabulary, printed in Captain Cook’s second voyage, that what is pronounced tangee at the Friendly Islands, is taee at Otaheite: and the vefaine of the former, is the waheine of the latter.
[209]. Cantova says of his Caroline islanders, “La pluralité des femmes est non seulement permise à tous ces insulaires, elle est encore une marque d’honneur et de distinction. Le Tamole de l’isle d’Huogoleu en a neuf.”—Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 310.