So little do we know of their religion, that I hardly dare mention it. The buildings called Afiatoucas, before mentioned, are undoubtedly set apart for this purpose. Some of our gentlemen were of opinion, that they were merely burying-places. I can only say, from my own knowledge, that they are places to which particular persons directed set speeches, which I understood to be prayers, as hath been already related. Joining my opinion with that of others, I was inclined to think that they are set apart to be both temples and burying-places, as at Otaheite, or even in Europe. But I have no idea of the images being idols; not only from what I saw myself, but from Mr Wales's informing me that they set one of them up, for him and others to shoot at.
One circumstance shewed that these Afiatoucas were frequently resorted to, for one purpose or other--the areas, or open places, before them, being covered with a green sod, the grass on which was very short. This did not appear to have been cut, or reduced by the hand of man, but to have been prevented in its growth, by being often trod, or sat upon.
It cannot be supposed that we could know much, either of their civil or religious policy, in so short a time as four or five days, especially as we understood but little of their language: Even the two islanders we had on board could not at first understand them, and yet as we became the more acquainted with them, we found their language was nearly the same spoken at Otaheite and the Society Isles. The difference not being greater than what we find betwixt the most northern and western parts of England, as will more fully appear by the vocabulary.[6]
[6] It appeared upon the whole, that the customs and language of these islanders have a great affinity with those of the Otaheitans, and it would not therefore be very singular to find a coincidence even in their amusements. The greatest differences between these two tribes, who must have originated from the same stock, seem to be owing to the different nature of these islands. The Society Isles are well furnished with wood, and the tops of these mountains are still covered with inexhaustible forests. At the Friendly Isles this article is much scarcer, the surface (at least of those which we have seen) being almost entirely laid out in plantations. The natural consequence is, that the houses are lofty and of immense extent in the first group of islands, but much smaller and less convenient in the last. In one the canoes are numerous, I may almost say innumerable, and many of a vast size; and, in the other, very few in number, and much smaller. The mountains of the Society Isles continually attract the vapours from the atmosphere, and many rivulets descend from the broken rocks into the plain, where they wind their serpentine course, and glide smoothly to the sea. The inhabitants of those islands take advantage of this gift of bountiful nature, and not only drink of the salutary element, but likewise bathe so frequently in it, that no impurity can long adhere to their skin. It is very different with a people who are absolutely denied this blessing, and who must either content themselves with putrid stagnant rain water in a few dirty pools, or go entirely without it. They are obliged to have recourse to expedients in order to preserve a certain degree of cleanliness, which may preclude various distempers. They, therefore, cut off their hair, and shave or clip their beards, which doubtless makes them look more unlike the Otaheitans than they would otherwise do. Still these precautions are not sufficient, especially as they have no fluid for drinking in any quantity. The body is therefore very subject to leprous complaints, which are perhaps irritated by the use of the pepper-root water or awa. Hence also that burning or blistering on the cheekbones, which we observed to be so general among this tribe, that hardly an individual was free from it, and which can only be used as a remedy against some disorders. The soil of the Society Isles in the plains and vallies is rich, and the rivulets which intersect it supply abundance of moisture. All sorts of vegetables, therefore, thrive with great luxuriance upon it, and require little attendance or cultivation. This profusion is become the source of that great luxury among the chiefs, which we do not meet with at Tonga-tabboo. There the coral rock is covered only with a thin bed of mould, which sparingly affords nourishment to all sorts of trees; and the most useful of all, the bread-fruit tree, thrives imperfectly on the island, as it is destitute of water, except when a genial shower happens to impregnate and fertilize the ground. The labour of the natives is therefore greater than that of the Otaheitans, and accounts for the regularity of the plantations, and the accurate division of property. It is likewise to this source we must ascribe it, that they have always set a higher value on their provisions than on their tools, dresses, ornaments, and weapons, though many of these must have cost them infinite time and application. They very justly conceive the articles of food to be their principal riches, of which the loss is absolutely not to be remedied. If we observed their bodies more slender, and their muscles harder than those of the Otaheitans, this seems to be the consequence of a greater and more constant exertion of strength. Thus, perhaps, they become industrious by force of habit, and when agriculture does not occupy them, they are actuated to employ their vacant hours in the fabrication of that variety of tools and instruments on which they bestow so much time, patience, labour, and ingenuity. This industrious turn has also led them, in the cultivation of all their arts, to so much greater perfection than the Otaheitans. By degrees they have hit upon new inventions, and introduced an active spirit, and enlivening cheerfulness even into their amusements. Their happiness of temper they preserve under a political constitution, which does not appear to be very favourable to liberty; but we need not go so far from home to wonder at such a phenomenon, when one of the most enslaved people in all Europe (the French, no doubt, are intended; this was published in 1777,) are characterised as the merriest and most facetious of mankind. Still there may be more sincerity in the cheerfulness of the natives of Tonga-tabboo, for, exclusive of great and almost servile submission, their king does not seem to exact any thing from them, which, by depriving them of the means to satisfy the most indispensable wants of nature, could make them miserable. Be this as it may, so much seems to be certain, that their systems of politics and religion, from their similarity with the Otaheitan, as far as we could judge, must have had one common origin, perhaps in the mother country, from whence both these colonies issued. Single dissonant customs and opinions may have acceded to the primitive ideas, in proportion as various accidents, or human caprices, have given rise to them. The affinity of their languages is still more decisive. The greatest part of the necessaries of life, common to both groups of islands, the parts of the body, in short, the most obvious and universal ideas, were expressed at the Society and Friendly Isles, nearly by the same words. We did not find that sonorousness in the Tonga-tabboo dialect, which is prevalent in that of Otaheite, because the inhabitants of the former have adopted the F, K, and S, so that their language is more replete with consonants. This harshness is compensated, however, by the frequent use of the liquid letters L, M, N, and of the softer vowels E and I, to which we must add that kind of singing tone, which they generally retain even in common conversation."--G.F.
No apology, it is presumed, need be given, for the insertion of so able a specimen of philosophical discernment, and judicious reasoning. Few men have exhibited happier talents for this department of literature, than the younger Forster; and it is perhaps the more generous to yield him this commendation now, as his merit has hitherto been almost totally immersed in the celebrity of greater names. His work is glaringly superior, in perhaps every particular, to the compilation of Dr Hawkesworth; and the writer for one, would feel ashamed of himself, if he had not courage to avow his opinion, that it manifests greater excellencies than Cook's own relation, for which, indeed, it would be easy to specify many reasons. This comparison, it may be said, is invidious, the two men being so differently constituted, as to habits and education, and having such different objects in view in their undertakings, as to imply legitimate and specific dissimilarity. Be it so, in the main. But how is justice to be done them unless by comparison? As navigator and naturalist, they have few or no common features, and cannot, therefore, be confronted; but as authors describing the manners and appearances of distant and singular people, and relating occurrences and transactions common to both, they have only one sort of character, which will and ought to be judged of by the public, according to the same standard.--E.
SECTION IV.
Passage from Amsterdam to Queen Charlotte's Sound, with an Account of an Interview with the Inhabitants, and the final Separation of the two Ships .
About the time we were in a condition to make sail, a canoe, conducted by four men, came along-side, with one of those drums already mentioned, on which one man kept continually beating; thinking, no doubt, the music would charm us. I gave them a piece of cloth and a nail, for the drum; and took an opportunity to send to my friend Attago some wheat, pease, and beans, which I had forgot to give him when he had the other seeds. As soon as this canoe was gone, we made sail to the southward, having a gentle gale at S.E. by E.; it being my intention to proceed directly to Queen Charlotte's Sound in New Zealand, there to take in wood and water, and then to go on farther discoveries to the south and east.
In the afternoon on the 8th, we made the island of Pilstart, bearing S.W. by W. 1/2 W., distant seven or eight leagues. This island, which was also discovered by Tasman, is situated in the latitude of 22° 26' south, longitude 175° 59' west, and lies in the direction of S. 52° west, distant thirty-two leagues from the south end of Middleburg. It is more conspicuous in height than circuit; having in it two considerable hills, seemingly disjoined from each other by a low valley. After a few hours calm the wind came to S.W.; with which we stretched to the S.E.; but on the 10th, it veered round by the south to the S.E. and E.S.E. and then we resumed our course to the S.S.W.
At five o'clock in the morning of the 21st, we made the land of New Zealand, extending from N.W. by N. to W.S.W.; at noon, Table Cape bore west, distant eight or ten leagues. I was very desirous of having some intercourse with the natives of this country as far to the north as possible; that is, about Poverty or Tolaga Bays, where I apprehended they were more civilized than at Queen Charlotte's Sound; in order to give them some hogs, fowls, seeds, roots, &c. which I had provided for the purpose. The wind veering to the N.W. and north, enabled us to fetch in with the land a little to the north of Portland, and we stood as near the shore as we could with safety. We observed several people upon it, but none attempted to come off to us. Seeing this, we bore away under Portland, where we lay-to some time, as well to give time for the natives to come off, as to wait for the Adventure. There were several people on Portland, but none seemed inclined to come to us; indeed the wind, at this time, blew rather too fresh for them to make the attempt. Therefore, as soon as the Adventure was up with us, we made sail for Cape Kidnappers, which we passed at five o'clock in the morning, and continued our course along-shore till nine, when, being about three leagues short off Black-head, we saw some canoes put off from the shore. Upon this I brought to, in order to give them time to come on board; but ordered the Adventure, by signal, to stand on, as I was willing to lose as little time as possible.
Those in the first canoe, which came along-side, were fishers, and exchanged some fish for pieces of cloth and nails. In the next, were two men, whom, by their dress and behaviour, I took to be chiefs.--These two were easily prevailed on to come on board, when they were presented with nails and other articles. They were so fond of nails, as to seize on all they could find, and with such eagerness, as plainly shewed they were the most valuable things we could give them. To the principal of these two men I gave the pigs, fowls, seeds, and roots. I believe, at first, he did not think I meant to give them to him; for he took but little notice of them, till he was satisfied they were for himself. Nor was he then in such a rapture as when I gave him a spike-nail half the length of his arm. However, at his going away I took notice, that he very well remembered how many pigs and fowls had been given him, as he took care to have them all collected together, and kept a watchful eye over them, lest any should be taken away. He made me a promise not to kill any; and if he keeps his word, and proper care is taken of them, there were enough to stock the whole island in due time; being two boars, two sows, four hens, and two cocks; The seeds were such as are most useful (viz.) wheat, French and kidney beans, pease, cabbage, turnips, onions, carrots, parsnips, and yams, &c. With these articles they were dismissed. It was evident these people had not forgot the Endeavour being on their coast; for the first words they spoke to us were, Mataou no te pow pow (we are afraid of the guns). As they could be no strangers to the affair which happened off Cape Kidnappers in my former voyage, experience had taught them to have some regard to these instruments of death.