The Rowers Sat In The
Canoe, Or Under The Fighting-Stage On The Platform, Which Consisted Of
The Transverse Beams And Longitudinal Spars; So That Wherever These
Crossed, There Was Room For One Man In The Compartment.
The warriors
were stationed on the fighting-stage to the number of fifteen or
twenty.
Their dress was the most singular, and at the same time the
most shewy, in the whole fleet. They had three large and ample pieces
of cloth with a hole in the middle, put one above another. The
undermost and largest was white, the next red, and the uppermost and
shortest brown. Their targets or breast-plates were made of wicker-
work, covered with feathers and sharks' teeth, and hardly any of the
warriors were without them. On the contrary, those who wore helmets
were few in number. These helmets were of an enormous size, being near
five feet high. They consisted of a long cylindrical basket of wicker-
work, of which the foremost half was hid by a semi-cylinder of a
closer texture, which became broader towards the top, and there
separated from the basket, so as to come forwards in a curve. This
frontlet, of the length of four feet, was closely covered with the
glossy bluish green feathers of a sort of pigeon, and with an elegant
border of white plumes. A prodigious number of the long tail feathers
of tropic birds diverged from its edges, in a radiant line, resembling
that glory of light with which our painters commonly ornament the
heads of angels and saints. A large turban of cloth was required for
this huge unwieldy machine to rest upon; but as it is intended merely
to strike the beholder with admiration, and can be of no service, the
warriors soon took it off, and placed it on the platform near them.
The principal commanders were moreover distinguished by long round
tails, made of green and yellow feathers, which hung down on the back,
and put us in mind of the Turkish bashaws. Towha, their admiral, wore
five of them, to the ends of which several strings of cocoa-nut tree
were added, with a few red feathers affixed to them. He had no helmet
on, but wore a fine turban, which sat very gracefully on his head. He
was a man seemingly near sixty years of age, but extremely vigorous,
tall, and of a very engaging noble countenance. In each canoe we took
notice of vast bundles of spears, and long clubs or battle-axes placed
upright against the platform; and every warrior had either a club or
spear in his hand. Vast heaps of large stones were likewise piled up
in every canoe, being their only missile weapons. Besides the vessels
of war, there were many smaller canoes without the ranks, most of
which were likewise double, with a roof on the stern, intended for the
reception of the chiefs at night, and as victuallers to the fleet. A
few of them were seen, on which banana-leaves were very conspicuous;
and these the natives told us were to receive the killed, and they
called them e-vaa no t'Eatua, "the canoes of the Divinity." "The
immense number of people assembled together was, in fact, more
surprising than the splendour of the whole shew; and we learnt to our
greater surprise, that this fleet was only the naval force of the
single district of Atapooroo, and that all the other districts could
furnish their quota of vessels in proportion to their size. This
account opened our eyes, in regard to the population of the island,
and convinced us in a few moments, that it was much more considerable
than we had hitherto supposed. The result of a most moderate
computation gave us one hundred and twenty thousand persons in the two
peninsulas of Otabeite, and this calculation was afterwards confirmed
to be very low, when we saw the fleet of the smallest district, which
amounted to forty-four war-canoes, besides twenty or thirty of a
smaller size." - G.F.
SECTION XII.
Some Account of a Visit from Otoo, Towha, and several other Chiefs; also
of a Robbery committed by one of the Natives, and its Consequences, with
general Observations on the Subject.
In the morning of the 27th, I received a present from Towha, consisting of
two large hogs and some fruit, sent by two of his servants, who had orders
not to receive any thing in return; nor would they when offered them. Soon
after I went down to Oparree in my boat, where, having found both this
chief and the king, after a short stay, I brought them on board to dinner,
together with Tarevatoo, the king's younger brother, and Tee. As soon as we
drew near the ship, the admiral, who had never seen one before, began to
express much surprise at so new a sight. He was conducted all over the
ship, every part of which he viewed with great attention. On this occasion
Otoo was the principal show-man; for, by this time, he was well acquainted
with the different parts of the ship. After dinner Towha put a hog on
board, and retired, without my knowing any thing of the matter, or having
made him any return either for this, or the present I had in the morning.
Soon after, the king and his attendants went away also.[1] Otoo not only
seemed to pay this chief much respect, but was desirous I should do the
same; and yet he was jealous of him, but on what account we knew not. It
was but the day before that he frankly told us, Towha was not his friend.
Both these chiefs when on board solicited me to assist them against
Tiarabou, notwithstanding a peace at this time subsisted between the two
kingdoms, and we were told their joint force was to go against Eimea.
Whether this was done with a view of breaking with their neighbours and
allies if I had promised them assistance, or only to sound my disposition,
I know not.
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