When The Endeavour Bark Lay Here, She Had Distinguished
Herself By The Name Of Captain Cook's Sister, And One Day,
Being
denied admittance into the fort on Point Venus, had knocked down the
sentry who opposed her, and complained to
Her adopted brother of the
indignity which had been offered to her." Altogether, however, this
gentleman is the eulogist of the natives and country of Otaheite, and
admits, that he left them with great regret. We shall conclude our
extracts from his description, by the following remarks as to the
language: - "Many of them seeing us desirous of learning their
language, by asking the names of various familiar objects, or
repeating such as we found in the vocabularies of former voyages, took
great pains to teach us, and were much delighted when we could catch
the just pronunciation of a word. For my own part, no language seemed
easier to acquire than this; every harsh and sibilant consonant being
banished from it, and almost every word ending in a vowel. The only
requisite, was a nice ear to distinguish the numerous modifications of
the vowels which must naturally occur in a language confined to few
consonants, and which, once rightly understood, give a great degree of
delicacy to conversation. Amongst several observations, we immediately
found that the O or E with which the greatest part of the names and
words in (the account of) Lieutenant Cook's first voyage, is nothing
else than the article, which many eastern languages affix to the
greater part of their substantives." He applies this observation to
the name of the island which he thinks has been fortunately expressed
by M. Bougainville in French, by Taiti, without the initial vowel
usually given to it in English books. - E.
SECTION XII.
An Account of the Reception we met with at Huaheine, with the Incidents
that happened while the Ships lay there; and of Omai, one of the Natives,
coming away in the Adventure.
As soon as we were clear of the bay, and our boats in, I directed my course
for the island of Huaheine, where I intended to touch. We made it the next
day, and spent the night, making short boards under the north end of the
island. At day-light, in the morning of the 3d, we made sail for the
harbour of Owharre; in which the Resolution anchored, about nine o'clock,
in twenty-four fathoms water. As the wind blew out of the harbour, I chose
to turn in by the southern channel, it being the widest. The Resolution
turned in very well, but the Adventure, missing stays, got ashore on the
north side of the channel. I had the Resolution's launch in the water
ready, in case of an accident of this kind, and sent her immediately to the
Adventure. By this timely assistance, she was got off again, without
receiving any damage. Several of the natives, by this time, had come off to
us, bringing with them some of the productions of the island; and as soon
as the ships were both in safety, I landed with Captain Furneaux, and was
received by the natives with the utmost cordiality. I distributed some
presents among them; and they presently after brought down hogs, fowls,
dogs, and fruits, which they willingly exchanged for hatchets, nails,
beads, &c. The like trade was soon opened on board the ships; so that we
had a fair prospect of being plentifully supplied with fresh pork and
fowls; and to people in our situation, this was no unwelcome thing. I
learnt that my old friend Oree, chief of the isle, was still living, and
that he was hastening to this part to see me.
Early next morning, Lieutenant Pickersgill sailed with the cutter, on a
trading party, toward the south end of the isle. I also sent another
trading party on shore near the ships, with which I went myself, to see
that it was properly conducted at the first setting out, a very necessary
point to be attended to. Every thing being settled to my mind, I went,
accompanied by Captain Furneaux and Mr Forster, to pay my first visit to
Oree, who, I was told, was waiting for me. We were conducted to the place
by one of the natives; but were not permitted to go out of our boat, till
we had gone through some part of the following ceremony usually performed
at this isle, on such like occasions. The boat in which we were desired to
remain being landed before the chief's house, which stood close to the
shore, five young plaintain trees, which are their emblems of peace, were
brought on board separately, and with some ceremony. Three young pigs, with
their ears ornamented with cocoa-nut fibres, accompanied the first three;
and a dog, the fourth. Each had its particular name and purpose, rather too
mysterious for us to understand. Lastly, the chief sent to me the
inscription engraved on a small piece of pewter, which I left with him in
July 1769. It was in the same bag I had made for it, together with a piece
of counterfeit English coin, and a few beads, put in at the same time;
which shews how well he had taken care of the whole. When they had made an
end of putting into the boat the things just mentioned, our guide, who
still remained with us, desired us to decorate the young plaintain trees
with looking-glasses, nails, medals, beads, &c. &c. This being accordingly
done, we landed with these in our hands, and were conducted towards the
chief, through the multitude; they making a lane, as it were, for us to
pass through. We were made to sit down a few paces short of the chief, and
our plantains were then taken from us, and, one by one, laid before him, as
the others had been laid before us. One was for Eatoua (or God), the
second for the Earee (or king), and the third for Tiyo (or
friendship). This being done, I wanted to go to the king, but was told that
he would come to me; which he accordingly did, fell upon my neck, and
embraced me.
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