206* cook's SECOND VOYAGE OCT. 



a custom which is practised at Otaheite, and the 

 Society isles. We were lucky, or rather we may thank 

 the natives, for having anchored before a narrow 

 creek in the rocks which line the shore. To this 

 creek we were conducted by my friend Attago ; and 

 there we landed dry on the beach, and within the 

 breakers, in the face of a vast crowd of people, who 

 received us in the same friendly manner that those of 

 Middleburg had done. 



As soon as we were landed, all the gentlemen set 

 out into the country, accompanied by some of the 

 natives. But the most of them remained with Cap- 

 tain Furneaux and me, who amused ourselves some 

 time in distributing presents amongst them ; especially 

 to such as Attago pointed out ; which were not many, 

 but who, I afterwards found, were of superior rank 

 to himself. At this time, however, he seemed to be 

 the principal person, and to be obeyed as such. 

 After we had spent some time on the beach, as we 

 complained of the heat, Attago immediately con- 

 ducted and seated us under the shade of a tree, or- 

 dering the people to form a circle round us. This 

 they did, and never once attempted to push them- 

 selves upon us like the Otaheiteans. 



After sitting here some time, and distributing some 

 presents to those about us, we signified our desire to 

 see the country. The chief immediately took the 

 hint, and conducted us along a lane that led to an 

 open green, on the one side of which was a house of 

 worship built on a mount that had been raised by the 

 hand of man, about sixteen or eighteen feet above 

 the common level. It had an oblong figure, and was 

 inclosed by a wall or parapet of stone, about three 

 feet in height. From this wall the mount rose with 

 a gentle slope, and was covered with a green turf. 

 On the top of it stood the house, which had the same 

 figure as the mount, about twenty feet in length and 

 fourteen or sixteen broad. As soon as we came be- 

 fore the place, every one seated himself on the green, 



