310 cook's SECOND VOYAGE APRIL, 



means so cleanly as the Otaheiteans. They are like- 

 wise dirty in their cookery. Pork and fowls are 

 dressed in an oven of hot stones as at Otaheite ; but 

 fruit and roots they roast on the fire, and, after 

 taking off the rind or skin, put them into a platter 

 or trough with water, out of which I have seen both 

 men and hogs eat at the same time. I once saw 

 them make a batter of fruit and roots diluted with 

 water, in a vessel that was loaded with dirt, and 

 out of which the hogs had been but that moment 

 eating, without giving it the least washing, or even 

 washing their hands, which were equally dirty ; 

 and when I expressed a dislike, was laughed at. 

 I know not if all are so. The actions of a few 

 individuals are not sufficient to fix a custom on a 

 whole nation. Nor can I say if it is the custom for 

 men and women to have separate messes. I saw no- 

 thing to the contrary ; indeed I saw but few women 

 upon the whole. 



They seemed to have dwellings, or strong-holds, 

 on the summits of the highest hills. These we only 

 saw by the help of our glasses ; for I did not permit 

 any of our people to go there, as we were not suffi- 

 ciently acquainted with the disposition of the natives, 

 which I believe is humane and pacific. 



Their weapons are clubs and spears, resembling 

 those of Otaheite, but somewhat neater. They have 

 also slings, with which they throw stones with great 

 velocity, and to a great distance, but not with a 

 good aim. 



Their canoes are made of wood and pieces of the 

 bark of a soft tree, which grows near the sea in great 

 plenty, and is very tough and proper for the purpose. 

 They are from sixteen to twenty feet long, and about 

 fifteen inches broad ; the head and stern are made of 

 two solid pieces of wood ; the stern rises or curves a 

 little, but in an irregular direction, and ends in a 

 point ; the head projects out horizontally, and is 

 carved into some faint and very rude resemblance of 



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