1774* ROUND THE WORLD. 36*7 



word of perhaps a superstitious person, and whom we 

 were likewise liable to misundertand. It must be 

 allowed that the people of this isle are, in general, 

 more superstitious than at Otaheite. At the first 

 visit I made the chief after our arrival, he desired I 

 would not suffer any of my people to shoot herons 

 and wood-peckers ; birds as sacred with them as 

 robin-red breasts, swallows, kc. are with many old 

 women in England. Tupia, who was a priest, and 

 well acquainted with their religion, customs, tra- 

 ditions, &c, paid little or no regard to these birds. 

 I mention this because some amongst us were of 

 opinion that these birds are their Eatnas, or gods. 

 We, indeed, fell into this opinion when I was here in 

 1769, and into some others still more absurd, which 

 we had undoubtedly adopted if Tupia had not un- 

 deceived us. A man of his knowledge and under- 

 standing we have not since met with, and conse- 

 quently have added nothing to his account of their 

 religion, but superstitious notions. 



The people knowing that we should sail soon, be- 

 gan, on the 31st, to bring on board more fruit than 

 usual. Amongst those who came was a young man 

 who measured six feet four inches and six- tenths ; 

 and his sister, younger than him, measured five feet 

 ten inches and an half. A brisk trade for hogs and 

 fruit continued on the 1st of June. On the 2d, in 

 the afternoon, we got intelligence that, three days 

 before, two ships had arrived at Huaheine. The same 

 report said the one was commanded by Mr. Banks, 

 and the other by Captain Furneaux. The man, who 

 brought the account, said he was made drunk on 

 board one of them, and described the persons of Mr. 

 Banks and Captain Furneaux so well, that 1 had not 

 the least doubt of the truth, and began to consider 

 about sending a boat over that very evening, with 

 orders to Captain Furneaux, when a man, a friend of 

 Mr. Forster, happened to come on board, and denied 

 the whole, saying it was xva warre, a lie. The man 



