1777' flJE PACIFIC OCEAN. 30? 



CHAP. V. 



ARRIVAL OF THE SHIPS AT HAPAEE, AND FRIENDLY RECEPTION 



THERE. PRESENTS AND SOLEMNITIES ON THE OCCASION. 



SINGLE COMBATS WITH CLUBS. WRESTLING AND BOX- 

 ING MATCHES. FEMALE COMBATANTS. MARINES EXER- 

 CISED. A DANCE PERFORMED BY MEN. FIREWORKS 



EXHIBITED. THE NIGHT ENTERTAINMENTS OF SINGING 



AND DANCING PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED. 



JlSy the time we had anchored, the ships were filled 

 with the natives, and surrounded by a multitude of 

 canoes, filled also with them. They brought from 

 the shore, hogs, fowls, fruit, and roots, which they 

 exchanged for hatchets, knives, nails, beads, and 

 cloth. Feenou and Omai having* come on board 

 after it was light, in order to introduce me to the 

 people of the island, I soon accompanied them on 

 shore for that purpose, landing at the north part of 

 Lefooga, a little to the right of the ship's station. 



The chief conducted me to a house, or rather a 

 hut, situated close to the sea-beach, winch I had seen 

 brought thither but a few minutes before for our 

 reception. In this Feenou, Omai and myself were 

 seated. The other chiefs and the multitude com- 

 posed a circle on the outside, fronting us, and they 

 also sat down. I was then asked, how long I inten- 

 ded to stay? On my saying five days, Taipa was 

 ordered to come and sit by me, and proclaim this to 

 the people. He then harangued them in a speech 

 mostly dictated by Feenou. The purport of it, as I 

 learned from Omai, was, that they were all, both old 

 and young, to look upon me as a friend, who intended 

 to remain with them a few days ; that during 

 my stay they must not steal any thing, nor molest 

 me any other way ; and that it was expected they 



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c) 



