22(> cook's voyage to feb. 



cultivation. We must therefore conclude, that these 

 people, from some cause which we were not long 

 enough amongst them to be able to trace, do not in- 

 crease in that proportion, which would make it 

 necessary to avail themselves of the extent of their 

 island, toward raising a greater quantity of its veget- 

 able production for their subsistence. 



Though I did not see a chief of any note, there 

 were, however, several, as the natives informed us, 

 who reside upon Atooi, and to whom they prostrate 

 themselves as a mark of submission, which seems 

 equivalent to the moe, moea, paid to the chiefs of 

 the Friendly Islands, and is called here hamoea or 

 moe. Whether they were at first afraid to show 

 themselves, or happened to be absent, I cannot say ; 

 but after I had left the island, one oi' these great 

 men made his appearance, and paid a visit to Captain 

 Clerke on board the Discovery. He came offin a dou- 

 ble canoe, and, like the king of the Friendly Islands, 

 paid no regard to the small canoes that happened to 

 lie in his way, but ran against or over them, without 

 endeavouring in the least to avoid them. And it was 

 not possible for these poor people to avoid him, for 

 they could not manage their canoes, it being a neces- 

 sary mark of their submission, that they should lie 

 down till he had passed. His attendants helped him 

 into the ship, and placed him on the gang-way. 

 Their care of him did not cease then, for they stood 

 round him holding each other by the hands ; nor 

 would they suffer any one to come near him but 

 Captain Clerke himself. He was a young man, 

 clothed from head to foot, and accompanied by a 

 young woman supposed to be his wife. His name 

 was said to be Tamahano. Captain Clerke made 

 him some suitable presents, and received from him 

 in return, a large bowl supported by two figures of 

 men, the carving of which, both as to the design and 

 execution, showed some degree of skill. This bowl, 

 as our people were told, used to be filled with the kava, 

 or ava (as it is called at Otaheite), which liquor they 



