1769. ROUND THE WORLD. 1^9 



tools, which were in continual use at the arhiourer's 

 forge, that was set up within the works, were temp- 

 tations to theft which none of these people could 

 withstand. 



On the 14th, which was Sunday, I directed that 

 Divine service should be performed at the fort : we 

 were desirous that some of die principal Indians 

 should be present, but when the hour came, most of 

 them were returned home. Mr. Banks, however, 

 crossed the river, and brought back Tubourai Ta- 

 maide and his wife Tomio, hoping that it would give 

 occasion to some enquiries on their part, and some 

 instruction on ours : having seated them, he placed 

 himself between them, and during the whole service, 

 they very attentively observed his behaviour, and 

 very exactly imitated it ; standing, sitting, or kneel- 

 ing, as they saw him do : they were conscious that 

 we were employed about somewhat serious and im- 

 portant, as appeared by their calling to the Indians 

 without the fort to be silent; yet when the service 

 was over, neither of them asked any questions, nor 

 would they attend to any attempt that was made to 

 explain what had been done. 



Such were our matins ; our Indians thought fit 

 to perform vespers of a very different kind. A young 

 man, near six feet high, performed the rites of Ve- 

 nus with a little girl about eleven or twelve years of 

 age, before several of our people, and a great number 

 of the natives, without the least sense of its being in- 

 decent or improper, but, as appeared, in perfect con- 

 formity to the custom of the place. Among the 

 spectators were several women of superior rank, par- 

 ticularly Oberea, who may properly be said to have 

 assisted at the ceremony ; for they gave instructions 

 to the girl how to perform her part, which, young as 

 she was, she did not seem much to stand in need of. 



This incident is not mentioned as an object of idle 

 curiosity, but as it deserves consideration in deter- 

 mining a question which has been long debated in 

 philosophy j Whether the shame attending certain 



VOL. I. K 



