1769. ROUND THE WORLD. 231 



itself, or that they were not unacquainted with the 

 virtues of simples, nor implicit dupes to the super- 

 stitious follies of their priests. We endeavoured to 

 learn the medical qualities which they imputed to 

 their plants, but our knowledge of their language was 

 too imperfect for us to succeed. If we could have 

 learnt their specific for the venereal disease, if such 

 they have, it would have been of great advantage to 

 us, for when we left the island it had been contracted 

 by more than half the people on board the ship. 



It is impossible but that, in relating incidents, 

 many particulars with respect to the customs, opinions, 

 and works of these people should be anticipated ; to 

 avoid repetition, therefore, I shall only supply de- 

 ficiencies. Of the manner of disposing of their dead, 

 much has been said already. I must more explicitly 

 observe, that there are two places in which the dead 

 are deposited ; one a kind of shed, where the flesh is 

 suffered to putrify ; the other an enclosure, with 

 erections of stone, where the bones are afterwards 

 buried. The sheds are called Tupapow, and the en- 

 closures Moral The Morals are also places of 

 worship. 



As soon as a native of Otaheite is know^n to be 

 dead, the house is filled with relations, who deplore 

 their loss, some by loud lamentations, and some by 

 less clamorous, but more genuine expressions of grief. 

 Those who are in the nearest degree of kindred, and 

 are really affected by the event, are silent ; the rest 

 are one moment uttering passionate exclamations in 

 a chorus, and the next laughing and talking without 

 the least appearance of concern. In this manner the 

 remainder of the day on w^hich they assemble is 

 spent, and all the succeeding night. On the next 

 morning the body is shrouded in their cloth, and 

 conveyed to the sea-side upon a bier, which the 

 bearers support upon their shoulders, attended by the 

 priest, who, having prayed over the body, repeats his 

 sentences during the procession. When it arrives at 



Q 4 



