THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



31 



Monday i. 



Vfha.t was tranfadted ; and that he entered with more fpirit >777- 

 into the affair than any other Chief. For, early in the morn- 

 ing of the ift of September, a meffenger arrived from him 

 to acquaint Otoo, that he liad killed a man to be facrificed to 

 the Eatooa, to implore the allidance of the God againfl 

 Eimeo. This adt of worfhip was to be performed at the 

 gresit Morai at Attahooroo-, and Otoo's prefence, it feems, 

 was abfolutely neccflary on that folemn occafion. 



That the offering of human facrifices is part of the reli- 

 gious inftiiutions of this ifland, had been mentioned by 

 Monf. de Bougainville, on the authority of the native 

 whom he carried with him to France. During my laft 

 vifit to Otaheite, and while I had opportunities of converfing 

 with Gmai on the fubjedf, I had fatisiied myfelf, that there 

 was too much reafon to admit, that fuch a pracT:ice, how- 

 ever inconfiftent with the general humanity of the people, 

 was here adopted. But as this was one of thofe, extraordi- 

 nary fads, about which many are apt to retain doubts, un- 

 Icfs the rclater himfclf has had ocular proof to confirm 

 what he had heard from others, I thought this a good op- 

 portunity of obtaining the higheft evidence of its certainty, 

 by being prefent myfelf at the folemnity ; and, accordingly, . 

 propofed to Otoo that I might be allowed to accompany him. 

 To this he readily confented ; and we immediately fet out 

 in my boat, with my old friend Potatou, Mr. Anderfon, and 

 Mr. Webber ; Omai following in a canoe. 



In our way we landed upon a little ifland, which lies 

 off Tettaha, where we found Towha and his retinue. After 

 fome little converfation between the two Chiefs, on the fub- 

 je6t of the war, Towha addreffed himfelf to me, afldng ray 

 affjflaiice. When I excufed myfelf, he feemed angry ; think- 

 ing 



