THEPACIFICOCEAN. 171 



•feflion of his dominions. For even the people of Tiaraboo ^m- 

 allow him the fame honours as his right ; though, at the 

 fame time, they look, upon their own Chief as more power- 

 ful ; and fay, that he would fucceed to the government of 

 the whole ifland, fhould the prefent reigning family become 

 extin(5t. This is the more likely, as VVaheiadooa not only 

 poiTefles Tiaraboo, but many diftri(5ls of Opooreanoo. His 

 territories, therefore, are almofl: equal, in extent, to thofe 

 of Otoo; and he has, befides, the advantage of a more po- 

 pulous and fertile part of the ifland. His fubjecfls, alfo, 

 have given proofs of their fuperiority, by frequent victories 

 over thofe of Otaheite-nooe, whom they affed: to fpeak of 

 as contemptible warriors, cafdy to be worded, if, at any 

 time, their Chief fhould wifli to put it to the tcft. 



The ranks of people, bcfides the Eree de hoi, and his fa- 

 mily, arc the Erees, or powerful Chiefs ; the Manahoone, or 

 vaJFals ; and the Teou, or Toutou, fervants, or rather Haves. 

 The men of each of thefe, according to the regular inflitu- 

 tion, form their connecftions with women of their refpecTiivc 

 ranks ; but if with any inferior one, which frequently hap- 

 pens, and a child be born, it is preferved, and has the rank 

 of the father, unlefs he happens to be an Eree^ in which 

 cafe it is killed. If a woman of condition fhould choofe 

 an inferior perfon to ofhciate as a hufband, the children he 

 has by her are killed. And if a Teou be caught in an intrigue 

 with a woman of the blood-royal, he is put to death. The 

 fon of the Eree de hoi fucceeds his father in title and honours, 

 as foon as he is born ; but if he fliould have no children, the 

 brother afTumes the government at his death, hi other fa- 

 ^milies, pofTefTions always defcend to the eldeft fon ; but he is 

 obliged to maintain his brothers and fi(lers,who are allowed 

 Iioufes on his eflates. 



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