THE PACIFIC OCEAN. zig 



whole length. They met with a pofitive proof of the exigence p^'j^^s- 



of the taboo (or as they pronounce it the tafoo), for one woman ' *— -» 



fed another who was under that interdidtion. They alfo ob- 

 ferved fome other myfterious ceremonies; one of which was 

 performed by a woman, who took a fmall pig, and threw 

 it into the furf, till it was drowned, and then tied up a 

 bundle of wood, which flie alfo difpofed of in the fame 

 manner. The fame woman, at another time, beat with a 

 flick upon a man's fhouldcrs, who fat down for that pur- 

 pofe. A particular veneration feemed to be paid here to 

 owls, which they have very tame ; and it was obfervcd to be 

 a pretty general pradlicc, amongfl them, to pull out one of 

 their teeth*; for which odd cuftom, when afked the rea- 

 fon, the only anfwer that could be got was, that it was teeha^ 

 which was alfo the reafon afljgned for another of their 

 pradices, the giving a lock of their hair. 



After the water-cafks had been filled and conveyed into 

 the boat, and we had purchafed from the natives a few 

 roots, a little fait, and fome falted fifh, I returned on board 

 with all the people, intending to vifit the ifland the next 

 day. But, about feven o'clock in the evening, the an- 

 chor of the Refolution ilarted, and flie drove off the bank. 

 As we had a whole cable out, it was fome time before the 

 anchor was at the bows ; and then we had the launch to 

 hoift up along-fide, before we could make fail. By this un- 

 lucky accident, we found ourfclves, at day-break next 

 mornmg, three leagues to the leeward of our laft ftation; Monday?. 

 and forefeeing that it would require more time to recover 



* It is very remarkable, that, in this cuftom, which one would think isfo unnatural, 

 as not to be adopted by two different tribes, originally unconnected, the people of this 

 ifland, and Dampier's natives on the Weft fide of New Holland, at fuch an immenfe 

 diftance, ftiould be found to agree. 



F f 2 , it 



