:45 AVOYAGETO 



•778- mark of their lubmillion, that they fliould lie down till he 

 had palled. His attendants helped him into the Ihip, and 

 placed him on the gang-way. Their care of him did not 

 ceafe then ; for they flood round him, holding each other 

 by the hands ; nor would they lufFer any one to come near 

 him but Captain Gierke himfelf. He was a young man, 

 clothed from head to foot; and accompanied by a young 

 woman, fuppofed to be his wife. His name was faid to be 

 Tamahano. Captain Clerke made him fome fuitable pre- 

 fents ; and received from him, in return, a large bowl, 

 fupported by two figures of men, the carving of which, 

 boch as to the defign and the execution, fhewed fome degree 

 of fkill. This bowl, as our people were told, ufed to be 

 filled with the kava, or ava (as it is called at Otaheite), 

 which liquor they prepare and drink here, as at the other 

 iflands in this ocean. Captain Clerke could not prevail upon 

 this great man to go below, nor to move from the place 

 where his attendants had firft fixed him. After flaying fome 

 time in the fhip, he was carried again into his canoe, and 

 returned to the ifland, receiving the fame honours from all 

 the natives, as when he came on board. The next day, fe- 

 veral meflages were fcnt to Captain Clerke, inviting him to 

 return the vilit afhore, and acquainting' him, that the Chief 

 had prepared a large prefent on that occafion. But being 

 anxious to get to fea, and join the Rcfolution, the Captain 

 did not think it advifeable to accept of the invitation. 



The very fliort and imperfccSt intcrcourfe which we had 

 with the natives, put it out of our power to form any ac- 

 curate judgment of the mode of government cftabliflicd 

 amongfl them ; but, from the general refemblance of cuf- 

 toms, and particularly from what we obfervcd of the ho- 

 nours paid to their Chiefs, it feems reafonable to believe, 



tlut 



