THEPACIFICOCEAN. i6, 



the flricHrefc time in their fon?. They likewife fino', with ^ '777- 



° . , . February. 



lome degree of melody, the traditions of their forefathers, 

 their ad:ions in war, and other indifferent fubjedls ; of all 

 ■which they are immoderately fond, and fpend much of 

 their time, in thefe amufements, and in playing on a fort of 

 flute. 



Their language is far from being harfli or difagreeable, 

 though the pronunciation is frequently guttural ; and what- 

 ever qualities are requilite in any other language to make 

 it mulical, certainly obtain to a confiderable degree here, 

 if we may judge from the melody of feme forts of their 

 fongs. It is alfo fufficiently comprehenfive, though, in 

 many refpe6ts, deficient, if compared with our European 

 languages, which owe their perfedlion to long improve- 

 ment. But a fmall fpecimen is here fubjoined, from which 

 fome judgment may be formed. I collected a great many 

 of their words, both now and in the courfe of our former 

 voyage ; and being equally attentive, in my inquiries, about 

 the languages of the other iflands throughout the South 

 Sea, I have the ampleft proof of their wonderful agreement, 

 or rather identity. This general obfervation has, indeed, 

 been already made in the accounts of the former voyages *. 

 I fhall be enabled, however, to confirm and ftrengthen it, 

 by a frefh lift of words, feledled from a large vocabulary 

 in my pofTeffion ; and by placing, in the oppofite column^, 

 the correfponding words as ufed at Otaheite, the curious 

 reader will, at one view, be furniftied with fufficient mate- 

 rials for judging by what fubordinate changes the difference 

 of dialedt has been effedled. 



* See Hawkefworth's CoUeaion, Vol, iii. p, 474, 475. and Captain Cook's 

 VoyagCj Vol. ii. p. 364. 



Y 2 



J 



