'1 



40 



A VOYAGE TO 



1777- king's plantation, I repaired thither, very much to the fa- 

 i^L-^ tisfa(ftion of thofe who attended me. 



As foon as I got in, I acquainted the gentlemen who had 

 come with me from the fhips, with what I had feen y 

 and we took a proper ftation, to watch the refult. The 

 number of people, at the Jiatvoka, continued to increafe for 

 fome time ; and, at length, we could fee them quit their fit- 

 ting poilure, and march off in procellion. They walked in 

 pairs, one after another, every pair carrying, between them, 

 one of the fmall poles above-mentioned, on their Ihoulders. 

 We were told, that the fmall pieces of flicks, faftened to the 

 poles, were yams ; fo that, probably, they were meant to 

 reprefent this root emblematically. The hindmoft men of 

 each couple, for the moft part, placed one of his hands to 

 the middle of the pole, as if, without this additional fup- 

 port, it were not flrong enough to carry the weight that 

 hung to it, and under which they all feepied to bend, as 

 they walked. This proceffion confifted of one hundred and 

 eight pairs, and all, or mofl of thcra, men of rank. They 

 came clofe by the fence behind which we flood j fo that we 

 had a full view of them. 



Having waited here, till they had all paffed, we then re- 

 paired to Poulaho's houfe, and faw him going out. We 

 could not be allowed to follow him ; but were, forthwith, 

 condu(51;ed to the place allotted to us, which was behind a 

 fence, adjoining to the area of the Jiatooka where the yams 

 had been depofitcd in the forenoon. As we were not the 

 only people v»?ho were excluded from being publicly preient 

 at this ceremony, but allowed to peep from behind the cur- 

 tain, we had a good deal of company ; and I obfervecl, that 

 all the other inclofures, round the place, were filled with 

 7 people. 



