1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 15 



The ava was then brewed, and handed round ; a fat 

 hog, ready dressed, was brought in ; and we were 

 fed as before. 



During the rest of the time we remained in the 

 bay, whenever Captain Cook came on shore, he was 

 attended by one of these priests, who went before 

 him, giving notice that the Orono had landed, and 

 ordering the people to prostrate themselves. The 

 same person also constantly accompanied him on the 

 water, standing in the bow of the boat, with a wand 

 in his hand, and giving notice of his approach to the 

 natives, who were in canoes, on which they imme- 

 diately left off paddling, and lay down on their faces 

 till he had passed. Whenever he stopped at the 

 observatory, Kaireekeea and his brethren immediate- 

 ly made their appearance with hogs, cocoa-nuts, 

 bread-fruit, &c. and presented them with the usual 

 solemnities. It was on these occasions that some of 

 the inferior chiefs frequently requested to be per- 

 mitted to make an offering to the Orono, When 

 this was granted, they presented the hog themselves, 

 generally with evident marks of fear in their counte- 

 nances ; whilst Kaireekeea and the priests chanted 

 their accustomed hymns. 



The civilities of this society were not, however, 

 confined to mere ceremony and parade. Our party 

 on shore received from them, every day, a constant 

 supply of hogs and vegetables, more than sufficient 

 for our subsistence ; and several canoes loaded with 

 provisions were sent to the ships with the same 

 punctuality. No return was ever demanded, or 

 even hinted at in the most distant manner. Their 

 presents were made with a regularity, more like the 

 discharge of a religious duty, than the effect of mere 

 liberality ; and when we enquired at whose charge 

 all this munificence was displayed, we were told, it 

 was at the expence of a great man called Kaoo, the 

 chief of the priests, and grandfather to Kaireekeea, 



