1 



\ VOYAGE TO 



the other working parties that were to be on more. As 

 we were viewing a fpot conveniently fituated for this pur- 

 pofe, in the middle of the village, Parcca, who was always 

 ready to mew both his power and his good will, offered to 

 pull down fome houfes that would have obstructed our ob- 

 i'crvations. However, we thought it proper to decline this 

 oiler, and fixed on a field of fweet potatoes adjoining to the 

 Moral, which was readily granted us ; and the priefts, to 

 prevent the intrufion of the natives, immediately confe- 

 crated the place, by fixing their wands round the wall by 

 which it was inclofed. 



This fort of religious interdiction they call taboo ; a word 

 we heard often repeated, during our flay amongtl thefc 

 iflandcrs, and found to be of very powerful and cxtenfive 

 operation. A more particular explanation of it will be 

 given in the general account of thefc iflands, under the 

 article of religion ; at prefent it is only neceflary to obferve, 

 that it procured us even more privacy than we defired. No 

 canoes ever prefumed to land near us ; the natives fat on 

 the wall, but none offered to come within the tabooed fpace, 

 till he had obtained our pcimifuon. But though the men, 

 at our rcqueil, would come acrofs the field with provifions, 

 yet not all our endeavours could prevail on the women to 

 approach us. Prefents were tried, but without effect ; Pareca 

 and Koah were tempted to bring them, but in vain ; we 

 were invariably anfwered, that the Eatooa and Terreeoboo 

 (which was the name of their king) would kill them. This 

 circumftance afforded no fmall matter of amufement to our 

 friends on board, where the crowds of people, and parti- 

 cularly of women, that continued to flock thither, obliged 

 them almofl every hour to clear the vcfiel, in order to have 



room 



