iG 4 AVOYAGETO 



'779- iflands of thofe feas, from approaching;. Mention hath been 



March. 1 



already- made, that women are always tabooed, or forbidden, 

 to eat certain kind of meats. We alio frequently faw fe- 

 veral at their meals, who had the meat put into their 

 mouths by others ; and on our afking the reaion of this An- 

 gularity, were told, that they were tabooed, or forbidden, to 

 feed themfclves. This prohibition, we underflood, was 

 always laid on them, after they had aflifted at any funeral, 

 or touched a dead body, and alfo on other occafions. It is 

 necelTary to obferve, that, on thele occafions, they apply 

 the word taboo indifferently both to perfons and things. 

 Thus they fay, the natives were tabooed, or the bay was ta^ 

 booed, and fo of the reft. This word is alfo ufed to exprefs 

 any thing facred, or eminent, or devoted. Thus the king 

 of Owhyhec was called Eree-taboo ; a human victim, tangata 

 taboo ; and, in the fame manner, among the Friendly Iflandcrs, 

 Tonga, the ifland where the king refides, is named Tonga* 

 taboo. 



Concerning their marriages, I can afford the reader little 

 farther fatisfaction, than informing him, that fuch a relation 

 or compact exifts amongfl: them. I have already had occa- 

 fion to mention, that at the time Terreeoboo had left his 

 queen Rora Rora at Mowee, he was attended by another wo- 

 man, by whom he had children, and to whom he was very 

 much attached ;. but how far polygamy, properly fpeaking, 

 is allowed, or how far it is mixed with concubinage, either 

 with refpect to the king, the Chiefs, or among the inferior 

 orders, too few facts came to our knowledge to juftify any 

 conclufions. It hath alio been obferved, that, except Kainee 

 Kabareea, and the wife of the Orono, with three women 

 whom I fliall have occafion hereafter to mention, we never 

 faw any female of high rank. From what I had an oppor- 

 tunity 



