1769 RANKS AND CLASSES 177 



of these classes during our stay in the island, I know little 

 of their real situation. 



Each of the earees keeps a kind of court, and has a large 

 attendance, chiefly of the younger brothers of his own 

 family and of other earees. Among these were different 

 officers of the court, as Heewa no t' Earee, Whanno no t' 

 Earee, who were sometimes sent to us on business. Of all 

 these courts Dootahah's was the most splendid, indeed we 

 were almost inclined to believe that he acted as locum tenens 

 for Otow, the Earee ra hie being his nephew, as he lived 

 upon an estate belonging to him, and we never could hear 

 that he had any other public place of residence. 



The earees, or rather the districts which they possess, 

 are obliged in time of a general attack to furnish each 

 their quota of soldiers for the public service ; those of the 

 principal districts which Tupia recollected, when added 

 together, amounted to 6680 men, to which army it is 

 probable that the small quotas of the rest would not make 

 any great addition. 



Besides these public wars, which must be headed by the 

 JEaree ra hie, any private difference between two earees is 

 decided by their own people without in the least disturbing 

 the tranquillity of the public. Their weapons are slings, 

 which they use with great dexterity, pikes headed with the 

 stings of sting-rays, and clubs six or seven feet long, made 

 of a very heavy and hard wood ; with these they fight by 

 their own account very obstinately, which appears the more 

 probable as the conquerors give no quarter to any man, 

 woman, or child who is unfortunate enough to fall into 

 their hands during or for some time after the battle, that 

 is, until their passion has subsided. 



Otahite at the time of our stay there was divided into 

 two kingdoms, Oporenoo, the larger, and Tiarrebo ; each had 

 its separate king, etc. etc., who were at peace with each 

 other ; the king of Oporenoo, however, called himself king 

 of both, in just the same manner as European monarchs 

 usurp the title of king over kingdoms in which they have 

 not the least influence. 



N 



