37^ 



R E xM A R K S 



G N 



THE 



Princi- 

 ples OF 



SOCIE- 

 TIES. 



was obliged to deliver all the prefeiits he had received to 

 Latoo-Nipooroo J this was likewife pradifed by all the other 



r 



chiefs ;, the prieft was not obliged: to pay this kind o£ homage or 



acknowledgment of his fubjeftion to 



■h , 



^e ffreat chief., When- 



to 



ever the lower ranks of people at Taheitee ftole any valuable articles,, 

 the chiefs either feized. the whole booty,, on at leafl, fliared the: 

 fpoils with, their Toutous,, though they never deprived them by 

 brce of the effe<^s,, which they received in exchange for their 

 eatables,, cloth,., furniture, and irnplements of war. However. 



* ^ — 



we found,, that after fome time, all this acquired wealth flowed: 

 as prefents, or voluntary acknowledgments into the treafure of the 

 various chiefs -, who it feems were the only poUeflbrs of all the 



hatchets and broad ax.es ; the ufe of which, they granted to their 



r 



fubje<Ss, on certain occalions, probably for fome acknowledgment; 



What makes me more inclined to believe this circumftance 



the 



account of the very fame cuilom obferved; at. the Caroline Iflandsy, 

 where the inhabitants appropriate all the iron which they find on* 

 wrecked {hips, to their T^amoles or chiefs, who have fuch tools 

 made from them, as the fize of the iron, will, admits which they 

 let for a high price to their fubjedls. * 



But the 



wealth of 



natives at Tahe 



■? 



the Society-iflands, the Marquefas 



the 



Friendly 



* Des BroiTes Hiflorie dea. Navigations aux Terres auftrales, vol. ii. p. 4S5. 



y 



