H 



U M 



A 



N 



S 



P 



E 



C 



I 



s. 



477 



irot m; and afterwards the whole place, about thirty feet long and 

 eight feet wide was fpread with cloth, which, was afterwards 

 given to the drummers, f could not Icam any other particulars 



ARTS 



AND 



SCIENGE^a 



'\ 



relative to the meaning or tendency of this ceremony, excent that 



r 



it' is not uncommon to celebrate the funerals of people of fome 



■ 



rank by the rounds * of the chief-mourner, drelTed in the Heva,,. 

 ( defcribed before p. 450, &c. &c. ) and likewise by a dramatic 

 performance, accompanied as cuflomary, by dances and fongs. 



The knowledge of sciences,, as far as they are cultivated at 



^- 



Taheitee and its neighbourhood. 



no- doubt, in a very fin all.. 



,t 



Gompafs, if compared with ours ; but it is fufiicient ' to give them. 



r 



a great pre-eminence' above the inhabitants of the other ifles, and- 

 contributes in fome meafure to their greater happinefs,. whether in. 



procuring more enjoyment 



t- V 



or ia averting thoie 



evils which are 



^jory 



the coniequences of . ignorance and flupidity. Medicimy 



Geography, Afironomy^ Namgationy and J^ivinity, are almofl- the 

 ©nly fciences of which the Taheiteans have fome ideas, 



F 



The nations of the South-Sea-Iiles generally enjoy a perfedl flate- 



F 



of health, and. we faw many of them, who had attained to old age^, 

 for we obferved grey and evea. white hairs on their heads.; and all- 



-a 



■-" 



\ 



fymptoms and. attendants of. old 



■'0 



-V- 



I muil CO nfef% 



•^* Ha^vkofwortliy vcU-^ i^^ P- ^4^> 



/ 



