V 



H 



U 



M 



A 



N 



S 



P 



E 



C 



I 



E 



S. 



501 



great grand-father's time. The remarkabl 



and the names 



of perfons whofe memory is deemed worth preferving. 



ARTS 



AND 



^^^ SCIENCES 



recorded 



verfes of th 



own makin 



d 



occafionally fung, 

 which form the rude annals of their history. In this refped:^, 

 the Taheiteans are fimilar to all other nations, who have not the 

 art of writing, or of perpetuating their ideas, the deeds of their 

 great men, and the remarkable events which happen among. 



them. 



The next branches of fcience, of which 



the inhabitants oj: 



c- 



Taheitee and its neighbourhood have fome knowledge, are astro 



NOMY, GEOGRAPHY, 



and 



NAVIGATION. 



I mention thefe 



three fciences purpofely together, as they are clofely connedied,, 

 and as the knowledge of the two firft has been made fubfervienti 

 tDthelaft; and I believe likewife, that by their navigation they 



learnt io much of geography as they 



acquainted with 



and 



perhaps would not have attempted to obferve. the heavens, had 



been for the fingle purpofe of direding them 



th 



navi 



g 



to remote parts. So that neceffity 



not mere curiofity 



) 



only, led them to the obfervation of the heavens.. For 



as 



they 



are 



obliged to go now and then to the 



cm.' 



neighbouring illes, it often, 

 happens that a florm furprizes them at fea, and drives them far fr 



their intended courfe, and feparates them from their home, which > 

 they never would fee again, had they not acquired fome knowledge; 



