CHAPTER XIV. 



MADISON'S ISLAND/ - 



The hogs of this island are generally of a small and in- 

 ferior breed, but there are many as large and as fine as 

 those of any part of the world. The practice of castra- 

 ting the boars, at which the natives are very dexterous, 

 greatly improves their size and appearance, as well as their 

 flavour. The pork is remarkably sweet and delicate, 

 many of the smaller kind of hogs were brought to us, 

 which we rarely killed, the larger ones were brought in 

 such numbers toward the latter part of our stay, as to ena- 

 ble me to feed my people entirely on fresh provisions. 

 Of these last, six were found fully sufficient to furnish an 

 ample daily supply to four hundred men. 



According to the traditions of the natives, more than 

 twenty generations ago,^ a god named Haii visited all the 

 islands of the group, and brought with him hogs and fowls, 

 which he left among them. He first appeared at Hataoo- 

 tooa Bay, which lies on the east side of the island, and 

 there dug for water, which he found. The tree under 

 which he resided, during his stay, is held sacred by the 

 natives, and is called by them Haii. They cannot tell 

 whether he came in a ship or a canoe, nor can they tell 

 how long he remained among them. 



It may be worthy of remark here, that the natives call a 

 white man Othouah, and their gods bear the same appella- 

 tion, as do their priests after their death. A white man 

 is viewed by them as a being superior to themselves, but 

 our weaknesses and passions have served to convince them 

 that we are, like them, human. Yet in the comparison, 

 every thing in their opinion marks our superiority. 



Haii was, no doubt, some navigator, who, near four cen- 

 turies ago, left the aforesaid animals among the natives. 



* It must be observedj that a man is here a grandfather at the age of 

 fifty, and sometimes much less : hence three generations exist within that 

 period, which wonld make, agreeable to their computation, about three 

 hundred or three hundred and thirty years, 

 VOL. ir. 7 



