SORTER’S JOURNAL. 
61 
Their fruit-trees, except those which are tabbooed, are with¬ 
out enclosure; their smaller and more delicate plants, as well as 
their roots, have only a wall to prevent the depredations of hogs. 
Their houses are open in front, and their furniture, many parts 
of which are of great value to them, is entirely exposed. Their 
hogs are wandering in every part of the valley; their fishing nets 
and their cloths are left exposed on the beach, and spread on the 
grass; no precautions are taken to guard against theft, and I there¬ 
fore conclude, that thefts among themselves are unknown; that they, 
but particularly the women of that class which cohabited with the 
sailors, will steal from strangers, I had abundant proof; they how¬ 
ever were of the lowest order, and honesty is not expected from 
them in any part of the world: they seemed to consider every 
thing belonging to their paramours as fair game, who as frequent¬ 
ly cheated them of their only disposable commodity (I do not 
mean their virtue); those trials of skill frequently produced some 
little delays and difficulties in the consummation of their bliss, as 
Taihea (for such is the soft name they generally assumed, signi¬ 
fying a favourite daughter) would frequently require to be paid 
her tie tie in hand, when Jack had none to offer: this, however, 
would produce no disputes, she would either accommodate him 
gratuitously, for they are in this respect generous, or would pro¬ 
ceed in search of another purchaser, in which latter case Jack 
would endeavour to find a girl less cruel. 
During our operations at the camp, where carpenters, coopers, 
armourers, sail-makers, See. were employed, it may be natural to 
suppose that many small tools and articles of great value were ex¬ 
posed to the natives, and as from sun-rise to sun-set the camp was 
perfectly invested with them, it would have been impossible to 
prevent, or to have detected thefts, had they been so inclined; but 
as numerous as they were, constantly assisting us in our labours, 
mixing with our men, sitting for hours, eyeing with the greatest 
attention the different works, carrying or handling and examining 
tools ©f every description, entering our tents and houses, perform¬ 
ing for us many domestic services, added to which, assisting us 
in our wars, carrying for us our arms, our clothing, and pro¬ 
visions, being absent from us whole days with those precious ob¬ 
jects, still, during our stay, no article, of the most trifling nature, 
was ever missed by any person, except the small articles which 
