A VOYAGE TO 
14 
1779. in the manner before defcribed. The dead pig was then 
Jan uary^, f or a fhort time under the Captain’s nofe; after which 
it was laid, with a cocoa-nut, at his feet, and the per¬ 
formers fat down. The ava was then brewed, and handed 
round; a fat hog, ready dreffed, was brought in; and we 
were fed as before. 
During the reft of the time we remained in the bay, 
whenever Captain Cook came on fhore, he was attended by 
one of thefe priefts, who went before him, giving notice 
that the Orono had landed, and ordering the people to pro- 
flrate themfelves. The fame perfon alfo conftantly accom¬ 
panied him on the water, handing in the bow of the boat, 
with a wand in his hand, and giving notice of his approach 
to the natives, who were in canoes, on which they imme¬ 
diately left off paddling, and lay down on their faces till 
he had paffed. Whenever he flopped at the obfervatory, 
Kaireekeea and his brethren immediately made their ap¬ 
pearance with hogs, cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, &c. and pre- 
fented them with the ufual folemnities. It was on thefe 
occafions that fome of the inferior chiefs frequently re- 
quefled to be permitted to make an offering to the Orono. 
When this was granted, they prefented the hog themfelves, 
generally with evident marks of fear in their countenances; 
r whilft Kaireekeea and the priefts chanted their accuftomed 
hymns. 
The civilities of this fociety were not, however, confined 
to mere ceremony and parade. Our party on fhore received 
from them, every day, a conflant fupply of hogs and vege¬ 
tables, more than fufficient for our fubfiftence ; and feveral 
canoes loaded with provifions were fent to the fhips with 
the fame punctuality. No return was ever demanded, or 
even hinted at in the moll diftant manner. Their prefents 
were 
