14s 
A VOYAGE TO 
m2 S ^ 0tl1 their animal and vegetable food, was univerfally al- 
lowed to be greatly fuperior to ours. The Chiefs conftantly 
begin their meal with a dofe of the extra& of pepper-root, 
brewed after the ufual manner, flhe women eat apart 
from the men, and are tabooed , or forbidden, as has been 
already mentioned, the ufe of pork, turtle, and particular 
kinds of plantains. However, they would eat pork with us 
in private; but we could never prevail upon them to touch 
the two laft articles. 
The way of fpending their time appears to be very fimple, 
and to admit of little variety. They rife with the fun; 
and, after enjoying the cool of the evening, retire to reft a 
few hours after fun-fet. The making of canoes and mats 
forms the occupations of the Erees ; the women are em¬ 
ployed in manufacturing cloth; and the Y mtows are prin¬ 
cipally engaged in the plantations and fibbing. Their idle 
hours are filled up with various amufements. Their young- 
men and women are fond of dancing; and, on more folemn 
occafions, they have boxing and wreftling matches, after 
the manner of the Friendly Iflands; though, in all thefe 
refpedts, they are much inferior to the latter. 
Their dances have a much nearer refemblance to thofe of 
the New Zealanders, than of the Otaheiteans or Friendly 
Iflanders. They are prefaced with a flow, folemn fong, in 
which all the party join, moving their legs, and gently 
flriking their breafts, in a manner, and with attitudes, 
that are perfectly eafy and graceful; and fo far they are 
the fame with the dances of the Society Iflands. When 
this has lafted about ten minutes, both the tune and the 
motions gradually quicken, and end only by their inability 
to fupport the fatigue; which part of the performance is 
the exaefl counterpart of that of the New Zealanders; and 
01 (as 
