THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
163 
We were able to learn but little of their notions with re- 1779. 
gard to a future ftate. Whenever we aiked them, whither t Marclu 
the dead were gone? we were always anfwered, that the 
breath, which they appeared to coniider as the foul, or im¬ 
mortal part, was gone to the Eatooa ; and on pufhing our 
inquiries farther, they feemed to defcribe fome particular 
place, where they imagined the abode of the deceafed to be; 
but we could not perceive, that they thought, in this ftate, 
either rewards or punifhments awaited them. 
Having promifed the Reader, in the firft Chapter, an ex¬ 
planation of what was meant by the word taboo , I iliall, in 
this place, lay before him the particular inftances that fell 
under our obfervation, of its application and effecfts. On 
our inquiring into the reafons of the interdiction of all in- 
tercourfe between us and the natives, the day preceding the 
arrival of Terreeoboo, we were told, that the Bay was ta¬ 
booed. The fame reftrichion took place, at our requeft, the 
day we interred the bones of Captain Cook. In thefe two 
inftances the natives paid the moft implicit and fcrupulous 
obedience; but whether on any religious principle, or mere¬ 
ly in deference to the civil authority of their Chiefs, I can¬ 
not determine. When the ground near our obfervatories, 
and the place where our mails lay, were tabooed , by flicking 
fmall wands round them, this operated in a manner not 
lefs efficacious. But though this mode of confecration was 
performed by the priefts only, yet ftill, as the men ventured 
to come within the ipace, when invited by us, it fhould 
feem, that they were under no religious appreheniions; 
and that their obedience was limited "to our refufal only. 
T. he women could, by no means, be induced to come near 
us; but this was probably on account of the Moral adjoin- 
ing; which they are prohibited, at all times, and in all the 
Y 2 iflands 
