POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
351 
In our different journeys and voyages among the 
islands, where there have been but few means of cross¬ 
ing a stream without fording it, or of landing from 
a boat or canoe without wading some distance in the 
water, we have often been glad to be carried, either 
across a river, or from the boat to the shore. On these 
occasions they have assisted us to mount in ancient regal 
style. Though we generally preferred riding on their 
backs, and throwing our arms round their necks, we 
have nevertheless, when the river has been deep, seated 
ourselves upon their shoulders, and in this position have 
passed the stream, without any other inconvenience than 
that which has arisen from the apprehension of losing 
our balance, and falling headlong into the water.—^The 
inhabitants of Rurutu have a singular and less pleasant 
method of conveying their friends from a boat, &c. to the 
shore. On the arrival of strangers, every man endea¬ 
vours to obtain one as a friend, and carry him off to his 
own habitation, where he is treated with the greatest 
kindness by the inhabitants of the district 5 they place 
him on a high seat, and feed him with abundance of the 
finest food. After an arrival from a strange island, when 
a man sees his neighbour carrying a friend or a new¬ 
comer on his shoulders, he attacks him—a fight ensues, 
for the possession of the prize—if the man who formerly 
possessed it is victorious, he goes home with his man 
on his shoulders, receives a hearty welcome, and is 
regarded by the whole district as a brave fellow, and a 
good man; whereas if he loses the prize, he is looked 
upon by all his friends as a coward, 
I am not aware that the highest rulers in the Society 
Islands received at any time the same kind of homage 
which the Hawaiians occasionally paid to those chiefs 
