THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 
3i 
formed at the great Moral at Attahooroo; and Otoo’s pre- , 777 . 
fence, it feems, was abfolutely neceffary on that folemn t Sept ^ mber ; 
occafion. 
That the offering of human facrifices is part of the reli¬ 
gious inftitutions of this ifland, had been mentioned by 
Monf. de Bougainville, on the authority of the native 
whom he carried with him to France. During my laft 
vilit to Otaheite, and while I had opportunities of converting 
with Omai on the fubjed, I had fatisfied myfelf, that there 
was too much reafon to admit, that fuch a pradice, how¬ 
ever inconfiftent with the general humanity of the people, 
was here adopted. But as this was one of thofe extraordi¬ 
nary fads, about which many are apt to retain doubts, un- 
lefs the relater himfelf has had ocular proof to confirm 
what he had heard from others, I thought this a good op¬ 
portunity of obtaining the highefi: evidence of its certainty, 
by being prefent myfelf at the folemnity; and, accord¬ 
ingly, propofed to Otoo that I might be allowed to accom¬ 
pany him. To this he readily confented; and we imme¬ 
diately fet out in my boat, with my old friend Potatou, 
Mr. Anderfon, and Mr. Webber; Omai following in a 
canoe, 
' In our way we landed upon a little ifland, which lies 
ofFTettaha, where we found Towha and his retinue. After 
fome little converfation between the two Chiefs, on the 
fubjed of the war, Towha addrefled himfelf to me, afking 
my afliftance. When I excufed myfelf, he feemed angry; 
thinking it ftrange, that I, who had always declared myfelf 
to be the friend of their ifland, would not now go and 
fight againft its enemies. Before we parted, he gave to 
Otoo two or three red feathers, tied up in a tuft; and a lean 
half-ftarved dog was put into a canoe that was to accom¬ 
pany 
r 
