THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
171 
His fubjedls not only uncover to him, when prefent, down 
to the waid; hut if he be at any particular place, a pole, 
having a piece of cloth tied to it, is fet up fomewhere 
near, to which they pay the fame honours. His brothers 
are alfo intitled to the firft part of the ceremony; but the 
women only uncover to the females of the royal family. 
In fhort, they feem even fuperftitious in their refpedt to him, 
and edeem his perfon little lefs than facred. And it is, per¬ 
haps, to thefe circumdances, that he owes the quiet pof- 
feflion of his dominions. For even the people of Tiaraboo 
allow him the fame honours as his right; though, at the 
fame time, they look upon their own Chief as more power¬ 
ful ; and fay, that he would fucceed to the government of 
the whole iiland, fhould the prefent reigning family become 
extinct. This is the more likely, as Waheiadooa not only 
pofledes Tiaraboo, but many didridts of Opooreanoo. His 
territories, therefore, are almod equal, in extent, to thofe 
of Otoo ; and he has, betides, the advantage of a more po¬ 
pulous and fertile part of the iiland. His fubjects, alfo, 
have given proofs of their fuperiority, by frequent victories 
over thofe of Otaheite-nooe, whom they affedt to fpeak of 
as contemptible warriors, eafily to be worded, if, at any 
time, their Chief fhould wilh to put it to the ted. 
The ranks of people, beddes the Eree de hoi , and his fa¬ 
mily, are the Erees, or powerful Chiefs ; the Manahoone , or 
vaflals; and the Teou^ or Eoutou , fervants, or rather daves. 
The men of each of thefe, according to the regular inditu- 
tion, form their connections with women of their refpective 
ranks ; but if with any inferior one, which frequently hap¬ 
pens, and a child be bom, it is preferved, and has the rank 
of the father, unlefs he happens to be an Eree , in which 
cafe it is killed. If a woman of condition diould choofe 
Z 2 
1777. 
December. 
C___ J 
A 
an 
