They landed again a little further to the east. Mathiabo, the Chief, with whom they had no acquaintance, nor had ever seen before, soon came to them, and supplied them with cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit. They also purchased a hog of him for a glass bottle, which he took in preference to every other thing that was offered him. They saw here a turkey cock and a goose which the Dolphin left on the island, they were remarkably fat, and seemed to be greatly admired by the Indians.
A very uncommon sight presented itself in a house near this place, several human jaw-bones were fastened to a board of a semicircular form; they seemed fresh, and had not lost any of their teeth; but Mr. Banks could obtain no explanation of this mystery. Upon their quitting the place, the Chief accompanied them, and piloted them over the shoals. They opened the bay in the evening, on the north-west side of the island, which corresponded with that on the south-east, in such a manner, as to intersect the island at the isthmus.
Several canoes came off here with some very beautiful women, who appeared to be desirous of their going on shore, to which they readily assented. They met with a very friendly reception from the Chief, whose name was Wiverou, who gave directions to some of his people to assist them in dressing their provisions, which were now very plentiful, and they supped at Wiverou’s house, in company with Mathiabo. Part of the house was allotted for them to sleep in, and soon after supper they retired to rest. Mathiabo having obtained a cloak from Mr. Banks, under pretence of using it as a cover-let when he lay down, immediately made off with it, unperceived by that gentleman or his companions. News however of the robbery was soon brought them by one of the natives; in consequence of which intelligence they sat out in pursuit of the thief, but had proceeded a very little way before they were met by a person bringing back the cloak, which Mathiabo had given up through fear.
The house, upon their return, was entirely deserted, and about four in the morning the centinel gave the alarm, that the boat was missing. Mr. Banks and the Captain were greatly astonished at this account, and ran to the water-side, but though the morning was clear and star-light, no boat was visible. Their situation was now extremely terrifying: the party consisting of but four, with a single musket and two pocket pistols, without a spare ball or a charge of powder. After remaining in this distressful state of anxiety for a considerable time, dreading the advantage the Indians would take of it, to their great joy, the boat, which had been driven away by the tide, returned; Mr. Banks and his companions no sooner breakfasted than they departed. This place is situated on the north side of Tiarrabou, the south-east peninsula of the island, about five miles east from the isthmus, with a harbour equal to any in the island. It was fertile and populous, and the inhabitants every where behaved with civility. The last district in Tiarrabou, in which they landed, was governed by a Chief, named Omoe. He was building a house, and was very desirous of purchasing a hatchet, but Mr. Banks and the Captain had not one left. He would not trade for nails, and they embarked; the Chief following them in a canoe with his wife, in hopes of obtaining something useful to him. The Chief and his wife were afterwards taken on board, and after having gone about three miles, they desired to be put on shore, and their request was complied with, when the Captain met with some of Omoe’s people, who had brought with them a very large hog. The Chief agreed to exchange the hog for a large axe and a nail, and to bring the beast to the fort in Port Royal Bay. This resolution he came to after consulting with his wife; and Mr. Banks judged the exchange to be very advantageous to the English, as the hog was a remarkable fine one.
At this place they saw one of their Eatuas, or Gods, it was made of wicker-work, and resembled the figure of a man; it was near seven feet in height, and was covered with black and white feathers; on the head were four protuberances, which the natives called _Tate ete_, or little men.
Having taken their leave of Omoe, they set out on their return; after rowing a few miles, they went on shore again, but saw nothing remarkable except a sepulchral building, which was ornamented in an extraordinary manner. The pavement, on which was built a pyramid, was very neat; at a little distance there was an image of stone, very uncouthly carved, which the natives seemed to hold in a great estimation.
They passed through the harbour, which was the only one fit for shipping, on the south of Opoureonu, situated about five miles to the westward of the isthmus, between two small islands not far from shore, and within a mile of each other. They were now near the district, named Paparra, which was governed by Oamo and Oberea, where they intended to spend the night. Mr. Banks and his company landed about an hour before it was dark, and found that they were both set out to pay them a visit at the fort. They nevertheless slept at the house of Oberea, which, though not large, was very neat; no inhabitant but her father was now in possession of it, who shewed them much civility. They took this opportunity of walking out to a point, upon which they had observed, at a distance, some trees, called Etoa, which usually grow on the burial-places of these people. They call these burying-grounds Morai, which are also places of worship. They here saw an immense edifice, which they found to be the Morai of Oamo and Oberea, which was by far the most considerable piece of architecture to be found in the island.
It consisted of an enormous pile of stone work, raised in the form of a pyramid, with a flight of steps on each side, something after the manner of those little buildings, which are commonly erected in England to place the pillars of sun dials upon; it was near two hundred and seventy feet long, and about one-third as wide, and between forty and fifty feet high.
[Illustration: _A Morai, or Burial Place._]
The foundation consisted of rock-stones, the steps of coral, and the upper part of round pebbles, all of the same shape and size; the rock and coral-stones were squared with the utmost neatness and regularity, and the whole building appeared as compact and firm, as if it had been erected by the best workmen in Europe. As the Indians were totally destitute of iron utensils to shape their stones, as well as mortar to cement them, when they had made them fit for use, a structure of such heighth and magnitude, must have been a work of infinite labour and fatigue.
In the center of the summit was the representation of a bird, carved in wood; close to this was the figure of a fish; which was in stone. This pyramid made part of one side of a wide court or square, the sides of which were nearly equal; the whole was walled in, and paved with flat stones. Within this place grew (notwithstanding it was in this manner paved) several plantains, and trees which the natives call Etoa. At a little distance to the west of this edifice was another paved square, which contained several small stages, called by the natives Ewattas, which appeared to be altars; upon them they place provisions, as sacrifices to their gods: Mr. Banks afterwards observed whole hogs placed upon these ewattas, or altars.
The inhabitants of the island of Otaheite seem in nothing so desirous of excelling each other as in the grandeur and magnificence of their sepulchres; and the rank and authority of Oberea was forcibly evinced upon this occasion. The gentlemen of the Endeavour, it has been observed, did not find Oberea possessed of the same power, as when the Dolphin was at this place, and they were now informed of the cause. The way from her house to the Morai, was by the sea-side, and they observed, in all places as they passed along, a great number of human bones. Inquiry being made into the cause of this extraordinary sight, they were informed, that about four or five months before Captain Cook’s arrival, the inhabitants of Tiarrabou, the peninsula to the south-east, made a descent here, and slew many of the people, whose bones were those that were seen upon the coast: that hereupon Oberea and Oamo, who then held the government for his son, had fled and taken refuge in the mountains; and that the victors destroyed all the houses, and pillaged the country. Mr. Banks was also informed, that the turkey and goose which he had seen in the district of Mathiabo, were among the booty; this afforded a reason for their being found where the Dolphin had little or no correspondence; and the jaw-bones, being mentioned, which had been seen hanging in a house, he was informed, that they had likewise been carried off as trophies. The jaw-bones of their enemies being considered by the natives of this island, as great a mark of triumph, as scalps are by the Indians of North America.
On Friday the 30th they arrived at Otahourou, where their old acquaintance Tootahah resided; he received them with great civility, and provided for them a good supper, and a convenient lodging; and notwithstanding they were so shamefully plundered the last time, they slept with this chief. They spent the night in the utmost security, none of their cloaths, or any other article, being missing in the morning.