Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
not the least Scrupulous of letting us examine every part of it. I am
inclinable to think that it is only used by way of diversion at their
Hevas or public entertainments, as Punch is in a Puppet show.* (* Note by
Cook in Admiralty copy: "Tupia informs us that this is a representation
of one of the Second rank of Eatuas or Gods, called Mauwi, who inhabited
the Earth upon the Creation of man. He is represented as an immense Giant
who had seven heads, and was indued with immense strength and abilities.
Many absurd stories are told of his Feats by Tupia.") We next passed
through a Harbour, which is the only one on the south side of Opooreonoo
fit for Shipping. It is situated about 5 Miles to the Westward of the
Isthmus between 2 Small Islands that lay near the shore and a Mile from
each other. In this Harbour is 11 and 12 fathoms of water and good
Anchorage. About a League and a half to the Westward of this Harbour is
the Morie of Oamo or Oberia, for some told us it belong'd to the one and
some to the other; it far Exceeds every thing of this Kind upon the whole
Island. It is a long square of Stonework built Pyramidically; its base is
267 feet by 87 feet; at the Top it is 250 feet by 8 feet. It is built in
the same manner as we do steps leading up to a Sun Dial or fountain
erected in the Middle of a Square where there is a flite of steps on each
side. In this building there are 11 of such steps; each step is about 4
feet in height and the breadth 4 feet 7 inches, but they decreased both
in height and breadth from the bottom to the Top. On the middle of the
Top stood the Image of a Bird carved in Wood, near it lay the broken one
of a Fish carved in stone. There was no hollow or Cavity in the inside,
the whole being fill'd up with stones. The outside was faced partly with
hewn stones and partly with others, and these were placed in such a
manner as to look very agreeable to the Eye. Some of the hewn stones were
4 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 4 inches and 15 inches thick, and had been
squared and Polished with some sort of an Edge Tool. On the East side was
enclosed with a stone wall a piece of ground in form of a square, 360
feet by 354, in this was growing several Cypress trees and Plantains.
Round about this Morie was several smaller ones all going to decay, and
on the Beach between them and the Sea lay scatter'd up and down a great
quantity of human bones. Not far from the Great Morie was 2 or 3 pretty
large Altars, where lay the Scull bones of some Hogs and dogs. This
Monument stands on the south side of Opooreonoo, upon a low point of land
about 100 Yards from the Sea.* (* On map Morai-no te Oamo.) It appeared
to have been built many Years, and was in a State of decay, as most of
their Mories are. From this it would seem that this Island hath been in a
more Flourishing state than it is at present, or that Religious Customs
are (like most other Nations) by these people less observed. We took up
our Quarters near this Morie for the night, and early in the Morning
proceeded on our rout, and without meeting with anything remarkable, got
on board the Ship on Saturday, the 1st of July, having made the Circuit
of the whole Island, which I Estimated at something more than 30
Leagues.* (* A remarkably close estimate.) The Plan or Sketch which I
have drawn, altho' it cannot be very accurate, yet it will be found
sufficient to point out the Situation of the different Bays and Harbours
and the true figure of the Island, and I believe is without any Material
error. For the first 2 or 3 days we was out upon this excursion we
labour'd under some difficulty for want of Provisions--particularly
bread--an Article we took but little of with us--not doubting that we
should get bread fruit, more than sufficient for a Boat's Crew at every
place we went to, but, on the Contrary, we found the season for that
fruit wholy over, and not one to be seen on the Trees, and all other
fruit and roots were scarce. The Natives live now on Sour paist--which is
made from bread fruit--and some bread fruit and plantains that they get
from the Mountains where the season is Later, and on a Nut not unlike a
chessnut which are now in Perfection; but all these Articles are at
present very scarce, and therefore it is no wonder that the Natives have
not supply'd us with these things of Late. [At Tahiti.] Upon my return to
the Ship I found that the Provisions had been all examined and the Water
got on board, amounting to 65 Tons. I now determind to get everything off
from the Shore and leave the Place as soon as possible. The getting the
several Articles on board, and Scraping and paying the Ship's side, took
us up the following Week without anything remarkable happening until
[July 1769. At Tahiti.]
Sunday, July 9th. When, sometime in the Middle Watch, Clement Webb and
Saml. Gibson, both Marines and young Men, found means to get away from
the Fort (which was now no hard matter to do) and in the morning were not
to be found. As it was known to everybody that all hands were to go on
board on the Monday morning, and that the ship would sail in a day or
two, there was reason to think that these 2 Men intended to stay behind.
However I was willing to stay one day to see if they would return before
I took any step to find them.
Monday, 10th. The 2 Marines not returning this morning, I began to
enquire after them, and was inform'd by some of the Natives that they
were gone to the Mountains, and that they had got each of them a Wife and
would not return; but at the same time no one would give us any certain
intelligence where they were, upon which a resolution was taken to seize
upon as many of the Chiefs as we could. This was thought to be the
readiest method to induce the other natives to produce the 2 Men. We had
in our custody Obariea, Toobouratomita, and 2 other Chiefs, but that I
know'd Tootaha would have more weight with the Natives than all these put
together, I dispatched Lieutenant Hicks away in the Pinnace to the place
where Tootaha was, to endeavour to decoy him into the Boat and bring him
on board, which Mr. Hicks performed without the least disturbance. We had
no sooner taken the other Chiefs into Custody in Mr. Banks's Tent than
they became as desirous of having the Men brought back has they were
before of keeping them, and only desir'd that one of our people might be
sent with some of theirs for them. Accordingly I sent a petty officer and
the Corporal of Marines with 3 or 4 of their People, not doubting but
they would return with the 2 Men in the evening; but they not coming as
soon as I expected, I took all the Chiefs on board the ship for greater
safety. About 9 o'Clock in the evening Webb, the Marine, was brought in
by some of the natives and sent on board. He informed me that the Petty
Officer and Corporal that had been sent in quest of them were disarm'd
and seiz'd upon by the natives, and that Gibson was with them.
Immediately upon getting this information I dispatch'd Mr. Hicks away in
the Long boat with a strong party of men to rescue them but before he
went Tootaha and the other Chiefs was made to understand that they must
send some of their People with Mr. Hicks to shew him the place where our
men were, and at the same time to send orders for their immediate
releasement, for if any harm came to the men they (the Chiefs) would
suffer for it; and I believe at this time they wished as much to see the
Men return in safety as I did, for the guides conducted Mr. Hicks to the
place before daylight, and he recovered the men without the least
opposition, and return'd with them about 7 o'Clock in the morning of
Tuesday, 11th. I then told the Chiefs that there remain'd nothing more to
be done to regain their liberty but to deliver up the Arms the People had
taken from the Petty Officer and Corporal, and these were brought on
board in less than half an Hour, and then I sent them all on shore. They
made but a short stay with our people there before they went away, and
most of the natives with them: but they first wanted to give us 4 Hogs.
These we refused to except of them, as they would take nothing in return.
Thus we are likely to leave these people in disgust with our behaviour
towards them, owing wholy to the folly of 2 of our men, for it does not
appear that the natives had any hand in inticing them away, and therefore
were not the first Agressors. However, it is very certain that had we not
taken this step we never should have recovered them. The Petty Officer
whom I sent in quest of the deserters told me that the Natives would give
him no intelligence where they were, nor those that went along with him,
but, on the contrary, grew very troublesome, and, as they were returning
in the evening, they were suddenly seized upon by a number of Armed men
that had hid themselves in the wood for that purpose. This was after
Tootaha had been seized upon by us, so that they did this by way of
retaliation in order to recover their Chief; but this method did not meet
with the approbation of them all. A great many condemn'd these
proceedings, and were for having them set at liberty, while others were
for keeping them until Tootaha was releas'd. The dispute went so far that
they came from words to blows, and our people were several times very
near being set at liberty; but at last the party for keeping them
Prevailed, but, as they had still some friends, no insult was offer'd
them. A little while after they brought Webb and Gibson, the two
deserters, to them as Prisoners likewise; but at last they agreed that
Webb should be sent to inform us where the others were. When I came to
Examine these 2 Men touching the reasons that induced them to go away, it
appeared that an acquaintance they had contracted with 2 Girls, and to
whom they had strongly attached themselves, was the Sole reason of their
attempting to stay behind. Yesterday we weighed the small Bower Anchor,
the Stock of which was so much eaten by the worms as to break in heaving
up, and to-day we hove up the best Bower, and found the Stock in the very
same Condition. This day we got everything off from the Shore, and
to-night everybody lays on board.
Wednesday, 12th. The Carpenter employ'd in stocking the Anchors and the
Seamen in getting the Ship ready for Sea. This morning we found the
Staves of the Cask the Natives stole from us some time ago laying at the
Watering place; but they had been Sencible enough to keep the Iron Hoops,
and only return what to them was of no use.
[Sail from Tahiti.]
Thursday, 13th. Winds Easterly, a light breeze. This morning we was
visited by Obariea and several others of our acquaintance, a thing we did
not expect after what had hapned but 2 days ago; but this was in some
measures owing to Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and myself going to Apparra
last night, where we so far convinc'd them of our Friendly disposition
that several of them were in tears at our coming away. Between 11 and 12
o'Clock we got under Sail, and took our final leave of these People,
after a stay of just three Months, the most part of which time we have
been upon good terms with them. Some few differences have now and then
hapned owing partly to the want of rightly understanding each other, and
partly to their natural thievish disposition, which we could not at all
times bear with or guard against; but these have been attended with no
ill consequence to either side except the first, in which one of them was
kill'd, and this I was very sorry for, because from what had hapned to
them by the Dolphin I thought it would have been no hard matter to have
got and keep a footing with them without bloodshed. For some time before
we left this Island several of the Natives were daily offering themselves
to go away with us; and as it was thought they must be of use to us in