Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
History
Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71
Cook, James
Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
The drums are Chiefly used at their Heivas, which are a set of Musicians,
2 or 3 Drums for instance, as many flutes and singers, which go about
from House to House and play, and are always received and rewarded by the
Master of the family, who gives them a Piece of Cloth or whatever he can
spare, for which they will stay 3 or 4 hours, during which time his house
will be crowded full, for the people are extravagantly fond of this
diversion. The Young Girls whenever they can collect 8 or 10 Together
dance a very indecent Dance, which they call Timorodee, singing most
indecent songs and using most indecent actions, in the practice of which
they are brought up from their earliest childhood; in doing this they
keep time to a great nicety. This exercise is generally left off as soon
as they arrive at Years of Maturity, for as soon as they have form'd a
connection with man they are expected to leave off dancing Timorodee.
One amusement or custom more I must mention, though I confess I do not
expect to be believed, it is founded upon a Custom so inhuman and
contrary to the Principles of human nature. It is this: that more than
one half of the better sort of the inhabitants have enter'd into a
resolution of injoying free liberty in Love, without being Troubled or
disturbed by its consequences. These mix and Cohabit together with the
utmost freedom, and the Chilldren who are so unfortunate as to be thus
begot are smother'd at the Moment of their Birth; many of these People
contract intimacies and live together as man and wife for years, in the
course of which the Children that are born are destroy'd. They are so far
from concealing it that they look upon it as a branch of freedom upon
which they Value themselves. They are called Arreoys, and have meetings
among themselves, where the men amuse themselves with Wrestling, etc.,
and the Women in dancing the indecent dance before-mentioned, in the
course of which they give full Liberty to their desires, but I believe
keep up to the appearance of decency. I never see one of these meetings;
Dr. Monkhouse saw part of one, enough to make him give Credit to what we
had been told.
Both sexes express the most indecent ideas in conversation without the
least emotion, and they delight in such conversation beyond any other.
Chastity, indeed, is but little valued, especially among the middle
people--if a Wife is found guilty of a breach of it her only punishment
is a beating from her husband. The Men will very readily offer the Young
Women to Strangers, even their own Daughters, and think it very strange
if you refuse them; but this is done merely for the sake of gain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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