The Naturalist's Repository, Volume 1 (of 5): or Monthly Miscellany of Exotic Natural History: etc. etc.Donovan, E. (Edward)
Science
The Naturalist's Repository, Volume 1 (of 5): or Monthly Miscellany of Exotic Natural History: etc. etc.
Donovan, E. (Edward)
Zoology -- Pictorial works
We learn from Labillardière, one of the Naturalists attached to the
expedition of Admiral Bruni d’Entrecasteaux, who went in search of La
Perouse in 1791, 1792, 1793, that this report is true. When the French
ships _Recherche_ and _Espérance_ touched at Tongataboo, there
happened to be peace between them and Fidgi, and as usual when they
are not at war, a considerable commerce was at that time carried on
between them. This brought Vouacecee, one of the chiefs of Fidgi, to
Tongataboo soon after the French had cast anchor, and as he paid them
frequently a visit, they were able to collect from him some useful
information. Vouacecee represented Fidgi to be very high land, of
great fertility and lying distant in the north west direction about
seventy-two _myriametres_. The myriametre reduced to our standard is
six miles, one furlong, one hundred and fifty-six yards, and six
inches, giving in total value about one hundred and forty-nine
leagues, or four hundred and forty-seven miles. In the most favourable
weather with the large double canoe the voyage to Fidgi from thence
could not be less than three days, and when they had to struggle
against the south winds they must ply to windward upwards of a month.
The people of Tongataboo told them the people of Fidgi were cannibals:
Vouacecee strove to exculpate himself by answering that it was only
the _touas_, or people of the lowest class, who eat human flesh. But
the assurances of the natives of Tongataboo were fully confirmed in
other quarters, and Labillardière who observes they devour their
enemies to satiate their fury, is entirely satisfied the chiefs as
well as touas are _Anthrophagi_. These people, notwithstanding this
atrocity, are represented as being far more advanced in arts and
industry than the people of other islands, who receive from them in
time of peace many articles of ingenious workmanship and produce of
their island, and it is, no doubt, by this means that the _Orange
Cowry_ has been introduced among the natives of Otaheite and other
islands in those seas.
Besides its being satisfactory to ascertain beyond any doubt the
habitat of the Orange Cowry, the Conchologist is assured that other
shells of the most choice and valuable kinds inhabit the seas of this
island, for which reason it is presumed the above information may not
prove altogether unimportant.
Footnote 25:
We should not omit to mention that this shell was called _Aurora_ by
Dr. Solander about the same time, _Vide_ his MS. Whether he was
indebted to this circumstance for the hint of so naming it, or on the
contrary that the gentleman was aware of the name which Dr. Solander
intended for it, is now beyond our means of ascertaining. It is more
obvious that Chemnitz, and after him Lamarck, have received the name
Aurora from one or both of these sources, although the anecdote may be
itself forgotten.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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