The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. I. Being the First of the First Voyage.Cook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. I. Being the First of the First Voyage.
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
At this place we saw a very singular curiosity: it was the figure of a
man, constructed of basket-work, rudely made, but not ill designed; it
was something more than seven feet high, and rather too bulky in
proportion to its height. The wicker skeleton was completely covered
with feathers, which were white where the skin was to appear, and black
in the parts which it is their custom to paint or stain, and upon the
head, where there was to be a representation of hair: upon the head also
were four protuberances, three in front and one behind, which we should
have called horns, but which the Indians dignified with the name of TATE
ETE, little men. The image was called MANIOE, and was said to be the
only one of the kind in Otaheite. They attempted to give us an
explanation of its use and design, but we had not then acquired enough
of their language to understand them. We learnt, however, afterwards,
that it was a representation of Mauwe, one of their Eatuas, or gods of
the second class.
After having settled our affairs with Omoe, we proceeded on our return,
and soon reached Opoureonu, the north-west peninsula. After rowing a few
miles, we went on shore again, but the only thing we saw worth notice
was a repository for the dead, uncommonly decorated: the pavement was
extremely neat, and upon it was raised a pyramid, about five feet high,
which was entirely covered with the fruits of two plants, peculiar to
the country. Near the pyramid was a small image of stone, of very rude
workmanship, and the first instance of carving in stone that we had seen
among these people. They appeared to set a high value upon it, for it
was covered from the weather by a shed, that had been erected on
purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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