The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
We were no sooner seated in the house, than the eldest of the priests
began a speech or prayer, which was first directed to the _Afiatouca_,
and then to me, and alternately. When he addressed me, he paused at
every sentence, till I gave a nod of approbation. I, however, did not
understand one single word he said. At times, the old gentleman seemed
to be at a loss what to say; or perhaps his memory failed him; for,
every now and then, he was prompted by one of the other priests who sat
by him. Both during this prayer and the former one, the people were
silent, but not attentive. At this last place we made but a short stay.
Our guides conducted us down to our boat, and we returned with Attago to
our ship to dinner. We had no sooner got on board, than an old gentleman
came along-side, who, I understood from Attago, was some king or great
man. He was, accordingly, ushered on board; when I presented him with
such things as he most valued (being the only method to make him my
friend), and seated him at table to dinner. We now saw that he was a man
of consequence; for Attago would not sit down and eat before him, but
got to the other end of the table; and, as the old chief was almost
blind, he sat there, and eat with his back towards him. After the old
man had eaten a bit of fish and drank two glasses of wine, he returned
ashore. As soon as Attago had seen him out of the ship, he came and took
his place at table, finished his dinner, and drank two glasses of wine.
When dinner was over, we all went ashore, where we found the old chief,
who presented me with a hog; and he and some others, took a walk with us
into the country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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