The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
In the afternoon, I went to pay this great man a visit, having first
received a present of two fish from him, brought on board by one of his
servants. As soon as I landed, he came up to me. He appeared to be about
thirty years of age, tall but thin, and had more of the European
features, than any I had yet seen here. When the first salutation was
over, I asked if he was the king; for, notwithstanding what I had been
told, finding he was not the man whom I remembered to have seen under
that character during my former voyage, I began to entertain doubts.
Taipa officiously answered for him, and enumerated no less than one
hundred and fifty-three islands, of which he said, Feenou was the
sovereign. After a short stay, our new visitor, and five or six of his
attendants, accompanied me on board. I gave suitable presents to them
all, and entertained them in such a manner, as I thought would be most
agreeable.
In the evening, I attended them on shore in my boat, into which the
chief ordered three hogs to be put, as a return for the presents he had
received from me. I was now informed of an accident which had just
happened, the relation of which will convey some idea of the extent of
the authority exercised here over the common people. While Feenou was on
board my ship, an inferior chief, for what reason our people on shore
did not know, ordered all the natives to retire from the post we
occupied. Some of them having ventured to return, he took up a large
stick and beat them most unmercifully. He struck one man, on the side of
the face, with so much violence, that the blood gushed out of his mouth
and nostrils; and, after lying some time motionless, he was at last
removed from the place in convulsions. The person who had inflicted the
blow, being told that he had killed the man, only laughed at it; and, it
was evident, that he was not in the least sorry for what had happened.
We heard, afterward, that the poor sufferer recovered.
The Discovery having found again her small bower anchor, shifted her
birth on the 7th; but not before her best bower cable had shared the
fate of the other. This day, I had the company of Feenou at dinner; and
also the next day, when he was attended by Taipa, Toobou, and some other
chiefs. It was remarkable, that none but Taipa was allowed to sit at
table with him, or even to eat in his presence. I own that I considered
Feenou as a very convenient guest, on account of this etiquette. For,
before his arrival, I had generally a larger company than I could well
find room for, and my table overflowed with crowds of both sexes. For it
is not the custom at the Friendly Islands, as it is at Otaheite, to deny
to their females the privilege of eating in company with the men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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