Employments of the Women at the Friendly Islands.—Of the Men.— Agriculture.—Construction of their Houses.—Their working Tools.—Cordage, and fishing Implements.—Musical Instruments.—Weapons.—Food, and Cookery.—Amusements.— Marriage.—Mourning Ceremonies for the Dead.—Their Divinities.—Notions about the Soul, and a future State.— Their Places of Worship.—Government.—Manner of paying Obeisance to the King.—Account of the Royal Family.—Remarks on their Language, and a Specimen of it.—Nautical, and other Observations 443 A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, TO DETERMINE THE POSITION AND EXTENT OF THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH AMERICA; ITS DISTANCE FROM ASIA; AND THE PRACTICABILITY OF A NORTHERN PASSAGE TO EUROPE. PERFORMED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CAPTAINS COOK, CLERKE, AND GORE, IN HIS MAJESTY’S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, IN THE YEARS 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780. -------------- VOL. I. WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN COOK. INTRODUCTION TO THE VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. The spirit of discovery, which had long animated the European nations, having, after its arduous and successful exertions during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, gradually subsided, and for a considerable time lain dormant, began to revive in Great Britain in the late reign[1]; and recovered all its former activity, under the cherishing influence, and munificent encouragement, of his present Majesty. Soon after his accession to the throne, having happily closed the destructive operations of war, he turned his thoughts to enterprizes more humane, but not less brilliant, adapted to the season of returning peace. While every liberal art, and useful study, flourished under his patronage at home, his superintending care was extended to such branches of knowledge as required distant examination and inquiry; and his ships, after bringing back victory and conquest from every quarter of the known world, were now employed in opening friendly communications with its hitherto unexplored recesses.