The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
The next day a party of us dined with our former ship-mate, Oedidee, on
fish and pork. The hog weighed about thirty pounds; and it may be worth
mentioning, that it was alive, dressed, and brought upon the table,
within the hour. We had but just dined, when Otoo came, and asked me if
my belly was full? On my answering in the affirmative, he said, “Then
come along with me.” I accordingly went with him to his father’s, where
I found some people employed in dressing two girls with a prodigious
quantity of fine cloth, after a very singular fashion. The one end of
each piece of cloth, of which there was a good many, was held up over
the heads of the girls, while the remainder was wrapped round their
bodies, under the arm-pits. Then the upper ends were let fall, and hung
down in folds to the ground, over the other, so as to bear some
resemblance to a circular hoop-petticoat. Afterward, round the outside
of all, were wrapped several pieces of differently coloured cloth, which
considerably increased the size; so that it was not less than five or
six yards in circuit, and the weight of this singular attire was as much
as the poor girls could support. To each were hung two _taames_, or
breast-plates, by way of enriching the whole, and giving it a
picturesque appearance. Thus equipped, they were conducted on board the
ship, together with several hogs, and a quantity of fruit, which, with
the cloth, was a present to me from Otoo’s father. Persons, of either
sex, dressed in this manner, are called _atee_; but, I believe, it is
never practised, except when large presents of cloth are to be made. At
least, I never saw it practised upon any other occasion; nor, indeed,
had I ever such a present before; but both Captain Clerke and I had
cloth given to us afterward, thus wrapped round the bearers. The next
day, I had a present of five hogs, and some fruit, from Otoo; and one
hog, and some fruit, from each of his sisters. Nor were other provisions
wanting. For two or three days, great quantities of mackerel had been
caught by the natives, within the reef, in seines; some of which they
brought to the ships and tents, and sold.
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