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
“From this place the people went to a large hut, close by the _morai_,
where they seated themselves in much greater order than is usual among
them. A man of Tiaraboo then made an oration, which lasted about ten
minutes. He was followed by an Attahooroo man; afterward Potatou spoke
with much greater fluency and grace than any of them; for, in general,
they spoke in short, broken sentences, with a motion of the hand that
was rather awkward. Tooteo, Otoo’s orator, spoke next, and after him a
man from Eimeo. Two or three more speeches were made; but not much
attended to. Omai told me, that the speeches declared that they should
not fight, but all be friends. As many of the speakers expressed
themselves with warmth, possibly there were some recriminations and
protestations of their good intentions. In the midst of their speaking,
a man of Attahooroo got up, with a sling fastened to his waist, and a
large stone placed upon his shoulder. After parading near a quarter of
an hour in the open space, repeating something in a singing tone, he
threw the stone down. This stone, and a plantain-tree that lay at Otoo’s
feet, were, after the speeches ended, carried to the _morai_; and one of
the priests, and Otoo with him, said something upon the occasion.
“On our return to Oparre, the sea-breeze having set in, we were obliged
to land, and had a pleasant walk through almost the whole extent of
Tettaha to Oparre. A tree, with two bundles of dried leaves suspended
upon it, marked the boundary of the two districts. The man who had
performed the ceremony of the stone and sling came with us. With him
Otoo’s father had a long conversation. He seemed very angry. I
understood he was enraged at the part Towha had taken in the Eimeo
business.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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