king and chiefs then departed, to devour the hogs, turtle, fowls, fish, and vegetables prepared for them in the greatest profusion, and to drink their intoxicating yava. The feasting and heivas, or dances, lasted two months the hogs killed on the occasion were innumerable, the yava abundant; and more than one of the chiefs paid for their excesses, by the loss of their lives. Otoo, the present king, is about seventeen, and very large-limbed, promising to be of a size like his father. Though he is absolute, he lives in the greatest familiarity with the lowest of his subjects. He is differently represented: some say he looks solid, and of a thoughtful aspect; whilst others call him stupid, and think his countenance looks vacant. His queen, Tetua, daughter of Wyreede, relict of Motuaro, is about his own age, and rather the larger of the two. Her countenance is pleasing and open, but masculine, and widened by the usual method of pressure, called touroome. It is considered as the distinctive mark of their regal dignity, to be every where carried about on men's shoulders. Their persons being esteemed sacred, all must uncover below the breast when in their presence and from this mark of homage, their own father and mother are not exempted. They may not enter into any house but their own, because, from that moment it would become raa, or sacred, and none but themselves, or their train, could dwell or eat there; and the land which their feet touch, becomes their property; therefore, though they often came off to the ship, ate what was handed down to them, and bailed the water : out of their canoe, they would never come on board; and when they visited our missionary house, they never came further than the door. The king and the queen are always attended by a number of men, as carriers, domestics, or favourites, who are raa, or sacred; they live without families, and attend only on the royal pair. A worse set of men for thievery, plunder, and impurity, does not exist upon the whole island. The mode of carrying the king and queen, is with their legs hanging down before, seated on the shoulders, and leaning on the head of their carriers, and very frequently amusing themselves with picking out the vermin, which there abound. It is the singular privilege of the queen, that, of all women, she alone may eat them; which privilege she never fails to make use of. On their own land they sometimes condescend to alight and walk; but seldom move far without their porters. Among these attendants is a native of a complexion quite different from his fellows; reddish, and of a Swedish cast of countenance, and his hair white and fine as flax. There are a few others somewhat similar, like the white negroes, an anomalous breed. The next in rank to the king is his own father, Pomarree, who acts as regent for his son. He is represented as of very amiable manners, and peculiarly attached to the Missionaries. He is the largest man on the island, being above six feet four inches high, and strong built. The tallest person in the ship hardly reached his shoulders; and he would weigh as much as three or four; yet he is no warrior, and in military prowess is exceeded by his wife Iddeah, a woman of a most masculine appearance and disposition. The next in dignity are the chiefs: some of them are supreme in more than one district, and exercise regal power in their own territories, yet still subject to Otoo as sovereign, and liable to be called upon for assistance: these, also, have houses and lands in many districts, which, as they cannot occupy themselves, they commit to the care of superintendants, called meduas, or give them to their tayos, who enjoy all the fruits without being called to any account, and share them with the chiefs, when they themselves come to reside. The near relations and younger brothers of the chiefs, who are called towhas, with the tayos of the chiefs, follow in order of dignity; and if there are more chiefs than one, the district is divided into different padtdoos, or parishes, and each of these has towhas under him. The next rank is the ratirra, or gentleman, who has one portion to the towha's three. These smaller estates are called rahoe, from the power which the ratirra has to lay a prohibition on his own land, or on any sort of provision, as well as the towha on his portion, and the chief on the whole; but this power, though sometimes abused, is usually employed after a great consumption of provisions, or to accumulate them for some feast. The principal object of the rahoe are hogs, though sometimes it extends also to other sorts of provisions; as when shell fish are scarce on the reefs, the ratirra can rahoe his portion; which is done by sticking up at the extremities of it two branches of a tree, to which a white cloth is attached; and no person dare fish there whilst these remain. When the rahoe is taken off, and the offering of a hog and fish is made, the place is again free; and the feast is given by the person who put on the rahoe: this is called oroa; and besides feasting the guests, it is expected that he should present them with large quantities of cloth; some of this is thrown to the populace to scramble for, which makes sport, the cloth being torn into ribands; and however small, they prefer it to a large piece, which they might have for asking. These narrow slips they wear as favours in honour of the feast. The young men wrestle, the women dance, and the feast is often prolonged several days. When such a feast is made by a chief on taking off the rahoe from a whole district, it is called towroa; then larger quantities of cloth, live hogs, bamboos of oil, and even canoes, are given to be scrambled for. At these entertainments most of the chiefs of the island are present, vast numbers of the areoies, and all descriptions of people. The towroa resembles a country fair, to which every one who goes, brings home something to show where he has been, with this difference, that here it costs nothing; and besides the sport of the herroo, they are feasted all the time. Great quantities of hogs are dressed on this occasion; and a stranger would suppose every one on the island had been collected. The cloth and ca noes seldom fall to the share of the same person, but are mostly rent in pieces; and he who gets the largest piece is the best man. If several of a family seize and carry off the canoe, it is their own; and he who first catches the hog, carries it home. The things appointed for this sport are all brought together in an open space. The chief's men hold the hogs till the priest has made a long prayer on the occasion at the conclusion of which he throws a young plantain into one of the canoes, which stand in a row, with masts erected to spread the cloth, and hang the bamboos of oil; immediately on this signal, the hogs, goats, and fowls, are let loose, and the young men and women begin the chase, which continues a considerable time before all are caught, affording many a laughable incident: after this, the presents are given, and the feast served up. Wrestling and dancing occupy a part of every day and night while the feast continues. They have other feasts, held at the ratirra's morai, called oboo noe, where they meet in smaller companies, baking a hog and eating it on the spot; and if not cleared the first day, they come the second or the third, as none must be removed from the morai. The chief of the padtdoo, and the priests are always invited on these occasions; and if absent, a portion is put by for them till they arrive, which they seldom fail to do. If the chief does not come, the priests are entitled to his portion. At this feast, no woman, nor any of her male attendants, can be present or partake of it. At all these they brew plenty of yava; and they who can get it, drink it |