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plentiful, and they fupped at Wiverou’s houfe, in company with Mathiabo. Part ofthe houfe was allotted for them to fleep in, and foon after fupper they retired to reft.Mathiabo having obtained a cloak from Mr, Banks , under pretence of ufing it as acoverlet when he lay down, immediately made off wfith it, unperceived by that gentle-man or his companions. News however of the robbery was foon brought them byone of the natives ; in confequence of which intelligence they fet out in purfuit of thethief, but had proceeded a very little way before they were met by a perfon bringingback the cloak, which Matiabo had given up through fear.
The houfe, upon their return, was entirely deferred, and about four in the morningthe fentinel gave the alarm that the boat was miffing. Mr. Banks and the captain weregreatly aftonifhed at this account, and ran to the water fide ; but though the morningwas clear and ftar-light, no boat was vifible. Their fituation was now extremely ter-rifying ; the party confifting of but four, with a fingle mufket and two pocket-piftols,without a fpare ball or a charge of powder. After remaining in this diftrefsful ftate ofanxiety for a confiderable time, dreading the advantage the Indians would take of it*to their great joy, the boat, which had been driven away by the tide, returned ; andMr. Banks and his companions no l'ooner breakfafted than they departed. ’
This place is fituated on the north fide of Tiarrabou, the fouth-eaft peninfula of theifland. It is fertile and populous, and the inhabitants every where behaved with civil-ity. The laft diftrid in Tiarrabou, in which they landed, was governed by a chiefnamed Omoe. He wanted a hatchet, but they had not one with them. He wouldnot trade for nails, and they embarked, the chief accompanying them. After goingabout three miles, the captain met with fome of Omoe’s people, who had got withthem a very large hog. The chief agreed to exchange the hog for a large axe and anail, and to bring the beaft to the fort in Port Royal Bay. This refolution he came toafter confulting his wife; and Mr. Banks judged the exchange to be very advantageousto the Engliffi, as the hog was a remarkably fine one.
At this place they faw one of the Eatuas, or gods ; it was made of wicker work, andrefembled the figure of a man ; it was near fevenieet in heighth, and was covered withblack and white feathers; on the head were four protuberances, which the nativescalled Tate ete, or little men. Here they took leave of Omoe.
They were now near the diftrid, named Paparra , which was governed by Oamoand Oberea, where they intended to fpend the night. Mr. Banks and his companylanded about an hour before it was dark, and found that they were both fet out to paythem a vifit at the fort. They neverthelefs flept at the houfe of Oberea, which, thoughnot large, was very neat; no inhabitant but her father was now in poffeffion of it, whofhewed them much civility. They took this opportunity of walking out to a point*upon which they had obferved, at a diftance, fome trees called Etoa, which ufuallygrow on the burial-places of thefe people. They call thefe burying-grounds Morai»-which are alfo places of worffiip. They here faw an immenfe edifice, which they foundto be the Morai of Oamo and Oberea, which was by far the moft confiderable piece oarchitedure to be found in the ifland.
It confifted of an enormous pile of ftone-work, raffed in the form of a pyramid*with a flight of fteps on each fide, fomething after the manner of thofe little buildings?which are commonly ereded in England to place the pillars of fun-dials upon; it wasnear two hundred and feventy feet long, and about one third as wide, and betweenforty and fifty feet high. ^