CAPTAIN COOK ’S FIRST VOYACE. 563

or convey him with his lands, yet his power over him extends no farther, for he muftnot even ftrike him without the raja’s permiffion.

The natives in general are robuft and healthy, and had the appearance of beinglong-lived. The fmall-pox has found its way to this ifland, and is as much dreaded asthe peftilence. When this diforder attacks any perfon, he is carried to fome fpot at agreat diftance from any houfe, where his food is conveyed to him by means of a longftick, for no one will venture very near the invalid, who is thus left to take his chanceof life or death.

The ifland of Savu having been vifited by the Portuguefe almoft at their firft failinginto this part of the world, they eftablilhed a fettlement upon it; but in a little time theywere fucceeded by the Dutch , who, though they did not formally poffefs themfelves of theifland, fent a number of trading velfels to eftablifh a treaty of commerce with the natives.The principal objedt of this treaty is, that the rajas fhould furnilh the Dutch , for theconfumption of their fpice iflands, with rice, maize, &c. annually, and they are toreturn the value in arrack, cutlery wares, Tinen, and filk. In this agreement therajas ftipuiated, that a Dutch refident fhould be conftantly on the ifland, to obfervethat their part of the contrafl; was fulfilled.

As foon as this was accomplifhed, they fent Mr. Lange to act as their refident.Once every two months he is attended by fifty flaves on horfeback, and in this ftatevifits each of the rajas. He conftantly takes with him a quantity of arrack, by thehelp of which he does not fail of making advantageous bargains with the rajas.

Lange had been on this ifland ten years, during all which time he had not feen awhite perfon, except t’nofe who came annually in the Dutch {hip to carry off the rice.He is married to an Indian woman, a native of the ifland of Timor , and he lives in thefame manner as the inhabitants of Savu, whofe language he fpeaks better than anyother; like them too he fits on the ground and chews betle, and has fo perfectlyadopted their manners, that he is an abfolute Indian, except in drefs and complexion.

The morality of thefe people is of the pureft kind. A robbery is fcarce ever com-mitted, and a murder is never perpetrated. When any difputes arife between thenatives, they inflantly fubmit the point in debate to the decifion of the raja, and reftperfe&ly fatisfied with his determination. No man is permitted to marry more thanpne wife; yet a violation of the marriage bed, or even the crime of fimple fornication,ls almoft wholly unknown among them.

Of the iflands in the neighbourhood of Savu, the principal is Timor , which is^nually vifited by the Dutch refidents on the other iflands, in order to make up theira ccounts.

A French {hip was wrecked on the coaft of Timor , about two years before the Endea-v °ur was in thefe feas. She had been lodged on the rock feveral days, when the windtore her to pieces in an inftant, and the captain, with the greater number of the feamen,^ e re drowned ; but a lieutenant, and about eighty men reached the fhore, where their^mediate neceflities were relieved, after which they returned to the wreck, in com-ply with fome Dutch and Indians, who affifted them in recovering all their chefts°f bullion, fome of their guns and other effects, which being done, they returned,"diere they remained feveral weeks; but in this interval, death made fuch havocka ttiong them, that not above half their number remained to be fent to their nativec °untry.

The Endeavour failed from the ifland of Savu on the 21ft of September, 1770, andent her courfe weftward.

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