Captain Cook in Hawaii (Page 2)

This lasted a considerable time; at length Koa let the hog drop, when he and the captain descended together. He then led him to the images before mentioned, and having said something to each in a sneering tone, snapping his fingers at them as he passed, he brought him to that in the center, which, from its being covered with red cloth, appeared to be in greater estimation than the rest.

Before this figure he prostrated himself and kissed it, desiring Captain Cook to do the same-who suffered himself to be directed by Koa throughout the whole of this ceremony.

We were now led back into the other division of the morai, where there was a space, ten or twelve feet square, sunk about three feet below the level of the area. Into this we descended, and Captain Cook was seated between two wooden idols, Koa supporting one of his arms, whilst I was desired to support the other.

At this time arrived a second procession of natives, carrying a baked hog and a pudding, some breadfruit, coconuts, and other vegetables. When they approached us, Kaireekeea put himself at their head, and presenting the pig to Captain Cook in the usual manner, began the same kind of chant as before, his companions making regular responses.

We observed that after every response their parts became gradually shorter, till, toward the close, Kaireekeea's consisted of only two or three words, which the rest answered by the word "Lono."

When this offering was concluded, which lasted a quarter of an hour, the natives sat down, fronting us, and began to cut up the baked hog, to peel the vegetables, and break the coconuts, whilst others employed themselves in brewing the awa, which is done by chewing it lathe same manner as at the Friendly Islands.

Kaireekeea then took part of the kernel of a coconut, which he chewed, and wrapping it in a piece of cloth, rubbed with it the captain's face, head, hands. arms, and shoulders.

The awa was then handed round, and after we had tasted it, Koa and Palea began to pull the flesh of the hog in pieces and to put it into our mouths. I had no great objection to being fed by Palea, who was very cleanly in his person; but Captain Cook, who was served by Koa, recollecting the putrid hog, could not swallow a morsel; and his reluctance, as may be supposed, was not diminished when the old man, according to his own mode of civility, had chewed it for him.

When this last ceremony was finished, which Captain Cook put an end to as soon as he decently could, we quitted the morai, after distributing amongst the people some pieces of iron and other trifles, with which they seemed highly gratified.

The men with wands conducted us to the boats, repeating the same words as before. The people again retired and the few that remained prostrated themselves as we passed along the shore.

We immediately went on board, our minds full of what we had seen and extremely well satisfied with the good dispositions of our new friends. The meaning of the various ceremonies with which we had been received and which, on account of their novelty and singularity, have been related at length, can only be the subject of conjectures, and those uncertain and partial; they were, however, without doubt expressive of high respect on the part of the natives and, as far as related to the person of Captain Cook, they seemed approaching to adoration.

The next morning I went on shore with a guard of eight marines, including the corporal and lieutenant, having orders to erect the observatory in such a situation as might best enable me to superintend and protect the waterers and the other working parties that were to be on shore.

As we were viewing a spot conveniently situated for this purpose in the middle of the village, Palea, who was always ready to show both his power and his good will, offered to pull down some houses that would have obstructed our observations. However, we thought it proper to decline this offer and fixed on a field of sweet potatoes adjoining to the morai, which was readily granted us; and the priests, to prevent the intrusion of the natives, immediately consecrated the place by fixing their wands round the wall by which it was enclosed.

This sort of religious interdiction they call tabu, a word we heard often repeated during our stay amongst these islanders, and found to be of very powerful and extensive operation. No canoes ever presumed to land near us; the natives sat on the wall, but none offered to come within the tabu'd space till he had obtained our permission.

But though the men at our request would come across the field with provisions, yet not all our endeavors could prevail on the women to approach us. Presents were tried, but without effect; Palea and Koa were tempted to bring them, but in vain; we were invariably answered that the akua and Kalaniopuu (which was the name of their king) would kill them.

This circumstance afforded no small matter of amusement to our friends on board, where the crowds of people, and particularly of women, that continued to flock thither obliged them almost every hour to clear the vessel, in order to have room to do the necessary duties of the ship.

On these occasions two or three hundred women were frequently made to jump into the water at once, where they continued swimming and playing about till they could again procure admittance.

I shall now return to our transactions on shore at the observatory, where we had not been long settled before we discovered in our neighborhood the habitations of a society of priests, whose regular attendance at the morai had excited our curiosity.

Their huts stood round a pond of water and were surrounded by a grove of coconut trees which separated them from the beach and the rest of the village, and gave the place an air of religious retirement.

On my acquainting Captain Cook with these circumstances, he resolved to pay them a visit; and as he expected to be received in the same manner as before, he brought Mr. Webber with him to make a drawing of the ceremony.

On his arrival at the beach, he was conducted to a sacred building called Hale no Lono, or the House of Lono, and seated before the entrance, at the foot of a wooden idol of the same kind as those on the morai.

I was here again made to support one of his arms, and after wrapping him in red cloth, Kaireekeea, accompanied by twelve priests, made an offering of a pig with the usual solemnities. The pig was then strangled, and a fire being kindled, it was thrown into the embers, and after the hair was singed off it was again presented, with a repetition of the chanting, in the manner before described.

The dead pig was then held for a short time under the captain's nose; after which it was laid, with a coconut, at his feet, and the performers sat down. The awa was then brewed and handed round; a fat hog, ready dressed, was brought in; and we were fed as before.

During the rest of the time we remained in the bay, whenever Captain Cook came on shore, he was attended by one of these priests, who went before him, giving notice that the Lono had landed, and ordering the people to prostrate themselves. The same person also constantly accompanied him on the water, standing in the bow of the boat, with a wand in his hand, and giving notice of his approach to the natives who were in canoes, on which they immediately left off paddling and lay down on their faces till he had passed.

Whenever he stopped at the observatory, Kaireekeea and his brethren immediately made their appearance with hogs, coconuts, breadfruit, etc., and presented them with the usual solemnities. It was on these occasions that some of the inferior chiefs frequently requested to be permitted to make an offering to the Lcno. When this was granted, they presented the hog themselves, generally with evident marks of fear in their countenances, whilst Kaireekeea and the priests chanted their accustomed hymns.

The civilities of this society were not, however, confined to mere ceremony and parade. Our party on shore received from them every day a constant supply of hogs and vegetables, more than sufficient for our subsistence; and several canoes loaded with provisions were sent to the ships with the same punctuality. No return was ever demanded or even hinted at in the most distant manner. Their presents were made with a regularity more like the discharge of a religious duty than the effect of mere liberality, and when we inquired at whose charge all this munificence was displayed, we were told it was at the expense of a great man called Kaoo, the chief of all the priests, and grandfather to Kaireekeea, who was at that time absent attending the king of the island.

In the afternoon [January 24] Kalaniopuu arrived and visited the ships in a private manner, attended only by one canoe in which were his wife and children. He stayed on board till near ten o'clock, when he returned to the village of Kowrowa.

The next day, about noon, the king, in a large canoe attended by two others, set out from the village and paddled toward the ships in great state. Their appearance was grand and magnificent. In the first canoe were Kalaniopuu and his chiefs, dressed in their rich feathered cloaks and helmets, and armed with long spears and daggers; in the second came the venerable Kaoo, the chief of the priests, and his brethren, with their idols displayed on red cloth.

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