y deserted, so that
we had one of the Largest and best houses on the Island wholy to
ourselves; but when they found that we meant them no harm the Chief and
his Wife with some others came and Slept by us the remainder of the
night. This place is situated on the South-West side of Tiarreboo,* (*
Taiarapu.) the South-East district of the Island, and about 5 miles
South-East from the Isthmus. Here is a large, safe, and Commodious
Harbour, inferior to none on the whole Island, and the land about it Rich
in Produce. We found that the people of this district had had little or
no communication with us, yet we was everywhere well received by them. We
found all this part of the Island very fertile and the Natives numerous,
and had a great many large Double Canoes built and Ornamented uniformly.
They were all halled ashore, and appeared to be going to decay for want
of use. Their Mories or Burial places stood generally upon these points
of land that projected into the Sea, and were both better built and
Ornamented than those about Royal Bay--Tootaha's excepted. In general
this district appear'd to be in a more flourishing state than the other,
although it is not above one fourth part as big and cannot contain
nothing near the Number of inhabitants.

Thursday, 29th. Squally weather with Showers of rain. This morning we
left Tiaraboo and entered upon that of Opooreonoo, the North-West
district of the Island. The first thing we met with worthy of note was at
one of their Mories, where lay the scull bones of 26 Hogs and 6 Dogs.
These all lay near to and under one of their Altars. These Animals must
have been offer'd as a Sacrifice to their Gods either all at once or at
different times, but on what account we could not learn. The next day we
met with an Effigy or Figure of a Man made of Basket work and covered
with white and Black feathers placed in such order as to represent the
Colour of their Hair and Skins when Tattow'd or painted. It was 7 1/2
feet high and the whole made in due proportion; on its head were 4 Nobs
not unlike the stumps of Large Horns--3 stood in front and one behind. We
were not able to learn what use they made of this Monster; it did not at
all appear to us that they paid it the least Homage as a God: they were
not the least Scrupulous of letting us examine every part of it. I am
inclinable to think that it is only used by way of diversion at their
Hevas or public entertainments, as Punch is in a Puppet show.* (*