viewing a spot conveniently situated for this
purpose, in the middle of the village, Pareea, who was always ready
to shew 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 _taboo_, a word we heard
often repeated, during our stay amongst these islanders, and found
to be of very powerful and extensive operation. A more particular
explanation of it will be given in the general account of these
islands, under the article of religion; at present it is only
necessary to observe, that it procured us even more privacy than we
desired. No canoes ever presumed to land near us; the natives sat on
the wall, but none offered to come within the _tabooed_ 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 endeavours
could prevail on the women to approach us. Presents were tried, but
without effect; Pareea and Koah were tempted to bring them, but in
vain; we were invariably answered, that the _Eatooa_ and _Terreeoboo_
(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.

From the 19th to the 24th, when Pareea and Koah left us to attend
Terreeoboo, who had landed on some other part of the island, nothing
very material happened on board. The caulkers were set to work on
the sides of the ships, and the rigging was carefully overhauled and
repaired. The salting of hogs for sea-store was also a constant,
and one of the principal objects of Captain Cook's attention. As the
success we met with in this experiment, during our present voyage, was
much more complete than it had been in a