th
a sort of shagreen, being skin of fishes. At the same time they
are ornamented with polished pearl-shells, which make a prodigious
glittering in the sun; and they have a very large one, that covers
them before, like a shield or breast plate.
The language of Otaheite has many words, and even phrases, quite
unlike those of the islands to the westward of it, which all agree;
and this island is remarkable for producing great quantities of that
delicious fruit we call apples, which are found in none of the others,
except Eimeo. It has also the advantage of producing an odoriferous
wood, called _eahoi_, which is highly valued at the other isles, where
there is none; nor even in the south-east peninsula, or Tiaraboo,
though joining it. Huaheine and Eimeo, again, are remarkable for
producing greater quantities of yams than the other islands. And
at Mourooa there is a particular bird, found upon the hills, much
esteemed for its white feathers; at which place there is also said
to be some of the apples, though it be the most remote of the Society
Islands from Otaheite and Eimeo, where they are produced.
Though the religion of all the islands be the same, each of them has
its particular, or tutelar god; whose names, according to the best
information I could receive, are set down in the following list:
_Gods of the Isles_,
Huaheine, _Tanne._
Ulietea, _Oore._
Otaha, _Tanne._
Bolabola, _Oraa._
Mourooa, _Otoo, ee weiahoo._
Toobaee, _Tamouee._
Tabooymanoo, or Saunders's \
Island, which } _Taroa._
is subject to Huaheine,/
Eimeo, _Oroo hadoo._
Otaheite-nooe,} _Ooroo._
Otaheite, {
Tiaraboo, } {_Opoonooa_ and whom they have
{_Whatooteeree_, { lately changed
for Oraa, god
of Bolabola.
Mataia or Osnaburgh _Tooboo, toobooai, Ry maraiva._
Island
The Low Isles, Eastward _Tammaree._
Besides the cluster of high islands
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