Nov 8, 1788 Home Logbook Nov 10, 1788
Revised Jun 29 2021
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Moderate Breezes and fair Wr. with less swell than yesterday, but still much surf on the shore Wind at EBN and ESE and the Thermr. at 81° and 81½°.
Natives about the ship as usual and have abundant Supplies. At Noon had 252 Plants potted. Employed Salting Pork, and boats attending the Tent.
One Man only in the sick list to day recovering fast. I now ordered that two Men at a time should have leave to go on shore for their recreation.
While I was at Dinner, Tynah requested I would let a man down who he calls his Taowhah, for I have been obliged to keep a Centinel at the hatchway to prevent my being smothered with company at my meals, and I found that this restriction gave no offence to the Cheifs, but rather pleased them, and they therefore asked leave for any particular person to be admitted who they saw I had not taken notice of. As I had often heard the Word Taowah and as frequently made many enquiries without receiving satisfactory information, I now began it again, and at last discovered it meant a Priest. This brought on a religious conversation, and haveing told me their Great God was called Oro and that they had many others of less consequence, they asked me if I had any God. Having replied of course in the Affirmative, I was asked if he had a Son and who his Wife was, I told them he had a son but no Wife. Who was his Father and Mother then? was the next question. I said he never had either Father or Mother. At this they laughed exceedingly. You have a God then who never had Father or Mother and has a Child without a Wife, Aymah timoradee huheine arrami no mydiddee ie did not lie with a Woman to get him? I said no. Who was then before your God and where is he? Is he in the Wind or in the Sun? Many other like like [sic] questions were put to me concerning the Divine Omnipotence, and I answered them in as explanatory a manner as the little knowledge I have of the language would allow me, but it was too scanty to enable me to enter into a discussion of their tenets. I only thought
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this matter worthy of remark to show their Ideas and their mode of investigating a truth, and I shall renew it again when I think there is a less chance of my being misunderstood and I can understand them with greater certainty.
A great number of Natives were about the Bay this afternoon, and Tynah informed me it was on account of a wrestling match that was to take place on our going on shore. I accordingly set off with him and several Cheifs to see it, and they were all ready by the time we got to the place, which was about a quarter of a mile from the Tents. We found here an amazing concourse of People, at least 1500 formed into a Ring under the cool and refreshing shade of the Breadfruit Trees.
As a prelude to this performance a dancing Heivah was performed by two Children and four Men, which lasted an half hour. Tynah then produced a long peice of cloth and the Queen, Iddeah, and myself taking the two first corners of it, the remaining part of it being supported by many others, we carryed it to the performers and gave it them. Several other Cheifs did the same, and I had the like ceremony to go through six different times. I found this was a payment to the performers who were people that went round the country like Strollers in England.
No longer than this, remained any regularity or order. The place became now a scene of riot and confusion and the challenges for wrestling was made from one Man to another.
The Erree,oys also began to play their part which was to rob every woman of her cloaths if it was worth taking. These people it seems have the Power and privilege whenever they are in want of cloth to take it from any woman they see, and it now came within my sight the depredations they committed on many of the sex. As I was passing a party of them; they were draggning a young Woman along the gound who held fast her cloth and opposed their taking it, for that is allowable. It was of the best quality and she had it so disposed about her as drew my attention to the Violence they were committing to take it away, and observing me take notice of them, she held out her hand asking my
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assistance, which I had no sooner given than they desisted, and being freed from them she thanked me and I saw her no more.
After a quarter of an hour a Ring was again made but the combatants were so numerous within it, that every thing was in confusion and uproar. These people in their challenges lay one hand upon their breast, and in the bending of the Arm at the Elbow, with the other hand they strike a very smart blow, which as the hand is kept hollow creates a Sound that may be heard a considerable way off, and at this time there being so many Men, the sound resembles a number of People in a Wood falling of Trees. This is the general challenge; but when any two Combatants agree to a trial, they present their hands forward joining them by the extremities of the fingers. The striking the bending of the Arm is so frequent that the flesh becomes exceedingly bruized and the skin being torn of[f] bleeds exceedingly.
Near half an hour past before I saw anything but a number of stout Men parading about the Ring striking the challenge, when at last five or six couple by turns begun. The onset was made by sparring, each endeavoring to take an advantage, when at last they closed, and seizing each other by the Hair they twisted about for some time and was then parted. Only one couple performed any thing like the part of Wrestlers and as there were an equal match it lasted longer than any of the others, but they were also parted. Upon the whole this performance gave me a poor opinion of these people. They have strength enough but they are very deficient in skill and equally so in courage.
The Queen Iddeah was the general umpire and no murmurs were made at her decision. As her person is large she was very conspicuous in the circle, but Tynah took no part in the management of the business.
Among the people now present were a number of Strangers, and as it was not easy for me to see the Game without forcing about among the croud,
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I was frequently out of sight of Tynah and my other Friends, but they were more mindfull of me, for there was generally one or other of them in search of me. I now saw they were uneasy at my being among the Rabble, and they appeared equally surprized to see I was not the least concerned. As Tynah wished to return to the Tents and nothing more was going on, I accompanied him, and took my leave of him for the night, leaving Moannah as usual to sleep there.
In the Morning as is my general custom I again went on shore and collected the different cheifs to come to dine with me. Among these were Tynah's father, Otow and he brought with him a present of a Hog and plenty of Breadfruit and Cocoa nutts. Odiddee also made me a like presents and when we got on board I made them all such returns as highly pleased them. This is the general way my time is past from day light untill dark, for I consider it the only effectual way of securing the Plants, and the fatigue I go through to acomplish it is very great. I have even got the Natives themselves to assist Mr Nelson, and particular ones are daily employed with some of my people in the laborious part of the business. I had the pleasure to see 252 Plants potted by Noon.
Nov 8, 1788 Home Logbook Nov 10, 1788