Dec 14, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 16, 1788
Revised Jun 29 2021
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Moderate Breezes between ENE and ESE with some showers and the Therr. from 79° to 81°. Employed mending Sails and examining the Best Bower Cable which was found in good Order. Sent Bread on shore to Air and pick as before. Five Venereals in the List. The Natives continue to give us sufficient supplies.
In the Morning I had an early visit from Tynah to take me on shore to the Tent, where he had directed a Heivah to be performed. I accordingly went with him and by the time we got there a great number of People and all the Cheifs were collected on the occasion. This Heivah was different from any we have yet seen. The performers were eleven Men habited in that singular dress called Parry. They were placed in three files, and each man had two Mother of Pearl shells in his hand, which by the manner they were Strung on a peice of cord, and about an Inch asunder, with a small motion of the fingers made a clinking kind of noise. As is very common, before the performance began a Priest pronounced a long oration or prayer, which being done a man came running towards me, sometimes stopping suddenly, and then advancing again with many odd motions, holding between his hands some twisted Cocoa nutt leaf, which at last was laid at my feet, and I was cloathed with a peice of Cloth. During this the Men in the Parry dress were all sitting on their heels not unlike kneeling, but as soon as the two peices of Cocoa nut leaf were laid down they got up and made a few motions with their Feet at the clinking of the shells. This being over, another prayer was given by the Priest, and the Man who had placed the two peices of Cocoa Nut leaf at my feet took one of them away and carried it to him, which being done, a few sentences were spoke by a person in the front of the performers, an the whole inclined their bodies to one side with the Arm extended to wards the ground. Another Sentence then took place and they all regularly leaned in the same manner to the other side, and from that position they suddenly sprung up and making a few Strange Motions at the clinking of the
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shells the ceremony ended.
This Heivah I was told was in favor of me as being acknowledged Erree of Matavai, that the Cocoa nut leaf which they called Hahyree was never presented but to a principal Cheif, and whose welfare depended on his agreement with the Eatua which was supplicated by the Priest on the return of the other peice of leaf. I have had this ceremony and compliment paid to me before, and on an occasion which one would imagine, sacred or religious ceremony had litle to do with, but then Tynah received the same, which at this time he did not.
The Par,ry dress is certainly not used but on particular occasions, and is so strange and odd of itself that by description there is scarce a possibility of giving any one an Idea of it without a drawing, one of which may be seen in Captain Cooks Voyage.
Having highly satisfied the performers with a Toey each & some Nails, I returned to the ship with all the Cheifs to dinner, during which I was very anxious to get more information about what I had seen, but I could only learn it was about myself and the Eatua and I gave up my enquiries in despair.
Dec 14, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 16, 1788