she went ashore in them as soon as she arrived at Huaheine.  She dined with the officers without the least scruple, and laughed at the prejudices of her country-women with all the good sense of a citizen of the world.  With a proper education she might have shone as a woman of genius even in Europe; since, without the advantage of a cultivated understanding, her great vivacity, joined to very polite manners, already were sufficient to make her company supportable.”—­G.F.

    From some of this gentleman’s remarks, as well as what Captain Cook
    says, it appears that these islanders have pretty correct notions of
    the relative duty of children and parents.—­E.

[2] Mr G.F. has entered upon a pretty minute account of this strange society, and does his best to palliate the enormities of which, there seems no reason to doubt, its really profligate members are almost habitually guilty.  That gentleman is certainly liberal in his views of the natives in general, and on the whole appears disposed to give more credit to human nature than, perhaps, it will be found on the closest inspection to deserve.  Though it may be conceded to him, that criminal individuals are not more numerous in the Society Islands, than among other people, yet it is obvious, that the discovery of the universal prevelancy of vice does not warrant any person to extenuate its malignity in any particular instances where it occurs.—­E.

SECTION XV.

Arrival at Ulietea; with an Account of the Reception we met with there, and the several Incidents which happened during our Stay.  A Report of two ships being at Huaheine.  Preparations to leave the Island; and the Regret the Inhabitants shewed on the Occasion.  The Character of Oedidee; with some general Observations on the Islands.

As soon as we were clear of the harbour, we made sail, and stood over for the South end of Ulietea.  Oree took the opportunity to send a man with a message to Opoony.  Being little wind all the latter part of the day, it was dark before we reached the west side of the isle, where we spent the night.  The same light variable wind continued till ten o’clock next morning, when the trade-wind at east prevailed, and we ventured to ply up to the harbour, first sending a boat to lie in anchorage in the entrance.  After making a few trips, we got before the channel, and with all our sails set, and the head-way the ship had acquired, shut her in as far as she would go; then dropped the anchor, and took in the sails.  This is the method of getting into most of the harbours which are on the lee-side of these isles; for the channels, in general, are too narrow to ply in:  We were now anchored between the two points of the reef which form the entrance; each not more than two-thirds the length of a cable from us, and on which the sea broke with such height and violence, as to people less acquainted with the place, would have been terrible.  Having all our boats out with anchors and warps in them, which were presently run out, the ship warped into safety, where we dropt anchor for the night.  While this work was going forward, my old friend Oree the chief, and several more, came to see us.  The chief came not empty.