What we saw of their agriculture, furnished sufficient proofs that they are not novices in that art.  The vale ground has already been mentioned as one continued plantation of taro, and a few other things, which have all the appearance of being well attended to.  The potatoe fields, and spots of sugar-cane, or plantains on the higher grounds, are planted with the same regularity; and always in some determinate figure, generally as a square or oblong; but neither these, nor the others, are enclosed with any kind of fence, unless we reckon the ditches in the low grounds such, which, it is more probable, are intended to convey water to the taro.  The great quantity and goodness of these articles may also, perhaps, be as much attributed to skilful culture as to natural fertility of soil, which seems better adapted to them than to bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees; the few which we saw of these latter not being in a thriving state, which will sufficiently account for the preference given to the culture of the other articles, though more labour be required to produce them.  But, notwithstanding this skill in agriculture, the general appearance of the island shewed, that it was capable of much more extensive improvement, and of maintaining, at least, three times the number of the inhabitants that are at present upon it; for the far greater part of it, that now lies quite waste, seemed to be as good a soil as those parts of it that are in cultivation.  We must therefore conclude, that these people, from some cause, which we were not long enough amongst them to be able to trace, do not increase in that proportion, which would make it necessary to avail themselves of the extent of their island, toward raising a greater quantity of its vegetable productions for their subsistence.

Though I did not see a chief of any note, there were however several, as the natives informed us, who reside upon Atooi, and to whom they prostrate themselves as a mark of submission; which seems equivalent to the moe, moea, paid to the chiefs of the Friendly Islands, and is called here hamoea, or moe.  Whether they were at first afraid to shew themselves, or happened to be absent, I cannot say; but, after I had left the island, one of these great men made his appearance, and paid a visit to Captain Clerke, on board the Discovery.  He came off in a double canoe; and, like the king of the Friendly Islands, paid no regard to the small canoes that happened to lie in his way, but ran against, or over them, without endeavouring in the least to avoid them.  And it was not possible for these poor people to avoid him, for they could not manage their canoes; it being a necessary mark of their submission that they should lie down till he had passed.  His attendants helped him into the ship, and placed him on the gangway.  Their care of him did not cease then; for they stood round him, holding each other by the hands; nor would they suffer any one to come near him but Captain Clerke