Jun 25, 1792 Home Providence Log Jun 27, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
Moderate Trade Winds EbS. Land Wind SE at Night. Thermometer from 77 to 81 Degrees.
Sufficient supplies. Employed as Yesterday cleaning the Ship of Vermin by Washing with boiling Water. I first thought of this expedient when I commanded the Bounty. I recommend it as the most effectual and sure method of clearing Ships of contageous diseases followed by constant Airing with large fires.
A little before Noon I had the pleasure to see Lieut. Portlock arrive from Attahooroo, and with him the Whale Boat, which after some deliberation was given up to him, altho not to the general voice of the People.
Attahooroo is the largest County in this Island. It is divided into two Districts or Chiefdoms. The Northermost, called Ta,igh, was governed by Poohaitaiah (Potatow when I was in the Bounty), and the Southermost called Paterre was governed by Tettowah, men of great consequence when I was here in 1788 and in Captain Cooks time. These Men are now dead, and Children are elected. Tettowah left a Wife and Son who naturally succeed to his power and influence, but Po,oh,aitaiah left no Child, and I believe in consequence the present Minor Chief, some relation, is not firmly fixed in his Government.
It was at Paterre that the Boat was. The Mob were for keeping it, but Tettowah's Wife ordered it to be given up, which after a few hours was effected upon Mr. Portlock's declaring if he did not return with the Boat, I should in a day or two be round and set fire to the Country.
The endeavors of Tettowah's Wife were seconded by a very clever young fellow called Terraighte,erree. His official capacity is that of a Priest and had great weight among the People.
On the Boat being launched into the Water, Mr. Portlock made a present to the Chiefs which I had given him for that purpose. He relates that they received it with great eagerness as if they had known the Value of Iron without ever having the use of it, and withall expressed a thankfullness which gave him much pleasure. They gave him cause to think the Matavai and Oparre People had prevented their having intercourse with us, and on his assuring them of my friendship it spread a general satisfaction. Tettowah's Wife with Terraighte,erree; her second Husband Towryigh,no, and her Brother embarked to see the Ship, where they arrived in time for Dinner.
Tettowah's Wife they call O,wehee Vaheine a common Name to Women who have lost a Husband. She is a Stout good looking woman.
I found a shyness about our Friend Tynah and his Wives to this Woman and her party. He had bantered me the Night before about my getting the Boat, and I now in my turn laughed at him. I also made a very large present of Valuable things to the Strangers, and made a great deal of them, so that they were truly delighted. The Men drank freely of all our liquors, and eat Cheese and drank Porter. All Strangers ask what the Cheese is made of, and it is a standing joke with our Friends here to call it Teeappapow, (Part of a Dead Body) In the Evening they all went on Shore with Tynah who provided every thing for them. Owehee Vahiene eat nothing while with us, for no Woman except Iddeeah and Whyerreddee will ever eat before me, and on shore as is their custom, the all eat apart from the Men.
Oporeeonoo or Great Peninsula of Otaheite is divided into 12 Counties under these Names. Matavai, Oparre, Tettaha, Taaigh, Paterre, Papparah, Wyoo,reedee, Wyer,ree, Iddee,ah, Wha,ennah, Tierrai, Happyano. They sometimes place another between papparah and Wyoreedee called Atteemono. Those Counties have different districts or Chiefdoms, each of those of Ta,aigh and Pa,terre is as large as any on County. There is however a mistake (Captain Cook does it) in calling the whole Oporeeonoo, for I find there are three Grand Divisions which include the subdivisions as follows — Under the Head of Oporeeonoo lie Oparre, Matavai, Happy,ano, Tierrai, Whaennah, Iddee,ah. Under the Head O'Taiwyyootah (or Terayyootah) lie Paparrah, Atteemono Wyooreedee, Whyer,ree. Under the Head Attahooroo lie Tettaha, Ta,aigh, and Pa,terre.
Tiarraboo makes a fourth Grand Division under the head Tev,vy,ty, and the whole Land is called Taheite, Otaheite improperly, from no Taheite, of Teheite, the sign of the Genitive Case. Tev,vyty is also divided into 12 Counties.
When the Island was formed into these four Grand Divisions it was governed by One King. I cannot consider it strictly so since I have known it. Each of the Divisions have a power which governs it independant of the rest. We have strong traits of it at this tine. The Division of Tervyyootah is governed by a Person who certainly has had equal and like Power to Otoo,. This is Tomaree. He had the Eye of the Human Sacrifice presented to him, wore the Maro, and every person uncovered to him. Every Person agrees that no other Chief had the power like Otoo & Tomarree, but this was before the present boy Otoo was born. All the superior marks of distinction are now shown to him. Tomarre formerly called Terrederri is the Son of the famous Opureah (Obereah according to former Accounts). He married Terree,naheroah Tynah's Sister, as I have stated in my last Voyage, and of course is the present (Boy) Otoo's Uncle.
The Division of Tevvyty has since our tine been governed by one Chief of the Name Whaeeahtuah. This has been always the name of the Person who reigned there, and as Terreetapahovai Tynah's Son, has become Heir to the late Whaeeahtuah, he has also taken the Name.
The Division of Oporeeonoo is governed by Otoo, so that here we see something like three distinct Princedoms, and I believe Attahooroo was a fourth, how it has happened to be divided I cannot get informed; for by the division, neither of the Chiefs altho allowed to be people of consequence, have the Rank of the others, altho they have governed their respective Chiefdoms with equal power.
If it was not fro the assertions of every one that Otoo was Erreerahigh, that no person else wore the Maro, or had the Eye of the Human Sacrifice presented to him, I should pronounce it as a certainty that the Island was divided into four Princedoms totally independant of each other.
To know the exact state of the Government of the Island it would require a person to be some time in each part of it. A just conclusion might then be formed; but the information of any one party is doubtfull, and the Strangers who visit us are cautious to give intelligence that may offend.
These are two Words which they attach to the different Subdivisions of the Island. One is Mauno, and the other Matynah. Oparre & Attahooroo have each two Maunos, but all the others even Tiarraboo they say are not Maunos but Matynahs. The People of Oporeeonoo are Matynahs no Tynah, those of Tiarraboo are the People (Maunos) of Whaeeahtuah. Those of Terryyootah are the People of Tomarre and those of Attahooroo of Tetowah and Po,ohaitaiah. Yet they say that the whole of them are Matynahs no Otoo. This certainly implies he is their King.
Matynah signifies a set of People belonging and governed by a Chief, but I am at a loss to know what Mauno means, unless it is the place of resort or Palace of the King.
I conclude therefore that Otaheite is a Kingdom divided into four Grand Divisions or Princedoms, each of those are divided into Governments, and these are again subdivided into parts which may be properly called districts or Circuits of inferior authority. Counties, Corporations Towns & Villages.
Jun 25, 1792 Home Providence Log Jun 27, 1792