Besides the different Classes & Societys already discribed they have a Set of Men Calld Mahoo. These Men are in some respects like the Eunuchs in India but are Not Casterated. They Never Cohabit with weomen but live as they do; they pick their Beards out & dress as weomen, dance and sing with them & are as effeminate in their Voice; they are generally excellent hands at Making and painting of Cloth, Making Matts and evry other Womans employment. They are esteemd Valuable friends in that way and it is said, tho I never saw an instance of it, that they Converse with Men as familiar as weomen do — this however I do not aver as a fact as I never found any who did not detest the thought.

The Manners and Customs of the other Islands are as Near the same as those of Different Countys in the Same Kingdom, and their produce nearly the Same & the Inhabitants of all the Society Isles are one and the same people — Taheite is by Much the largest and most powerful when the Strength of the Island is united, and is therefore acknowledged Mistress Paramount of the whole. They all distinguish their Language, Customs &c. by the Name of Taheite as well at home as when they are at Taheite and there are but few Men of Property who do not visit Taheite once in their lifetime and many visit it frequently.

It must be acknowledged that Captain Cook, when he first thought of stocking these Islands with Cattle, Poultry and the Fruits and Roots of Europe, intended it for the Good of Mankind, but these people knew not the Value of them and for want of Europeans to take Care of them they were soon distroyd, the Curiosity of the Natives to see such Strange Animals made each wish to have one by which means they were seperated and their Increase prevented; the Poultry soon became extinct — the Sheep, who did not as in Other Warm Climes lose their Wool, died for want of Sheering — the Black Cattle alone thriving tho kept Mostly seperate, the Seeds & Plants were destroyd by being removed as soon as they made their Appearance, evry one Wishing to posess some part of the Curiosities which they esteemd the whole and would part with

Indigenous Histories