ize of the Resolution, had been in at Owhaiurua harbour, near the S.E. end
of the island, where she remained about three weeks; and had been gone
about three months before we arrived. We were told that four of the natives
were gone away with her, whose names were Debedebea, Paoodou, Tanadooee,
and Opahiah. At this time, we conjectured this was a French ship, but, on
our arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, we learnt she was a Spaniard, which
had been sent out from America. The Otaheiteans complained of a disease
communicated to them by the people in this ship, which they said affected
the head, throat, and stomach, and at length killed them. They seemed to
dread it much, and were continually enquiring if we had it. This ship they
distinguished by the name of _Pahai no Pep-pe_ (ship of Peppe), and
called the disease _Apa no Pep-pe_, just as they call the venereal
disease _Apa no Pretane_ (English disease), though they, to a man, say
it was brought to the isle by M. de Bougainville; but I have already
observed that they thought M. de Bougainville came from _Pretane_, as
well as every other ship which has touched at the isle.

Were it not for this assertion of the natives, and none of Captain Wallis's
people being affected with the venereal disease, either while they were at
Otaheite, or after they left it, I should have concluded that long before
these islanders were visited by Europeans, this or some disease which is
near akin to it, had existed amongst them. For I have heard them speak of
people dying of a disorder which we interpreted to be the pox before that
period. But, be this as it will, it is now far less common amongst them,
than it was in the year 1769, when I first visited these isles. They say
they can cure it, and so it fully appears, for, notwithstanding most of my
people had made pretty free with the women, very few of them were
afterwards affected with the disorder; and those who were, had it in so
slight a manner, that it is easily removed. But among the natives, whenever
it turns to a pox, they tell us it is incurable. Some of our people pretend
to have seen some of them who had this last disorder in a high degree, but
the surgeon, who made it his business to enquire, could never satisfy
himself in this point. These people are, and were, before Europeans visited
them, very subject to scrophulous diseases, so that a seaman might easily
mistake one disorder for another.

The island of Otaheite, which, in the