d child was born he quitted
the society. The Arreoys are allowed great latitude in their amours
except in times of danger. Then as they are almost all fighting men (tata
toa) they are restricted that they may not weaken or enervate themselves.

These ceremonies being ended I returned to the ship.

Such of the natives as I conversed with about the institution of so
extraordinary a society as the Arreoy asserted that it was necessary to
prevent an overpopulation. Worrow worrow no te mydidde, worrow worrow te
tata. We have too many children and too many men was their constant
excuse. Yet it does not appear that they are apprehensive of too great an
increase of the lower class of people, none of them being ever admitted
into the Arreoy society. The most remarkable instance related to me of
the barbarity of this institution was of Teppahoo, the Earee of the
district of Tettaha, and his wife, Tetteehowdeeah, who is sister to Otow
and considered as a person of the first consequence. I was told that they
have had eight children, every one of which was destroyed as soon as
born. That any human beings were ever so devoid of natural affection as
not to wish to preserve alive one of so many children is not credible. It
is more reasonable to conclude that the death of these infants was not an
act of choice in the parents; but that they were sacrificed in compliance
with some barbarous superstition with which we are unacquainted. What
strengthens this conjecture is that they have adopted a nephew as their
heir, of whom they are excessively fond.

In countries so limited as the islands in the South Seas, the natives of
which, before they were discovered by European navigators, probably had
not an idea of the existence of other lands, it is not unnatural that an
increasing population should occasion apprehensions of universal
distress. Orders of celibacy which have proved so prejudicial in other
countries might perhaps in this have been beneficial; so far at least as
to have answered their purpose by means not criminal. The number of
inhabitants at Otaheite have been estimated at above one hundred
thousand. The island however is not cultivated to the greatest advantage:
yet were they continually to improve in husbandry their improvement could
not for a length of time keep pace with an unlimited population.

An idea here presents itself which, however fanciful it may appear at
first sight, seems to merit some attention: While we see a