Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-11-25

The following scraps may not be deemed
uninteresting to our readers,
OWiIYHEE
OWiIYHEE.

OWIf HEE
A gentleman belonging to the Fur
Company established at the mouth Of the
Columbia river, who lately arrived here
over land from the establishment, in
forms US that frequent trips are made to
Owhyhee for provisions. The name Of
this place is rendered familiar to every
one as the spot which terminated the
useful career OF that celebrated circum-
navigator capt. james Cook.
1t is perhaps equally well known that
capt Vancouver gave the Islanders seve.
they have increased in an extraordinary de.
gree, not only to afford supplies for those
hardy children of the ocean who visit
that region, but to offer constant sub
sistence for the New ork establishment
on the N. w. coast. Vancouver enioi
ed it on the natives that they should re-
ligiously abstain from killing any of the
horned cattle for the space of 90 years
the period had nearly expired when our
informant left the island, which is not
more than two years ago. The cattle had
increased very much, and the natives were
furnished with number of other domes-
tic animals promising abundant supplies to
their European and American visitors
Tamahamah, king or despot of Owhy-
hee, and all of the neighboring isles. is es.
teemed the Peter the Great of the South
Sea He has taken into his service about
so Americans, and or 10 English, Scotch
and Irish adventures; he has built pref
ty strong Fort, mounted with about twenty
pieces of cannon, in which he keeps his
men mount guard regularly, armed with
clean muskets and bayonets, in good or.
der. His prime minister whom he calls
Billy Pitt, is fellow of great sagacitv;
with this man he superintends the carpen.
tiers, shipwrights and blacksmiths. attends
the lading and unlading his schooners,
which trades as far as China His Laws
or Taboos, are strictly adhered to and
breach is punished in most summary
| manner: stripes are the general punish
ment for small offences. For the breach
of Taboo, death is Immediately inflicted
without much ceremony. A single instance
which was related to US, will pourtray the
power of Tamahamah over his sun iects.
Almost every Englishman who arrives
there, is anxious to purchase some reflex
OF their unfortunate countryman, Cooke !;
and the natives have sold upwards of fifty
stones, each stone being the identical stone
which knocked the captain down-This
traffic was for some time carried on I'M
known to Tamahamah, but when informed
of it, he tabooed, and erected temple
on the spot, where Cooke was killed: he
next ordered that divine honors should be
paid him, and that no person should enter
within the sacred circle, unless he was
purified, and on no other account what
ever, was stone to be removed from
the premises. Not long after this iniunc
ton, another English virtuoso tempted a
poor native to sell an identical stone The
circumstance was soon communicated to
Tamahamah, who had the culprit instantly
despatched.
Fishing is the constant employment of
the men--war is no more heard of there.
for all the neighboring islands have been
some time conquered, and are governed by
chiefs sent from Owhyhee, some white men
are appointed chiefs-but the greater num-
Der are of such character as not to be
trusted The women as in all savage coun-
tries, perform all kinds of servile labor.
They collect the Breadfruit, the Banana
oAN diS, SuitiNdiC tflc ILuTOpcdn SeeUS
and plants, spin, weave and make up their
cloth, tabrcate their household and kitch-
en- furniture-build their cabins, and in
short perform every kind of domestic labor
They are withal cheerful and appear hap
Ply, possessing elegant forms and carriage
they would appear only for their cop
per skins, born TO please. A tall corpulent
woman is esteemed as beauty with these
people Tamahamah's principal wife was
about feet high, and 3 I-2 yards in cir
conference round the breast She was. as
we'll as her husband, extremely hospitable
to strangers her majesty accompani-
ed by her nymphs, would often dash amid
the foaming pillows, swim round the ship
and reach the shore in safety, after sport
ing with the angry waves for hours.