Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0483
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[Page 483]
Manners & Customs of the South Sea Islands
unsuccessfull efforts at Last however chance leading him right he begat a daughter whoom also he compressd & begat another nor could for several generations have one son at last however he had one who by the asistance of his many Sisters peopled this world & is the ancestor of us all
Their Gods are numerous they are divided into two Classes the Greater & the Lesser Gods & of each Class are some of Both Sexes The cheif of all is Tarroati'ettoomoo whoom they the procreator of all things whoom they emphaticaly stile the Causer of Earthquakes his Son Tane was however much more generaly calld upon as supposd to be the more active deity. The Men worshipd the male Gods & the Women the Females the Men however supply the office of Preist for both sexes
They beleive in a heaven & a hell the first they call Tairua l'orai the other Tiahoboo heaven they describe as a place of Great happines & hell is only a place enjoying less of the luxuries of life to this they say that the souls of the