Joseph Banks - Endeavour Journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0492
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[Page 492]
Manners & Customs of the South Sea Islands
with the existence of these Classes during our stay on the Island I know little of their real situation
Each of the Earees kept a kind of Court & hade a large attendance cheifly of the Younger brothers of their own family & of other Earees among these were different officers of the Court, as Heewa no t'Earee Whanno no t'Earee who were sometimes sent to us upon business of all these Courts Dootahah's was the most splendid indeed we were almost inclind to beleive that he acted as Locum tenens for his nephew Otou the Earee ra hie his nephew as he livd upon an estate belonging to him & we never could hear that he had any other publick place of residence
The Earees or rather the districts which they Possess are obligd in time of a general attack to furnish each their Quota of soldiers