With regard to a certain disorder, the effects of which have so fatally been felt in the latter ages of the world, Captain Cook's inquiries could not absolutely determine whether it was known to the islanders before they were visited by the Europeans.

If it was of recent origin, the introduction of it was, without a dissentient voice, ascribed to the voyage of M.de Bougainville.
One thing which our commander was solicitous to ascertain, was, whether human sacrifices constituted a part of the religious customs of these people, The man of whom he had made his inquiries, and several other natives took some pains to explain the matter; but, from our people's ignorance of the language of the country, their explication could not be understood.

Captain Cook afterwards learned from Omai that the inhabitants of the Society islands offer human sacrifices to the Supreme Being.

What relates to funeral ceremonies excepted, all the knowledge he could obtain concerning their religion was very imperfect and defective.
The captain had an opportunity, in this voyage of rectifying the great injustice which had been done to the women of Otaheite and the neighbouring isles.

They had been represented as ready, without exception to grant the last favour to any man who would come up to their price: but our commander found that this was by no means the case.