1773- ROUND THE WORLD. 187 



had told us. I found the chief seated under the 

 shade of a house, before which was a large area, and 

 surrounded by a vast number of people. As soon as 

 I came to him, he threw his arms about me, and burst 

 into tears ; in which he was accompanied by all the 

 women and some of the men, so that the lamentation 

 became general. Astonishment alone kept me from 

 joining with them. It was some time before I could 

 get a word from any one ; at last all my enquiries 

 gave me no other information than that they were 

 alarmed on account of our boats being absent ; think- 

 ing that the people in them had deserted from us, 

 and that I should take some violent means to recover 

 them ; for when we assured them that the boats would 

 return back, they seemed cheerful and satisfied, and, 

 to a man, denied that any one was hurt, either of 

 their own or our people ; and so it afterwards proved. 

 Nor did it appear that there was the least foundation 

 for these alarms ; nor could we ever rind out by what 

 means this general consternation first took its rise. 

 After a stay of about an hour, I returned on board ; 

 three of the natives coming along with us, who pro- 

 claimed the peace as we rowed along-shore to all 

 they saw. 



Thus matters were again restored to their former 

 footing ; and the next morning they came off to the 

 ships as usual. After breakfast Captain Furneaux 

 and I paid the chief a visit. We found him at his 

 own house perfectly easy ; insomuch that he, and 

 some of his friends, came on board, and dined with 

 us. I was now told that my Otaheitean young man, 

 Poreo, had taken a resolution to leave me. I have 

 just mentioned before, his being with us when I fol- 

 lowed Oreo, and his advising me not to go on shore. 

 He was so much afraid at that time, that he remained 

 in the boat till he heard all matters were reconciled ; 

 then he came out, and presently after met with a 

 young woman for whom he had contracted a friend- 

 ship. Having my powder-horn in keeping, he came 



