330 cook's second voyage may, 



women in her whom I knew. They told me they 

 were going on board the ship with something for me; 

 and on my inquiring of them for Otoo, was told he 

 was then at the tents. Pleased with this news, I 

 contradicted the orders I had given for intercepting 

 the other canoes, thinking they might be coming on 

 board also, as well as this one, which I left within a 

 few yards of the ship, and rowed ashore to speak 

 with Otoo. But when I landed I was told that he 

 had not been there, nor knew they any thing of him. 

 On my looking behind me, I saw all the canoes 

 making off in the greatest haste ; even the one I had 

 left alongside the ship had evaded going on board, 

 and was making her escape. Vexed at being thus 

 outwitted, I resolved to pursue them, and as I passed 

 the ship, gave orders to send another boat for the 

 same purpose. Five out of six we took, and brought 

 alongside ; but the first, w 7 hich acted the finesse so 

 well, got clear off. When we got on board with our 

 prizes, I learnt that the people who had deceived 

 me, used no endeavours to lay hold of the ship on 

 the side they were upon, but let their canoe drop 

 past as if they meant to come under the stern, or on 

 the other side ; and that the moment they were past, 

 they paddled off with all speed. Thus the canoe, in 

 which were only a few women, was to have amused 

 us with false stories, as they actually did, while the 

 others, in which were most of the effects, got off. 



In one of the canoes we had taken, was a chief, 

 a friend of Mr. Forster's, who had hitherto called 

 himself an JEaree, and would have been much offended 

 if any one had called his title in question ; also three 

 women, his wife and daughter, and the mother of the 

 late Toutaha. These, together with the canoes, I re- 

 solved to detain, and to send the chief to Otoo, 

 thinking he would have weight enough with him to 

 obtain the return of the musket, as his own property 

 was at stake. He was, however, very unwilling to go 

 on this embassy, and made various excuses, one of 



