1774- ROUND THE WORLD. 345 



only the third in command. This seems probable 

 enough, as being but a young man he could not have 

 sufficient experience to command such an expedition, 

 where the greatest skill and judgment seemed to be 

 necessary. 



I confess I would willingly have staid five days 

 longer, had I been sure the expedition would have 

 then taken place ; but it rather seemed that they 

 wanted us to be gone first. We had been all along 

 told it would be ten moons before it took place ; and 

 it was not till the evening before we sailed, that Otoo 

 and Towha told us it was to be in five days after we 

 were gone, as if it were necessary to have that time 

 to put every thing in order ; for while we lay there, 

 great part of their time and attention was taken up 

 with us. I had observed that, for several days be- 

 fore we sailed, Otoo and the other chiefs had ceased 

 to solicit my assistance, as they were continually 

 doing at first, till I assured Otoo that, if they got 

 their fleet ready in time, I would sail with them down 

 to Eimea : after this I heard no more of it. They 

 probably had taken it into consideration, and con- 

 cluded themselves safer without me, well knowing 

 it would be in my power to give the victory to whom 

 I pleased, and that, at the best, I might thwart some 

 favourite custom, or run away with the spoils. 

 But be their reasons what they might, they cer- 

 tainly wanted us to be gone, before they undertook 

 any thing. Thus we were deprived of seeing the 

 whole fleet equipped on this occasion, and perhaps 

 of being spectators of a sea-fight, and by that means, 

 gaining some knowledge of their manoeuvres. 



J never could learn what number of vessels were 

 to go on this expedition. We knew of no more 

 than two hundred and ten, besides smaller canoes 

 to serve as transports, &c. and the fleet of Tiarabou, 

 the strength of which we never learnt. Nor could I 

 ever learn the number of men necessary to man this 

 fleet j and whenever I asked the question, the answer 



