354 cook's second voyage may, 



some of them, were continually watching every oppor- 

 tunity to rob straggling parties, and were daily grow- 

 ing more daring. About three o'clock in the after- 

 noon, I got intelligence that they were seized and 

 stripped of every thing they had about them. Upon 

 this I immediately went on shore with a boat's crew, 

 accompanied by Mr. Forster, and took possession of 

 a large house with all its effects, and two chiefs, whom 

 I found in it ; but this we did in such a manner that 

 they hardly knew what we were about, being unwill- 

 ing- to alarm the neighbourhood. Tn this situation I 

 remained till I heard the officers had got back safe, 

 and had all their things restored to them : then I 

 quitted the house ; and presently after every thing 

 in it was carried off. When I got on board I was 

 informed of the whole affair by the officers them- 

 selves. Some little insult on their part induced the 

 natives to seize their guns, on which a scuffle ensued, 

 some chiefs interfered, took the officers out of the 

 crowd, and caused every thing which had been taken 

 from them to be restored. This was at a place where 

 we had before been told, that a set of fellows had 

 formed themselves into a gang, with a resolution to 

 rob every one who should go that way. It should 

 seem, from what followed, that the chief could not 

 prevent this, or put a stop to these repeated out- 

 rages. I did not see him this evening, as he was not 

 come into the neighbourhood when I went on board ; 

 but I learnt from Oedidee that he came soon after, 

 and was so concerned at what had happened that he 

 wept. 



Day-light no sooner broke upon us on the 21st, 

 than we saw upwards of sixty canoes under sail going 

 out of the harbour, and steering over for Ulietea. On 

 our inquiring the reason, we were told that the people 

 in them were Eareeoies, and were going to visit their 

 brethren in the neighbouring isles. One may almost 

 compare these men to freemasons ; they tell us they 

 assist each other when need requires j they seem to 



