#60 cook's voyage to april^ 



things as he had brought with him from the ship for 

 that purpose. After this, making use of Omai as his 

 interpreter, he informed the chiefs with what in- 

 tention we had come on shore ; but was given to 

 understand, that he must wait till the next day, and 

 then he should have what was wanted. 



"They now seemed to take some pains to separate 

 us from each other; and every one of us had his 

 circle to surround and gaze at him. For my own 

 part, I was at one time above an hour apart from my 

 friends ; and when I told the chief, with whom I 

 sat, that I wanted to speak to Omai, he peremp- 

 torily refused my request. At the same time I 

 found the people began to steal several trifling 

 things which I had in my pocket ; and when I 

 took the liberty of complaining to the chief of this 

 treatment, he justified it. From these circum- 

 stances, I now entertained apprehensions, that they 

 might have formed the design of detaining us 

 amongst them. They did not, indeed, seem to be 

 of a disposition so savage, as to make us anxious for 

 the safety of our persons ; but it was, nevertheless, 

 vexing to think we had hazarded being detained by 

 their curiosity. In this situation I asked for some- 

 thing to eat ; and they readily brought me some 

 cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a sort of sour pudding, 

 which was presented by a woman. And on my 

 complaining much of the heat, occasioned by the 

 crowd, the chief himself condescended to fan me, 

 and gave me a small piece of cloth, which he had 

 round his waist. 



"Mr. Burney happened to come to the place where 

 I was, I mentioned my suspicions to him, and, to 

 put it to the test, whether they were well-founded, 

 we attempted to get to the beach. But we were 

 stopped when about half way, by some men, who 

 told us that we must go back to the place which we 

 had left. On coming up, we found Omai entertain- 

 ing the same apprehensions. But he had, as he 



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