1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 323 



In the morning of the 23d, as we* were going to 

 unmoor, in order to leave the island, Feenou and 

 his prime-minister Taipa, came alongside in a 

 sailing canoe, and informed me that they were 

 setting out for Vavaoo, an island, which they said, 

 lies about two days' sail to the northward of Hapaee. 

 The object of their voyage, they would have me 

 believe, was to get for me an additional supply of 

 hogs, and some red-feathered caps for Omai, to 

 carry to Otaheite, where they are in high esteem. 

 Feenou assured me that he should be back in four 

 or five days ; and desired me not to sail till his 

 return, when he promised he would accompany me 

 to Tongataboo. I thought this a good opportunity 

 to get some knowledge of Vavaoo, and proposed to 

 him to go thither with the ships. But he seemed 

 not to approve of the plan ; and, by way of divert- 

 ing me from it, told me that there was neither 

 harbour nor anchorage about it. I, therefore, con- 

 sented to wait in my present station for his return, 

 and he immediately set out. 



The next day our attention was for some time 

 taken up with a report, industriously spread about 

 by some of the natives, that a ship like ours, had 

 arrived at Annamooka since we left it, and was now 

 at anchor there. The propagators of the report 

 were pleased to add, that Toobou, the chief of that 

 island, was hastening thither to receive these new- 

 comers ; and as we knew that he had actually left 

 us, we were the more ready to believe there might 

 be some foundation for the story of this unexpected 

 arrival. However, to gain some farther information, 

 I went on shore with Omai, in quest of the man, 

 who, it was said, had brought the first account of 

 this event from Annamooka. We found him at the 

 house of Earoupa, where Omai put such questions 

 to him as I thought necessary ; and the answers he 

 gave were so clear and satisfactory, that I had not 

 a doubt remaining. But just about this time, a 



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