1777* THE pacific OCEAN. 347 



cloth made in the island, spread out at full length 

 before him, and a number of respectably looking 

 people sitting round it. He desired us to place our- 

 selves bv him ; and then he told Omai that the 

 cloth, together with a piece of red feathers, and about 

 a dozen cocoa-nuts, were his present to me. I 

 thanked him for the favour, and desired he would go 

 on board with me, as I had nothing on shore to give 

 him in return. 



Omai now left me, being sent for by Poulaho ; 

 and, soon after, Feenou came and acquainted me 

 that young Futtafaihe, Poulaho's son, desired to see 

 me. I obeyed the summons, and found the prince 

 and Omai sitting under a large canopy of the finer 

 sort of cloth, with a piece of the coarser sort spread 

 under them and before them, that was seventy-six 

 yards long, and seven and a half broad. On one 

 side was a large old boar, and on the other side a 

 heap of cocoa-nuts. A number of people were seated 

 round the cloth ; and, amongst them, I observed 

 Mareewagee and others of the first rank. I was de- 

 sired to sit down by the prince, and then Omai in- 

 formed me that he had been instructed by the king 

 to tell me, that as he and I were friends, he hoped 

 that his son might be joined in this friendship ; and 

 that, as a token of my consent, I would accept of his 

 present. I very readily agreed to the proposal ; and 

 it being now dinner-time, I invited them all on 

 board. 



Accordingly, the young prince, Mareewagee, old 

 Toobou, three or four inferior chiefs, and two respect- 

 able old ladies of the first rank, accompanied me. 

 Mareewagee was dressed in a new piece of cloth, on 

 the skirts of which were fixed six pretty large patches 

 of red feathers. This dress seemed to have been 

 made on purpose for this visit ; for, as soon as he 

 got on board, he put it off, and presented it to me ; 

 having, I guess, heard that it would be acceptable on 

 account of the feathers. Every one of my visitors 



