408 COOK S VOYAGE TO JULY, 



the king, had lately died ; and her corpse had, on 

 account of the Natche, been carried on board a 

 canoe that lay in the lagoon. Poulaho told me, that 

 as soon as he had paid the last offices to her, he 

 would attend me to Eooa ; but, if I did not wait, 

 that he would follow me thither. I understood at 

 the same time, that, if it had not been for the death 

 of this woman, most of the chiefs would have ac- 

 companied us to that island ; where, it seems all of 

 of them have possessions. I would gladly have 

 waited to see this ceremony also, had not the tide 

 been now favourable for the ships to get through the 

 narrows. The wind, besides which, for several days 

 past, had been very boisterous, was now moderate 

 and settled; and to have lost this opportunity, might 

 have detained us a fortnight longer. But what was 

 decisive against my waiting, we understood that the 

 funeral ceremonies would last five days, which was 

 too long a time, as the ships lay in such a situation, 

 that I could not get to sea at pleasure. I, however, 

 assured the king, that if we did not sail, I should 

 certainly visit him again the next day. And so we 

 all took leave of him, and set out for the ships, where 

 we arrived about eight o'clock in the evening. 



I had forgot to mention that Omai was present 

 at the second day's ceremony, as well as myself; 

 but we were not together ; nor did I know that he 

 was there, till it was almost over. He afterward told 

 me, that as soon as the king saw that I had stolen 

 out from the plantation, he sent several people, one 

 after another, to desire me to come back. Probably, 

 these messengers were not admitted to the place 

 where I was ; for I saw nothing of them. At last, 

 intelligence was brought to the chief, that I had ac- 

 tually stripped, in conformity to their custom ; and 

 then he told Omai, that he might be present also, if 

 he would comply with all the necessary forms. 

 Omai had no objection, as nothing was required of 

 him, but to conform to the custom of his own coiin- 



