1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 83 



tilities against its inhabitants, which, perhaps, did 

 them more mischief than they had suffered from. 

 Towha's expedition. 



The next morning our intercourse with the na- 

 tives was renewed ; and several canoes brought to 

 the ships bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts to barter ; from 

 whence it was natural for me to draw this conclusion, 

 that they were conscious it was their own fault, if I 

 had treated them with severity ; and that the cause 

 of my displeasure being removed, they had a full 

 confidence that no further mischief would ensue. 

 About nine o'clock we weighed, with a breeze down 

 the harbour ; but it proved so faint and variable, that 

 it was noon before we got out to sea, when I steered 

 for Huaheine, attended by Omai in his canoe. He 

 did not depend entirely upon his own judgment, but 

 had got on board a pilot. I observed, that they 

 shaped as direct a course for the island as I could do. 



At Eimeo we abundantly supplied the ships with 

 fire-wood. We had not taken in any at Otaheite, 

 where the procuring this article would have been very 

 inconvenient ; there not being a tree at Matavai, but 

 what is useful to the inhabitants. We also got here 

 good store of refreshments, both in hogs and vege- 

 tables ; that is, bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts; little 

 else being in season. I do not know that there is any 

 difference between the produce of this island and of 

 Otaheite ; but there is a very striking difference in 

 their women, that I can by no means account for. 

 Those of Eimeo are of low stature, have a dark hue, 

 and, in general, forbidding features. W we met 

 with a line woman amongst them, we were sure, 

 upon enquiry, to find that she had come from some 

 other island. 



The general appearance of Eimeo is very different 

 from that of Otaheite. The latter rising in one 

 steep hilly body, has little low land, except some 

 deep valleys ; and the flat border that surrounds the 

 greatest part of it, toward the sea. Eimeo, on the 



G 2 



