100 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV. 



flew into a passion, if more moderate and reasonable 

 counsels were proposed for his advantage. Nay, so 

 infatuated and attached to his favourite scheme was 

 he, that he affected to believe these people would 

 certainly quit the conquered island, as soon as they 

 should hear of his arrival at Otaheite. As we ad- 

 vanced, however, on our voyage, he became more 

 sensible of his error ; and, by the time we reached 

 the Friendly Islands, had even such apprehensions 

 of his reception at home, that, as I have mentioned in 

 my journal, he would fain have staid behind at 

 Tongataboo, under Feenou's protection. At these 

 islands he squandered away much of his European 

 treasure very unnecessarily ; and he was equally im- 

 prudent, as I also took notice of above, at Tiaraboo, 

 where he could have no view of making friends, as 

 lie had not anv intention of remaining there. At 

 Matavai, he continued the same inconsiderate beha- 

 viour, till I absolutely put a stop to his profusion -? 

 and he formed such improper connections there, that 

 Otoo, who was at first much disposed to countenance 

 him, afterward openly expressed his dislike of him, 

 on account of his conduct. It was not, however, too 

 late to recover his favour ; and he might have set- 

 tled to great advantage in Otaheite, as he had formerly 

 lived several years there, and was now a good deal 

 noticed by Towha, whose valuable present of a very 

 large double canoe we have seen above. The objec- 

 tion to admitting him to some rank would have also 

 been much lessened, if he had fixed at Otaheite ; as a 

 native will always find it more difficult to accomplish 

 such a change of state amongst his countrymen, than a 

 stranger, who naturally claims respect. But Omai 

 remained undetermined to the last, and would not, 

 I believe, have adopted my plan of settlement in 

 Huaheine, if 1 had not so explicitly refused to em- 

 ploy force in restoring him to his father's possessions. 

 Whether the remains of his European wealth, which* 

 after all his improvident waste, was still considerable* 



