102 cook's VOYAGE TO NOV. 



instances, imperfect. He was not a man of much 

 observation. There were many useful arts, as well 

 as elegant amusements, amongst the people of the 

 Friendly Islands, which he might have conveyed to 

 his own, where they probably would have been rea- 

 dily adopted, as being so much in their own way. 

 But I never found that he used the least endeavour 

 to make himself master of any one. This kind of 

 indifference is, indeed, the characteristic foible of 

 his nation. Europeans have visited them, at times, 

 for these ten years past ; yet we could not discover 

 the slightest trace of any attempt to profit by this 

 intercourse ; nor have they hitherto copied after 

 us in any one thing. We are not, therefore, to ex- 

 pect that Omai will be able to introduce many of our 

 arts and customs among them, or much improve 

 those to which they have been long habituated. I 

 am confident, however, that he will endeavour to 

 bring to perfection the various fruits and vegetables 

 we planted, which will be no small acquisition. 

 But the greatest benefit these islands are likely to re- 

 ceive from Omai's travels, will be in the animals that 

 have been left upon them, which, probably, they 

 never would have got, had he not come to England. 

 When these multiply, of which I think there is little 

 doubt, Otaheite and the Society Islands will equal, 

 if not exceed, any place in the known world for 

 provisions. 



Omai's return, and the substantial proofs he brought 

 back with him of our liberality, encouraged many to 

 offer themselves as volunteers to attend me to Pre- 

 tane. I took every opportunity of expressing my de- 

 termination to reject all such applications. But, 

 notwithstanding this, Omai, who was very ambi- 

 tious of remaining the only great traveller, being 

 afraid lest I might be prevailed upon to put others in 

 a situation of rivalling him, frequently put me in 

 mind, that Lord Sandwich had told him no others of 

 his countrymen were to come to England. 



