116 cook's voyage to dec. 



of all the boats got out to sea, with the Discovery in 

 company. 



During the last week, we had been visited by peo- 

 ple from all parts of the island, who furnished us 

 with a large stock of hogs and green plantains. So 

 that the time we lay wind-bound in the harbour was 

 not entirely lost ; green plantains being an excellent 

 substitute for bread, as they will keep good a fort- 

 night or three weeks. Besides this supply of pro- 

 visions, we also completed our wood and water. 



The inhabitants of Ulietea seemed, in general, 

 smaller and blacker than those of the other neigh- 

 bouring islands, and appeared also less orderly, 

 which, perhaps, may be considered as the conse- 

 quence of their having become subject to the na- 

 tives of Bolabola. Oreo, their chiefs is only a sort 

 of deputy of the sovereign of that island ; and the 

 conquest seems to have lessened the number of sub- 

 ordinate chiefs resident among them ; so that they 

 are less immediately under the inspection of those 

 whose interest it is to enforce due obedience to 

 authority. Ulietea, though now reduced to this 

 humiliating state, was formerly, as we were told, the 

 most eminent of this cluster of islands ; and, pro- 

 bably, the first seat of government ; for they say, that 

 the present royal family of Otaheite is descended 

 from that which reigned here before the late revo- 

 lution. Ooroo, the dethroned monarch of Ulietea, 

 was still alive, when we were at Huaheine, where he 

 resides a royal wanderer, furnishing, in his person, 

 an instance of the instability of power ; but what is 

 more remarkable, of the respect paid by these peo- 

 ple to particular families, and to the customs which 

 have once conferred sovereignty ; for they suffer 

 Ooroo to preserve all the ensigns which they ap- 

 propriate to majesty, though he has lost his do- 

 minions. 



We saw a similar instance of this while we were at 

 Ulietea. One of the occasional visitors I now had, was 



