T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 29 



the account of my laft voyage, had, it feems, partly fub- aI^IL 

 fifted ever fince. The formidable armament which I faw, 

 at that time, and defcribcd f, had failed foon after I then 

 left Otaheite ; but the malcontents of Eimeo had made fo 

 flout a refiftance, that the fleet had returned without ef- 

 fedling much ; and now another expedition was neceflary. 



On the arrival of thefe meflengers, all the Chiefs, who 

 happened to be at Matavai, aflembled at Ocoo's houfe, where 

 1 adlually was at the time, and had the honour to be ad- 

 mitted into their council. One of the meflengers opened 

 the bufinefs of the afTcmbly, in a fpeech of confiderable 

 length. But I underftood little of it, befides its general 

 purport, which was to explain the fituation of affairs in 

 Eimeo; and to excite the afl^embled Chiefs of Otaheite to 

 arm on the occafion. This opinion was combated by others 

 •who were againft commencing hoftilities ; and the debate 

 ■was carried on with great order; no more than one man 

 fpeaking at a time. At laft, they became very noify, and 

 I expecT;ed that our meeting would have ended like a Polifh 

 diet. But the contending great men cooled as faft as they 

 grew warm, and order was foon reftored. At length, the 

 party for war prevailed; and it was determined, that a 

 ftrong force Ihould be fent to afTift their friends in Eimeo. 

 But this refolution was far from being unanimous. Otoo, 

 during the whole debate, remained filent ; except tliat, now 

 and then, he addreiled a word or two to the fpeakers. Thofe 

 of the council, who were for profecuting the war, applied^ 

 tome for my afliftancc ; and all of them wanted to know 

 what part I would take. Omai was fent for to be my in- 

 terpreter ; but, as he could not be found, I was obliged to 

 ipeak for myfclf, and told them, as well as I could, tliat as 



t See Cook's Voyage,- Vol. i. p. 34.7, ^c, 



I was 



