74 AVOYAGETO 



^ '777- that dcfcrves to be mentioned. Not that I bch'eve then' ma- 



ofptember. 



rals, in this refpcdt, to be much mended ; but am rather of- 

 opinion, that their regularity of condufl was owing to the. 

 fear, the Chiefs were under, of interrupting a trallic which 

 they might confider as the means of fccuring to themfelves 

 a more confiderable fhare of our commodities, than could 

 have been got by plunder or pilfering. Indeed, this point I' 

 fettled at the firfl interview with their Chiefs, after my ar- 

 rival. For, obferving the great plenty that was in the ifland, 

 and the eagernefs of the natives to poffcfs our various ar- 

 ticles of trade, I refolved to make the mofl: of thefe two 

 favourable circumfl,ances, and explained myfclf, in the moll 

 decifive terms, that I would not fufTer them to rob us, as 

 they had done upon many former occafions. In this, Omai" 

 was of great ufe, as I inftru6tcd him to point out to them 

 the good confequences of their honeft condu-ft ; and the 

 fatal mifchiefs they muft cxpc<5t to fufTer by deviating 

 from it. 



It is not always in the power of the Chiefs to prevent rob- 

 beriesi they are frequently robbed themfelves ; and com- 

 plain of it as a great evil. Otoo left the moll: valuable, 

 things he had from me, in my pofTcflion, till the day before 

 we failed ; and the rcafon he gave for it was, that they were 

 nowhere fo fafe. Since the bringing in of new riches, the 

 inducements to pilfering mull have increafcd. The Chiefs, 

 fenfible of this, are now extremely defirous of chcds. They 

 lecmcd to fet much value upon a few that the Spaniards had" 

 left amongfl them ; and ihcy were continually aflcing us. 

 for fomc. I had one made for Otoo, the dimenfions of 

 which, according to his own direcT:ions, were eight feet in 

 length, five in breadth, and about three in depth. Locks 

 and bolts were not a fuflicicnt fccurity j but it mud be large 



5 cnougit 



