THEPACIFICOCEAN. S^ 



which precaution, the natives liad contrived to (leal one of »777- 



' October. 



them this evening. The lofs of this goat would have been " ' 



of little confequence, if it had not interfered with my 



views of flocking other iflands with thefe animals ; but 



this being the cafe, it became neceflary to recover it, if pof- 



fible. The next morning, we got intelligence, that it had Tuefday7. 



been carried to Maheine, the Chief, who was, at this time, 



at Parowroah harbour. Two old men offered to conducft 



any of my people, whom I might think proper to fend to 



him, to bring back the goat. Accordingly, I difpatched 



them in a boar, charged with a threatening mcfTage to 



Maheine, if the goat was not immediately given up to me, 



and alfo the thief. 



It was only the day before, that this Chief had requeued 

 me to give him two goats. But, as I could not fpare them, 

 unlcfs at the expence of other iflands, that might never 

 have another opportunity to get any, and had, bcfides, 

 heard that there were already two upon this ifland, I did 

 not gratify him. However, to fhcw my inclination to afTiIl 

 his views in this refpecft, I defired Tidooa, an Otaheite Chief, 

 who was prefent, to. beg Otoo, in my name, to fond two of 

 thefe animals to Maheine; and, by way of infuring a com- 

 pliance with this requefl:, I fent to Otoo, by this Chief, a 

 large piece of red feathers, equal to tlie value of the two 

 goats that I required. I expe(5ted that this arrangement 

 would have been fatisfac^ory to ATaheine, and all the other 

 Chiefs of the ifland ; but the event fhewed that I was ' 



miflaken. 



Not thinking, that any one would dare to Real a fecond, at 

 the very time I was taking meafures to recover the firfl, 

 the goats were put alliore again this morning; and in the 



M y evening 



