86 AVOYAGETO 



«777- his life ; for Omai, the moment he favv him, afked me if he 



Oaober. 



fhould flioot him ; fo fully was h^ perfuaded, that I was 

 going to carry his advice into execution. 1 immediately or- 

 dered both him and our guide to make it known, that I 

 did not intend to hurt, much lefs to kill, a finglc native. 

 Thefc glad tidings flew before us like lightning, and flop- 

 ped the flight of the inhabitants ; fo that no one quitted his 

 houfc, or employment, afterward. 



As we began to afcend the ridge of hills over which lay 

 our road, we got intelligence, that the goat had been 

 carried that way before us ; and, as we underftood, could 

 not, as yet, have pafled the hills ; fo that we marched up, 

 in great filence, in hopes of furprifmg the party who were 

 bearing ofl" the prize. But when we had got to the upper- 

 moft plantation on the fide of the ridge, the people there 

 told us, that what we were in fearch of had, indeed, been 

 kept there the firll night, but had been carried, the next 

 morning, to Watca, by Hamoa. We then croflcd the ridge 

 without making any further inquiry, till wc came within 

 ijght of Watca, where fome people fhewed us Ilamoa's 

 houfe, and told us, that the goat was there ; fo that I made 

 no doubt of getting it immediately upon my arrival. But 

 when I reached the houfe, to my very great furprizc, the 

 few people we met with denied that they had ever feen it, or 

 knew any thing about it ; even Hamoa himfclf came, and 

 made the fame declaration. 



On our f.rfl; coming to the place, I obfcrved feveral men 

 running to and fro in the woods, with clubs and bundles of 

 darts in their hands ; and Omai, who followed them, had 

 fome floncs thrown at him; fo that it fcemed as if th«y had 

 intended to oppofe any flcp I Ihould take, by force; but on 



feeing 



