THE PACIFIC OCEAN. B7 



feeing my party was too ftrong, had dropped the defign. I ^itt- 



was confirmed in this notion, by obferving, that all their « , — ^ 



houfes were empty. Afer getting a few of the people of 

 the place together, I defired Oraai to expoflulate with them 

 on the abfurdity of the condu(51: they were purfuing; and to 

 tell them, that, from the testimony of many on whom I 

 could depend, I was well afTured, that the goat was in their 

 pofTeffion ; and, therefore, infifted upon its being delivered 

 up, othcrwifc I would burn their houfes and canoes. But, 

 notwithilanding all that I or Omai could fay, they conti- 

 nued to deny their having any knowledge of it. The con- 

 fcquence was, that I fet fire to fix or eight houfes, which 

 were prefently confumed, with two or three war-canocs that 

 lay contiguous to them. This done, 1 marched off to join 

 the boats, which were about feven or eight miles from us ; 

 and, in our way, weburnt fix more war-canoes, without any 

 one attempting to oppofe us ; on the contrary, many aflift- 

 ed, though, probably, more out of fear than good-will. In 

 one place, Omai, who had advanced a little before, came 

 back with information, that a great many men were getting 

 together to attack us. Wc made ready to receive them ; 

 but, inflead of enemies, we found petitioners with plan- 

 tain-trees in their hands, which they laid down at my feet, 

 and begged that I would fpare a canoe that lay clofe by ; 

 which I readily complied with. 



At length, about four in the afternoon, we got to the 

 boats, that were waiting at Wharrarade, the diftri(5l belong- 

 ing to Tiarataboonoue; but this Chief, as well as all the 

 principal people of the place, had fled to the hills ; though 

 I touched not a fingle thing • that was their property, 

 as they were the friends of Otoo. After refting ourfclves 

 here about an hour, we fet out for the Ihips, where we ar- 



5 rived 



