THEPACIFIC OCEAN. g,^ 



'yain enough to funpofe, that I would reinftate him in his ^^777- 



*-" * ' Oitober. 



forfeited lands by force. This made it impoffible to fix- him 

 at Ulietea, and pointed out to me Huaheine as the proper 

 place. I, therefore, refolved to avail myfelf of the prefence 

 of the chief men of the ifland, and to make this propofal to 

 them. 



After the hurry of the morning was over, we got ready to ■ 

 pay a formal vifit to Taireetarcca, meaning then to intro- 

 duce this bufmefs. Omai dreffed himfclf very properly on 

 the occafion ; and prepared a handfome prefent for the Chief 

 liimfelf, and another for his Eatooa. Indeed, after he had 

 got clear of the gang that furrounded him at Otahcitc, he 

 behaved With fuch prudence as to gain relpecfl:. Our land- 

 ing drew mod of our vifiters from the (hips; and they, as 

 well as thofe that were on fliore, afTcmbled in a large lioufc. 

 Tl^e ccncourfe of people, orh-this occafion, was very great ; 

 and, amongft them, there- appeared to be a greater propor- 

 tion of perfonable men and women than we had ever i'dcn 

 in one arfembly at any of thefc new iflands. Not only the 

 Ijulk of the people feemed, in general, much floater and 

 fairer than thole of Otaheite, but there was ah'b a much 

 greater number of men who appealed to be of confequcnce, 

 in proportion to the extent of the illaod ; mofl of whom had 

 exa^5try the corpulent appearance of tlie Chiefs, of Wateco. 

 We waited fome time for TaLrcetareea, as I v^xjuld da no- 

 thing till the Earee rable came ; but when he appeared, I 

 found that his prefence might have been difpenfed with, as 

 he. was not above, eight or ten years of age. Omai, who 

 flood at a little diflance. from this circle of great men, be- 

 gan with- making, his. offering to the Gods, confifting.of red 

 feathers, cloth, Z^c. Then followed another offering, which 

 was to be given to tlic Gods by tiie Chief; and, after that, 



,(5 ' feveral 



