J04 AVOYAGETO 



«777- which not a fingle female, as yet, belonged ; nor, I doubt, 

 was likely to belong, unlefs its mafter became lefs volatile. 

 At prefent, Omai did not fcem at all difpofed to take unto 

 himiclf a wife. 



The houfe which we erected for him was twenty-four 

 feet by eighteen ; and ten feet high. It was compofed of 

 boards, the fpoils of our military operations at Eimeo; and, 

 in building it, as few nails, as pofTible, were ufed, that 

 there might be no inducement, from the love of iron, to pull 

 it down. It was fettled, that immediately after our de- 

 parture, he fliould begin to build a large houfe after the 

 fafliion of his country ; one end of which was to be 

 brought over that which we had ere^lcd, fo as to enclofe it 

 entirely for greater fecurity. In this work, fome of the 

 Chiefs promifed to afllfl: him ; and, if the intended build- 

 ing fliould cover the ground which he marked out, it will 

 be as large as mofl upon the ifland. 



His European weapons confided of a mufker, bayonet, and 

 cartouch-box; a fowling-piece; two pair of piftols; and two 

 or three fwords or cutlalTcs- Tlie pofleflion of thefe made 

 him quite liappy ; which was my only view in giving him 

 fuch prcfents. For I was always of opinion, that he would 

 have been happier without fire-arms, and other European 

 weapons, than with them -, as fuch implements of war, in 

 the hands of one, whole prudent ufe of them I had fome 

 grounds for millrulling, would rather cncpcafc his dangers 

 than efiablifli his fuperiority. After he iiad got on Ihore 

 every thing that belonged to him, and was fettled in his 

 houfe, he had molt of tlie ofliccrs of both fliips, two or 

 three times, to dinner ; and his table was always well fup- 

 plied with the very beft provifions that the iiland produced. 



Before 



