THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ri^ 



returned in the evening, without having got any certain '777- 



II- 1 1 ^ , , ^ \- November. 



mtelhgence where they were. From the condu(5t of the na- »_ -.- _■ 

 tives, Captain Gierke feemed to think, that they intended 

 to conceal the deferters ; and, with that view, had amufed 

 him with falfe information the whole day, and direcfted 

 him to fearch for them in places where they were not to be 

 found. The Captain judged right ; for, the next morn- 

 ing, we were told, that our runaways were at Otaha. As 

 thefe two were not the only perfons in the fliips who wifh« 

 ed to end their days at thefe favourite iflands, in order to 

 put a (lop to any further defertion, it was neceflary to gee 

 tJiem back at ail events ; and that the natives might be con- 

 vinced that I was in earneft, I refolved to go after them 

 myfelf; having obferved, from repeated inftances, that 



they feldom oflered to deceive me with falfe informa- 

 tion. 



Accordingly, I fet out, the next morning, with two arm- Tuefdayzj. 

 ed boats ; being accompanied by the Chief himfelf. I pro- 

 ceeded, as he diretfted, without flopping any where, till we 

 came to the middle of the Eafl: fide of Otalia. There we 

 put afliore ; and Oreo difpatched a man before us, with or- 

 ders to feize the defcrtcrsj and keep them till we fliould 

 arrive with the boats. But when we got to the place where 

 we expecSted to find them, we were told, that they had' 

 quitted this ifland, and gone over to Bolabola the day be- 

 fore. I did not think proper to follow them thither; but 

 returned to the Ihips ; fully determined, however, to have 

 recourfe to a meafure, which, 1 gucfied, would oblige the., 

 natives to bring them back. 



la. 



