T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. ipi 



tis, as is pra(5tifed by the inhabitants of New Zealand. Nay, '777- 

 he went fo far as to aflc them the qiieftion ; at which they 

 were greatly furprifed, afking, in return, whether that was 

 a cuftom with us? Mr. Burney and I were rather angry 

 that they fhould be thus fufpcfled by him ; there having, 

 as yet, been no appearances, in their condu(51: toward us, of 

 tlieir being capable of fuch brutality. 



In this manner we were detained the greateft part of the 

 day, being fometimes together, and fometimes feparated ; 

 but always in a crowd ; who, not fatisfied with gazing at 

 us, frequently defired us to uncover parts of our flcin ; the 

 fight of which commonly produced a general murmur of 

 admiration. At the fame time, they did not omit thefe op- 

 portunities of rifling our pockets ; and, at laft, one of them 

 fnatched a fmall bayonet from Mr. Gore, which hung in its 

 fheath by his fide. This was reprefented to the Chief, 

 who pretended to fend fome perfon in fearch of it. Bar, 

 in all probability, he countenanced the theft ; for, foon 

 after, Omai had a dagger llolen from his fide, in the fame 

 manner; though he did not mifs it immediately. 



Whether they obferved any figns of unealinefs in us, or 

 that they voluntarily repeated their emblems of friendfliip 

 when we exprefled a defire to go, I cannot tell; but, at this 

 time, they brought fome green boughs, and, flicking their 

 ends in the ground, defired we might hold them as we 

 fat. Upon our urging again the bufinefs we came upon, 

 they gave us to underftand, that we mufl: flay and eat with 

 them ; and a pig which we faw, foon after, lying near the 

 oven, which they had prepared and heated, removed Omai's 

 apprehenfion of being put into it himfelf; and made us 

 think it might be intended for our repaft. The Chief alfo 



promifed 



