T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 273 



body on board them had periflied. This melanchoh'- tale 1777- 



•' fune, 



did not feem to affecT; any of his countrymen who heard it ; ' — -v — -* 

 and, as to ourfelves, we were, by this time, too well ac- 

 quainted with his character, to give much credit to fuch a 

 flory. The truth, probably, was, that he had not been able 

 to procure at Vavaoo the fupplies which he expected ; or, if 

 he got any there, that he had left them at Hapaee, which 

 lay in his way back, and w^here he could not but receive 

 intelligence that Poulaho had been with us; who, therefore, 

 he knew, would, as his fuperior, have all the merit and 

 reward of procuring them, though he had not any fliare of 

 the trouble. The invention of this lofs at Tea was, however, 

 well imagined. For there had lately been very blowing 

 weather ; in fo much, that the King, and other Chiefs, who 

 had followed us from Hapaee to Kotoo, had been left there, 

 not caring to venture to fea when we did ; but defu'cd I 

 might wait for them at Annamooka, which was the reafon 

 of my anchoring there, this fecond time, and of my not pro- 

 ceeding diredly to Tongataboo. 



The following morning, Poulaho, and the other Chiefs Saturday;. 

 who had been wind-bound v/ith him, arrived. I happened, 

 at this time, to be afliore in company with Feenou ; who 

 now feemed to be fenfiblc of the impropriety of his con- 

 dud;, in aflliming a charader that did not belong to him. 

 For he not only acknowledged Poulaho to be King of Ton- 

 gataboo, and the other ifles ; but afTeded to infill: much 

 on it, which, no doubt, was with a view to make amends 

 for his former prefumption. I left him, to vifit this greater 

 man, whom I foimd fitting with a few people before him. 

 But, every one haftening to pay court to him, the circle in- 

 creafed pretty faft. I was very defirous of obferving Feenou's 

 behaviour on this occafion ; and had the mod convincing 



Vol. I. N n . proof 



