THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 281 



Feenou had taken up his refidence in our neighbourhood ; i"77- 

 but he was no longer the leading man. However, we ftill v_— ^ — ^ 

 found him to be a perfon of confequencc, and we had daily- 

 proofs of his opulence and liberality, by the continuance of 

 his valuable prefents. But the king was equally attentive 

 in this refpect ; for fcarcely a day palT'ed, without receiving 

 from him fome confiderable donation. We now heard, that 

 there were other great men of the ifland, whom we had 

 not, as yet, feen. Otago and Toobou, in particular, men- 

 tioned a perfon named Mareewagee, who, they faid, was 

 of the firft confequence in the place, and held in great vene- 

 ration ; nay, if Omai did not mifunderftand them, fuperior 

 even to Poulaho, to whom he was related ; but, being old, 

 lived in retirement; and, therefore, would not vifit us. 

 Some of the natives even hinted, that he was too great a 

 man to confer that honour upon us. This account exciting 

 my curiofity, I, this day, mentioned to Poulaho, that I was 

 very defirous of waiting upon Mareewagee ; and he readily 

 agreed to accompany me, to the place of his refidence, the 

 next morning. 



Accordingly, we fet out, pretty early, in the pinnace; Thurfdayiz. 

 and Captain Gierke joined me in one of his own boats. 

 We proceeded round, that is, to the Eaftward of the little ifles 

 that form the harbour, and then, turning to the South, ac- 

 cording to Poulaho's direcfkions, entered a fpacious bay or 

 inlet, up which we rowed about a league, and landed amidft 

 a confiderable number of people, who received us with a 

 fort of acclamation, not unlike our huzzaing. They im- 

 mediately feparated, to let Poulaho pafs, who took us into a 

 fmall inclofure, and fliifted the piece of cloth he wore, for 

 a new piece, neatly folded, that was carried by a young 

 man. An old woman affifted in dreffing him, and put a 



Vol. I. O o mat 



