THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 303 



The cattle, which we had broughr, and which were all '777- 

 on fhore, however carefully guarded, I was fenfiblc, run no <. "-^'_p 

 fmall riflv, when I confidered the thievifli difpofition of many 

 of the natives, and their dexterity in appropriating to them- 

 felves by fleahh, what they faw no profpecfl of obtaining by 

 fair means. For this reafon I thought it prudent to declare 

 my intention of leaving behind me fome of our animals ; 

 and even to make a diflribution of them previoully to 

 my departure. 



With this view, in the evening of the ipth, I aflembled Thujfda/^g». 

 all the Chiefs before our houfe, and my intended prefents 

 to them w^ere marked out. To Poulaho, the king, I gave a 

 young Englifli bull and cow ; to Mareewagec, a Cape ram, 

 and two ewes; and to Feenou, a horie and a mare. As my 

 defign, to make fuch a diflribution, had been made known 

 the day before, mofl of the people in the neighbourhood 

 were then prefent, I inftruc^ed Omai to tell them, that there 

 were no fuch animals within many months fail of their 

 ifland; that we had brought them, for their ufe, from that 

 immenfe diftance, at a vafl trouble and cxpence ; that, , 

 therefore, they mud be careful not to kill any of them 

 till they had multiplied to a numerous race ; and, laftly, 

 that they and their children ought to remember, that they 

 had received them from the men of Britane. He alfo ex- 

 plained to them their feveral ufes, and what elfe was ne- 

 ceflary for them to know, or rather as far as he knew ; 

 for Omai was not very well verfed in fuch things himfelf. 

 As I intended that the above prefents fhould remain with 

 the other cattle, till we were ready to fail, I defired each of 

 the Chiefs to fend a man or two to look after their refpecT:ive 

 animals, along with my people, in order that they might 

 be better acquainted with them, and with the manner 



