310 



A VOYAGE TO 



'777- had taken with them their muflicts, with the necefTary 

 <i— i-v— ^^ ammunition, and feveral fmall articles of the favourite 

 commodities ; all v^hich the natives had the dexterity to 

 ileal from them, in the courfe of their expedition. This 

 aflair was likely to be attended with inconvenient confe- 

 quences. For, our plundered travellers, upon their return, 

 without confulcing me, employed Omai to complain to the 

 king of the treatment they had met with. He, not knowing 

 what ftep I Ihould take, and, from what had already hap- 

 pened, fearing left I might lay him again under reftraint, 

 Monday 23. wcut olF early the next morning. His example was fol- 

 lowed by Feenou ; fo that we had not a Chief, of any au- 

 thority, remaining in our neighbourhood. I was very much 

 difpleafed at this, and reprimanded Omai for having pre- 

 fumed to meddle. This reprimand put him upon his metal 

 to bring his friend Feenou back ; and he fucceeded in the 

 . negociation ; having this powerful argument to urge, that 

 he might depend upon my ufing no violent meafures to 

 oblige the natives to reftore what had been taken from the 

 gentlemen. Feenou, trufting to tliis declaration, returned 

 toward the evening ; and, encouraged by his reception, 

 Poulaho favoured us with his company the day after. 



:Tuerday24. Both thcfc Chiefs, upon this occafion, veryjuftly obferved 

 to me, that, if any of my people, at any time, wanted to 

 go into the country, they ought to be acquainted with it ; 

 in which cafe they would fend proper people along with 

 them ; and then they would be anfvverable for their fafety. 

 And I am convinced, from experience, that, by taking this 

 very reafonable precaution, a man and his property may be 

 as fafe among thefe iflanders, as in other pares of the more 

 civilized world. Though I gave myfelf no trouble about 

 the recovery of the things llolcn upon this occafion, mod 



of 



