36o A V O Y A G E T O 



»777- I had fixed upon the ij:th for failing, till Taoofa prefled 



« I me to flay a day or two longer, to receive a prefent he had 



•^J '5- prepared for me. This reafon, and tire daily expecftation of 

 feeing fome of our friends from Tongataboo, induced me to 

 defer my departure. 



Wcdnef. i6. Accordingly, the next day, I received the Chief's prefent ; 

 confiding of two fmall heaps of yams, and fome fruit, which 

 fcemed to be collecfled by a kind of contribution, as at the 

 other iflcs. On this occafion, moft of the people of the 

 ifland had affembled at the place ; and, as we had expe- 

 rienced on fuch numerous meetings amongrt their neigh- 

 bours, gave us not a little trouble to prevent them from pil- 

 fering whatever they could lay their hands upon. We were 

 entertained with cudgelling, wreftiing, and boxing matches; 

 and in the latter, both male and female combatants exhi- 

 bited. It was intended to have finiflied the fhew with the 

 bo^aait or night-dance ; but an accident either put a total flop 

 to it, or, at leafl, prevented any of us from flaying afhore 

 to fee it. One of my people, walking a very little way, 

 was furrounded by twenty or thirty of the natives, who 

 knocked him down, and flripped him of every thing he 

 had on his back. On hearing of this, I immediately feized 

 two canoes, and a large hog ; and infifted on Taoofa's 

 caufmg the clothes to be reftored, and on the offenders be- 

 ing delivered up to me. The Chief feemed much concern- 

 ed at what had happened ; and forthwith took the nccef- 

 fary fleps to fatisfy me. This affair fo alarmed the affem- 

 bled people, that moft of them fled. However, when they 

 found that I took no other meafures to revenge the infulr, 

 they returned. It was not long before one of the offenders 

 was delivered up to me, and a fhirt and a pair of trowfers 



2 reftored. 



