343 



Original Leiltrs, with Autographs. 



[ISlay I, 



tates, which still are pussessed by the collected not my figure, so he walked 

 conqueror's friends. Oniai's father was quite round me, constantly looking at 

 killed in one of the battles, and the boy me, but at last thought himself mis- 

 obliged (o leave the country with a few taken. He then desired Captain Four- 

 servants ; Omai then retired to Ota- neaux to make me speak, which 1 had 

 heite, wliere he was when Captain no sooner done than he cried out he was 



Wallis arrived thither. Omai was 

 wounded with a musket bullet in liis 

 side the famous day when Captain Wal- 

 lis fired upon the Otaheitans on one 

 tree hill. The wound is still very visi 



sure I was Tolano, but much increased 

 in bulk. We soon made ourseives 

 known by conversing pretty freely with 

 one another in his language. It has 

 been very pleasing to us, to him, and 



ble. lie has also been wounded in his many others, that Mr. Banks, myself. 



arm with a spear, in one of their civil 

 wars. After Captain Wallis's depar- 

 ture Omai bound himself 'prentice to 

 a priest, or wise man of Otaheite ; in 

 this ca])acity we found him at our arri- 

 val in file Endeavour. He still was a 

 boy, and not so remarkable as to make 

 us renipuiber him, but he perfectly well 

 rememjjered all of us who had been 

 there. A short time after onr departure 



and Mr. Banks's servant James, have 

 not forgot our South Sea language, so 

 we all can well keep up a conversation 

 with him. He first of all lived at Mr. 

 Banks's house, and afterwards removed 

 to Hertford, w here he has been inocu- 

 lated by Baron Dimsdale. He is now 

 quite recovered, and to-morrow we pro- 

 pose to go up for good to Town. Mr. 

 Banks and myself have almost con- 



from Otaheite he retired to lluahahie, stantly been with him here at Hertford; 



where he lived as a private gentleman and Rlr. Banks's servant, JamesRoberts, 



of a small fortune, when Captains and the surgeon of the ship he came 



Cook and Fourneaux, last year, came home in (Mr. Andrews) have lived in 



there. He soon became a favourite the luoculation-house with him during 



of the surgeon and the armourer, and all the whole time. Omai is a sensible 



resolved to go with fliem to Europe, communicative man, so he is a valuable 



He had four servants, who all eudea- acquisition. He has pleased every body, 



voured to persuiide him from going, and is quite contented ami ^eased with 



so did also tlie king of Ulaietea, but bis reception here. We think that the 



Omai was resolute, and parted from king has promised to send him back ; 



his own country in high spirits, after it is a thing so much wished for by us. 



he had formally taken leave of the king 

 and all his frieiiils. The king of Ula- 

 ietea recommended him to Captain 

 Fourneaux's attention. He is not above 

 twenty-one or twenty-two years of age. 

 He has grown a litlle during the time 

 he was on board of the ships. He is 

 very brown, almost as brown as a 

 mulatto ; not at all handsome, but well 

 made ; his nose is a little broadish, and, 

 T believe, we have to thank his wide 

 nostrils for the visit he has paid us, for 

 he says that the people of his own 

 country laughed atJiim upon the accouu t 

 of his flaftish nose and dark hue ; hut 



I mean that another S. S. expedition 

 should take place, that I have only said 

 we think so. I am sure the king said 

 so— But — Lord Sandwich and Mr. 

 Banks are now quite cordial again. We 

 are soon to go down to Hinchinbrook. 

 I supi>ose you are tired by this time of 

 reading so much upon a subject which 

 can't be much interesting to you. But 

 I can hardly get any thing else in my 

 head to write about, especially as my 

 friend Omai sits by my side, quite ele- 

 vated by having been informed that 

 he to-moiTow is to leave this place of 

 confinement. Omai don't yet speak 



he hopes, when he returns and has so any English, but I think he will soon 

 many fine things to talk about, that learn it, as he has got several words, 

 he shall be mucli respected. When he and begins to pi-onounce s tolerably 



saw Mr Banks, who happened to have 

 no powder in his hair, he knew him 

 instantly. The first interview with 

 .me was droll enough ; I came into 

 Captain Fourneaux's room, and began 



well ; as yet he cannot pronounce k, 

 but I am sure he will even conquer 

 that, as he is desirous of learning to 

 speak English. He is well behaved, 

 easy in his manners, and remarkably 



to converse with him, which Omai complaisant to the ladies, 

 heard, who was in the next room, and 

 came running in, calling out, '• I hear 

 Tolano's voice," (obs. Tolano Solan- 

 der) but coming into the room, he re- 



Dan. Solander. 

 P .S. By what I wrote to you last, you 

 see that the late French discoveries are not 

 Ro considerable as they gBve it out. La 

 France 



