140 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



to receive on board his ship a young man named Omai, a 

 native of Ulietea, where he had some property, of which he 

 had been dispossessed by the people of Bolabola. Captain 

 Cook wondered that Captain Furneaux would encumber 

 himself with this man, who, in his opinion, was not a proper 

 sample of the inhabitants of these happy islands, not having 

 any advantage of birth, or acquired rank, nor being eminent 

 in shape, figure, or complexion. The Captain, however, 

 on his arrival in England, was convinced of his error, and 

 doubts whether any other of the natives would have given 

 more general satisfaction by his behaviour among them. 

 " Omai," observes Captain Cook, " has certainly a very 

 good understanding, quick parts, and honest principles ; 

 he is of good natural behaviour, which rendered him accept- 

 able to the best company, and a proper degree of pride, 

 which taught him to avoid the society of persons of inferior 

 rank. He has passions of the same kind as other young 

 men, but has judgment enough not to indulge them in any 

 improper degree. I do not imagine that he has any dislike 

 to liquor, and if he had fallen into company where the 

 person who drank the most, met with the most approbation, 

 I have no doubt but that he would have endeavoured to 

 gain the applause of those with whom he associated ; but 

 fortunately for him, he perceived that drinking was very 

 little in use but among inferior people, and as he was very 

 watchful into the manners and conduct of the persons of 

 rank who honoured him with their protection, he was 

 sober and modest, and I never heard that, during the whole 

 time of his stay in England, which was two years, he ever 

 once was disguised with wine, or ever showed an inclina- 

 tion to go beyond the strictest rules of moderation. 



" Soon after his arrival in London, the Earl of Sandwich, 

 the First Lord of the Admiralty, introduced him to his 

 Majesty at Kew, when he met with a most gracious recep- 

 tion, and imbibed the strongest impression of duty and 

 gratitude to that great and amiable prince, which I am 

 persuaded he will preserve to the latest moment of his life. 

 During his stay among us, he was caressed by many of the 

 principal nobility, and did nothing to forfeit the esteem 

 of any one of them ; but his principal patrons were the Earl 

 of Sandwich, Mr. Banks, and Dr. Solander ; the former 

 probably thought it a duty of his office to protect and 

 countenance an inhabitant of that hospitable country, 

 where the wants and distresses of those in his department 

 had been alleviated and supplied in the most ample 

 manner ; the others, as a testimony of their gratitude for 

 the generous reception they had met with during their 

 residence in his country. It is to be observed that, though 



