164 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



number of large canoes and houses of every kind ; people 

 living in spacious habitations who had not a place to 

 shelter themselves in eight months before ; several large 

 hogs about every house, and every other sign of a rising 

 state. 



Judging from these favourable circumstances that they 

 should not mend themselves by removing to another island, 

 Captain Cook resolved to make some stay. 



In the morning of the 26th, the Captain went down to 

 Oparree, accompanied by some of the officers and gentle- 

 men, to pay Otoo a visit. As they drew near they observed 

 a number of large canoes in motion ; but were surprised, 

 when they arrived, to see upwards of three hundred ranged 

 in order for some distance along the shore, all completely 

 equipped and manned, besides a vast number of armed men 

 upon the shore. So unexpected an armament collected 

 together in their neighbourhood in the space of one night 

 gave rise to various conjectures. 



The vessels of war consisted of one hundred and sixty 

 large double canoes, very well equipped, manned, and 

 armed. The chiefs, and all those on the fighting stages, 

 were dressed in their war habits that is, in a vast quantity 

 of cloth, turbans, breast-plates, and helmets. The vessels 

 were decorated with flags and streamers, so that the whole 

 made a grand and noble appearance, such as they had never 

 before seen in this sea, and what no one would have ex- 

 pected. Their instruments of war were clubs, spears, and 

 stones. Besides the vessels of war, there were one hundred 

 and seventy sail of smaller double canoes, all with a little 

 house upon them, and rigged with a mast and sail, which the 

 war canoes had not. These were designed for transports and 

 victuallers ; for in the war canoes was no sort of provisions 

 whatever. In these three hundred and thirty vessels there 

 were no less than seven thousand seven hundred and sixty 

 men. 



Tupia informed them when they were first here that the 

 whole island raised only between six and seven thousand 

 men, but they now saw two districts only raise that number. 



They had not been long gone from Oparree, where at that 

 time they missed Otoo, before the whole fleet was in motion 

 to the westward, whence it came. When they got to 

 Matavai, they were told that this fleet was part of the 

 armament intended to go against Eimea, whose chief had 

 thrown off the yoke of Otaheite, and assumed an indepen- 

 dency. 



In the morning of the 27th of April, the Captain received 

 a present from the chief named Towha, consisting of two 

 large hogs and some fruit, sent by two of his servants, who 



