166 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



to conceive than to describe the amazement the natives 

 were under the whole time. 



This being over, the chiefs took leave and retired with 

 all their attendants, scarcely more pleased than frightened 

 at what they had seen. 



On going ashore in the morning of the 7th of May, they 

 found Otoo at the tents, and took the opportunity to ask 

 his leave to cut down some trees for fuel, which he readily 

 granted. The Captain told him he should cut down no 

 trees that bore any fruit. He was pleased with this declara- 

 tion, and told it aloud several times to the people about 

 them. 



The following night all their friendly connections received 

 an interruption, through the negligence of one of the senti- 

 nels on shore. He having either slept or quitted his post, 

 gave one of the natives an opportunity to carry off his 

 musket. The first news the Captain heard of it was from 

 Tee, whom Otoo had sent on board for that purpose. They 

 were not well enough acquainted with their language to 

 understand all Tee's story ; but they understood enough to 

 know that something had happened w r hich had alarmed the 

 king. In order, therefore, to be fully informed, the Captain 

 went ashore with Tee. As soon as they landed, he was in- 

 formed of the whole by the serjeant who commanded the 

 party. The natives were all alarmed, and the most of them 

 fled. Tee and the Captain went to look for Otoo ; and as 

 they advanced, he endeavoured to allay the fears of the 

 people, but at the same time insisted on the musket being 

 restored. After travelling some distance into the country, 

 Tee stopped all at once, and advised the Captain to return, 

 saying, that Otoo was gone to the mountains, and he would 

 proceed and tell him that he (the Captain) was still his 

 friend. Tee also promised that he would use his endeavours 

 to recover the musket. 



Captain Cook returned to the ship, and soon after he 

 observed six large canoes coming round Point Venus. 

 There being room for suspecting that some person belonging 

 to these canoes had committed the theft, he came to a 

 resolution to intercept them ; and having put off in a boat 

 for that purpose, gave orders for another to follow. One 

 of the canoes, which was some distance ahead of the rest, 

 came directly for the ship. He went alongside this, and 

 was told that Otoo was then at the tents. Pleased with 

 this news, he contradicted the orders he had given for inter- 

 cepting the other canoes, thinking they might be coming 

 on board also. But when he landed he was told that Otoo 

 had not been there, nor knew they anything of him. On 

 looking behind him, he saw all the canoes making off in the 



