284 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



that Otoo's partisans there had been worsted, and obliged 

 to retreat to the mountains. The quarrel between the two 

 islands, which commenced in 1774, had, it seems, partly sub- 

 sisted ever since. The formidable armament which I saw 

 at that time, had sailed soon after I then left Otaheite ; but 

 the malcontents of Eimeo had made so stout a resistance, 

 that the fleet had returned without effecting much, and now 

 another expedition was necessary. 



" On the arrival of these messengers, all the chiefs who 

 happened to be at Matavia, assembled at Otoo's house 

 where I actually was at the time, and had the honour 

 to be admitted into their council. One of the messengers 

 opened the business of the assembly in a speech of con- 

 siderable length, in order to excite the assembled chiefs 

 of Otaheite to arm on the occasion. This opinion was 

 combated by others who were against commencing 

 hostilities. At length the party for war prevailed. Otoo 

 during the whole debate remained silent. Those of the 

 council who were for prosecuting the war applied to me 

 for my assistance, and all of them wanted to know what 

 part I would take. Omai was sent for to be my interpreter, 

 but as he could not be found, I was obliged to speak for 

 myself, and told them as well as I could, that as the people 

 of Eimeo had never offended me, I could not think myself 

 at liberty to engage in hostilities against them. With 

 this declaration they seemed satisfied. 



" On our inquiring into the cause of the war, we were 

 told that some years ago a brother of Waheadooa, of 

 Tieraboo, was sent to Eimeo at the request of Maheine, 

 a popular chief of that island, to be their king ; but that 

 he had not been there a week before Maheine having 

 caused him to be killed, set up for himself in opposition 

 to Tierataboonooe, his sister's son, who became the lawful 

 heir ; or else had been pitched upon by the people of 

 Otaheite to succeed to the government on the death of the 

 other. 



" Towha, a man of much weight in the island, happened 

 not to be at Matavai at this time. It however appeared 

 that he was no stranger to what was transacted, and that 

 he entered with more spirit into the affair than any other 

 chief. For, early in the morning of the 1st of September, 

 a messenger arrived from him to acquaint Otoo that he 

 had killed a man to be sacrificed to the Eatooa to implore 

 the assistance of the god against Eimeo. This act of 

 worship was to be performed at the great moral at 

 Attahooroo, and Otoo's presence, it seems, was absolutely 

 necessary on that solemn occasion. 



" I proposed to Otoo that I might be allowed to ac- 



