296 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



furnish a sufficient number for the use of all the islands in 

 the neighbourhood. He then signified to them all that it 

 was my j5ajnTst request, in return for all my friendly 

 oificesTThat they would give him a piece of land to build a 

 house upon, and to raise provisions for himself and 

 servants ; adding, that if this could not be obtained for 

 him in Huaheine, either by gift or by purchase, I was 

 determined to carry him to Ulietea and fix him there.' 



" One of the chiefs immediately expressed himself to this 

 effect, ' That the whole Island of Huaheine and everything 

 in it were mine ; and that, therefore, I might give what 

 portion of it I pleased to my friend/ Omai was greatly 

 pleased to hear this, thinking, no doubt, that I should be 

 very liberal, and give him enough. But to offer what it 

 would have been improper to accept, I considered as 

 offering nothing at all ; and, therefore, I now desired that 

 they would not only assign the particular spot, but also 

 the exact quantity of land which they would allot for the 

 settlement. And, after a short consultation among them- 

 selves, my request was granted by general consent ; and the 

 ground immediately pitched upon, adjoining to the house 

 where our meeting was held. The extent along the shore 

 of the harbour, was about two hundred yards ; and its 

 depth, to the foot of the hill somewhat more ; but a pro- 

 portional part of the hill was included in the grant. 



" This business being settled to the satisfaction of all 

 parties, I set up a tent ashore, established a post, and erected 

 the observatories. The carpenters of both ships were also 

 set to work to build a small house for Omai, in which he 

 might secure the European commodities that were his 

 property. At the same time, some hands were employed 

 in making a garden for his use. 



" Omai now began seriously to attend to his own affairs, 

 and repented heartily of his ill-judged prodigality while at 

 Otaheite. He found at Huaheine, a brother, a sister and 

 a brother-in-law ; the sister being married. But these did 

 not plunder him, as he had lately been by his other re- 

 lations. I was sorry, however, to discover, that though 

 they were too honest to do him any injury, they were of too 

 little consequence in the island to do him any positive good. 

 They had neither authority nor influence to protect his 

 person, or his property ; and, in that helpless situation, I 

 had reason to apprehend that he run great risk of being 

 stripped of everything he had got from us, as soon as he 

 should cease to have us within his reach. 



" A man who is richer than his neighbours, is sure to be 

 envied by numbers who wish to see him brought down to 

 their own level. But in countries, where civilization, law, 



