300 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



building should cover the ground which he marked out, it 

 will be as large as most upon the island. 



" His European weapons consisted of a musket, bayonet, 

 and cartouch box, a fowling-piece, two pair of pistols, 

 and two or three swords or cutlasses. The possession 

 of these made him quite happy, which was my only view 

 in giving him such presents. For I was always of opinion 

 that he would have been happier without firearms and 

 other European weapons, than with them, as such imple- 

 ments of war, in the hands of one whose prudent use 

 of them I had some grounds for mistrusting, would 

 rather increase his dangers than establish his superiority. 

 After he had got on shore everything that belonged to 

 him, and was settled in his house, he had most of the 

 officers of both ships two or three times to dinner, and 

 his table was always well supplied with the very best 

 provisions that the island produced. 



" Before I sailed, I had the following inscription cut 

 upon the outside of the house : 



Georgius Tertius, Rex. 2 Novembris, 1777. 

 XT __ rac (Resolution, Jac. Cook, Pr. 

 {Discovery, Car. Clerke, Pr. 



" On the 2nd of November, at four in the afternoon, I 

 took the advantage of a breeze which then sprung up at 

 east, and sailed out of the harbour. Most of our friends 

 remained on board till the ships were under sail, when, 

 to gratify their curiosity, I ordered five guns to be 

 fired. They then all took their leave, except Omai, who 

 remained till we were at sea. In an hour or two after 

 he went ashore, taking a very affectionate farewell of all 

 the officers. He sustained himself with a manly reso- 

 lution till he came to me. Then his utmost efforts to 

 conceal his tears failed, and Mr. King, who went in the 

 boat, told me that he wept all the time in going ashore. 



" It was no small satisfaction to reflect, that we had 

 brought him safe back to the very spot from which he 

 was taken. And, yet, such is the strange nature of human 

 affairs, that it is probable we left him in a less desirable 

 situation than he was in before his connection with us. 



" Omai, from being much caressed in England, lost 

 sight of his original condition, and never considered in 

 what manner his acquisitions, either of knowledge or of 

 riches, would be estimated by his countrymen at his 

 return, which were the only things he could have to 

 recommend him to them now more than before, and on 

 which he could build his future greatness or happiness. 

 Rank seems to be the very foundation of all distinction 



