302 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



be left to the decision of future navigators of this ocean ; 

 with whom it cannot but be a principal object of curiosity 

 to trace the future fortunes of our traveller. 



" Whatever faults belonged to Omai's character, they 

 were more than overbalanced by his great good-nature 

 and docile disposition. During the whole time he was 

 with me, I very seldom had reason to be seriously dis- 

 pleased with his general conduct. His grateful heart 

 always retained the highest sense of the favours he had 

 received in England, nor will he ever forget those who 

 honoured him with their protection and friendship during 

 his stay there. He had tolerable share of understanding, 

 but wanted application and perseverance to exert it, so 

 that his knowledge of things was very general, and in 

 many instances imperfect. He was not a man of much 

 observation. There were many useful arts, as well as 

 elegant amusements amongst the people of the Friendly 

 Islands, which he might have conveyed to his own, where 

 they probably would have been readily adopted as being 

 so much in their own way. But I never found that he 

 used the least endeavour to make himself master of any 

 one. This kind of indifference is, indeed, the char- 

 acteristic foible of his nation. We are not, therefore, 

 to expect that Omai will be able to introduce many of 

 our arts and customs amongst them, or much improve 

 those to which they have been long habituated. I am 

 confident, however, that he will endeavour to bring to 

 perfection the various fruits and vegetables we planted, 

 which will be no small acquisition. But the greatest 

 benefit these islands are likely to receive from Omai's 

 travels will be in the animals that have been left upon 

 them, which probably, they never would have got, had 

 he not come to England. When these multiply, of which 

 I think there is little doubt, Otaheite and the Society 

 Islands will equal, if not exceed, any place in the known 

 world for provisions. 



" Omai's return, and the substantial proofs he brought 

 back with him of our liberality, encouraged many to offer 

 themselves as volunteers to attend me to Pretane. I 

 took every opportunity of expressing my determination 

 to reject all such applications. 



" If there had been the most distant probability of 

 any ship being again sent to New Zealand, I would have 

 brought the two youths of that country home with me, 

 as both of them were very desirous of continuing with 

 us. Tiarooa, the eldest, was an exceedingly well-disposed 

 young man, with strong natural sense, and capable of 

 receiving any instruction. He seemed to be fully sensible 



