58 CAPTAIN COOK 



Before leaving Tahiti, Cook was anxious to 

 circumnavigate the island, and, accompanied by 

 Banks, he set out in a boat on this dangerous 

 expedition, in v^hich they frequently ran the risk 

 of damaging their frail craft on the rocks. The 

 two travellers explored several unknown dis- 

 tricts, made the acquaintance of the chiefs who 

 ruled them, and achieved several interesting 

 discoveries. 



But the time of their departure was approach- 

 ing. Preparations for this were proceeding nor- 

 mally, when a serious incident occurred which 

 might have ended for good and all the friendly 

 relations between the English and the islanders. 

 On the night of July 8th-9th, two young marines 

 ran away from the fort. Cook, having sought 

 among the natives for the reason of this deser- 

 tion, learned that his men, having fallen In love 

 with two fair Tahitian damsels, had decided to 

 marry them and to take up their residence on the 

 island with their wives. Cook, determined to 

 recover the men at any price, kept Toubourai 

 Tamaide, his wife Tomio, the former queen 

 Obeara and several other chiefs prisoners in the 

 fort. He told his captives that they would not 

 regain their liberty till his men had been found. 

 An expedition was formed, and after many ad- 

 ventures the two young Englishmen, who had 

 preferred the dusky island brides to the blondes 



