NEW ZEALAND AGAIN 205 



Omai had asked Cook's permission to carry 

 to Tahiti a young New Zealander of eighteen, 

 called Taweiharooa, the son of a chief who had 

 died some time before. Cook consented, and the 

 mother of the young native aristocrat came to 

 bring her son on board the Resolution. The 

 Captain had warned her that she would not see 

 her child again, for the ship would not call again 

 at New Zealand. The woman burst into floods 

 of tears, and took leave of her son with noisy 

 demonstrations of affection. When she returned 

 next day for the final parting, she displayed the 

 most exuberant cheerfulness and went away 

 without showing the least emotion. 



Taweiharooa, in order to travel in conditions 

 worthy of his birth, wished to take a young ser- 

 vant with him. He chose a child of ten, called 

 Kokoa, who was brought on board by his father. 

 The latter removed the few clothes which his son 

 possessed and handed him over completely naked 

 to Cook, who remarked in his Journal, "I believe 

 that this native would have parted from his dog 

 with less indifference." 



During his stay Cook was visited by numerous 

 tribes, one of which was totally unknown to him. 

 It was composed of about thirty individuals, 

 men, women and children, whose features were 

 much finer than those of the other New Zea- 

 landers. The chief of this tribe had an open 



