TINAH AND IDDEAH. 25 
by the natives, many of whom .requested to be 
allowed to accompany the party. Cocoa-nuts, 
plantains, bread-.fruits, hogs, and goats, were 
then brought as presents. The chief, Tinah, who 
was six feet four inches high, and stout in pro- 
portion, though without the courage of a warrior, 
had begged hard to be allowed to leave the island 
in the Bounty, being sure that King George, 
whom he wished much to see, would be glad to 
see him, and his wife Iddeah. She also was 
much above the common size, and had learnt to 
load and fire a musket with much dexterity. 
Bligh was obliged to decline, as politely as he 
could, the honour of conveying this remarkable 
couple to England. On going away, he offered 
a pair of pistols to Tinah, who at once re- 
signed them into other hands, remarking that 
Iddeah, his wife, would fight with one, and his 
friend Oedidee, a chief, with the other. Poor 
Tinah, in transferring the pistols, expressed his 
fear of being attacked by his enemies, as soon as 
the Bounty should leave Otaheite ; and when he 
found it impossible to prevail on his Tyo myty 
(good friend) Bligh to let him go, he busied 
himself in getting two Parais, or mourning 
dresses, made, as a present to King George. 
When he presented the Parais, he could not 
refrain from shedding tears. " At the time," 
says Bligh, " that Tinah first mentioned to me 
his desire of visiting England, I asked what 
account I could give to his friends if he should 
not live to return; to which he replied, that 
I must cut off his hair, and carry it to them, and 
they would be perfectly satisfied." 
