SANDWICH ISLANDS. 
27 
Europeans to possess; and as they had confidently ex¬ 
pected that the return of Orono was to confer some imme¬ 
diate and important benefit, they eagerly embraced the idea, 
that the blessed era was come; and that all the knowledge 
which they believed, on the faith of tradition, they had lost 
should be restored, and new arts and new comforts taught 
them by the inhabitants of the floating islands. The stay of 
the English, however, only served to consume the provisions 
of the country, and the people soon perceived that they were 
there solely to repair their own ships and refresh the crews. 
Curiosity was satisfied; and great disappointment was felt 
at the departure of Orono, taking with him his floating 
islands, and all they contained of wonderful and useful. 
His unexpected return to repair his vessel did not entirely 
restore him to the degree of honour he at first enjoyed, and 
the severity with which he had punished one or two acts 
of theft had perhaps a little indisposed the native chiefs 
against him. His unfortunate attempt to get the king on 
board his ship, there to confine him until the boat he had 
lost # should .be recovered, was the cause of the tumult 
that ended in his lamented death. 'There certainly was no 
malice in the case—not the slightest intention of injuring 
* She was stolen for the sake of the nails in her, and appears to have been 
broken up the very night she was stolen. 
E 2 
