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1777. above an hour apart from my friends; and when I told the 
' * Chief, with whom I fat, that I wanted to fpeak to Omai, he 
peremptorily refufed my requeft. At the fame time, I 
found the people began to fteal feveral trifling things which 
I had in my pocket; and when I took the liberty of com¬ 
plaining to the Chief of this treatment, he juftified it. From 
thefe circumflances, I now entertained apprehenfions, that 
they might have formed the defign of detaining us among!! 
them. They did not, indeed, feem to be of a difpofition fo 
favage, as to make us anxious for the fafety of our perfons; 
but it was, neverthelefs, vexing to think, we had hazarded 
being detained by their curiofity. In this fituation, I afked 
for fomething to eat; and they readily brought to me fome 
cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a fort of four pudding, which 
was prefented by a woman. And on my complaining much 
of the heat, occafioned by the crowd, the Chief himfelf 
condefcended to fan me, and gave me a fmall piece of cloth, 
which he had round his waift. 
Mr. Burney happening to come to the place -where I was, 
I mentioned my fufpicions to him; and, to put it to the 
teft, whether they were well-founded, we attempted to get 
to the beach. But we were flopped, when about half-way, 
by fome men, who told us, that we muft go back to the 
place which we had left. On coming up, we found Omai 
entertaining the fame apprehenfions. But he had, as he 
fancied, an additional reafon for being afraid; for he had 
obferved, that they had dug a hole in the ground for an 
oven, which they were now heating; and he could aflign no 
other reafon for this, than that they meant to roaft, and eat 
us, as is pracftifed by the inhabitants of New Zealand. Nay, 
he went fo far as to afk them the queftion ; at which they 
were greatly furprized, afking, in return, whether that was 
a cuftom 
