THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
193 
the fatigue of the day; and though we did eat a little to 
pleafe them, it was without fatisfadtion to ourfelves. 
It being now near fun-fet, we told them it was time to 
go on board. This they allowed; and fent down to the 
beach the remainder of the vidtuals that had been dreffed, 
to be carried with us to the fhips. But, before we fet out, 
Omai was treated with a drink he had been ufed to in his 
own country; which, we obferved, was made here, as at 
other iilands in the South Sea, by chewing the root of a 
fort of pepper. We found a canoe ready to put us off to 
our boats; which the natives did, with the lame caution 
as when we landed. But, even here, their thievifh difpo- 
lition did not leave them. For a perfon of fome confe- 
quence among them, who came with us, took an opportu¬ 
nity, juft as they were pufhing the canoe into the furf, to 
fnatch a bag out of her, which I had, with the greateft 
difficulty, preferred all the day; there being in it a fmall 
pocket-piftol, which I was unwilling to part with. Per¬ 
ceiving him, I called out, expreffiiig as much difpleafurej as 
I could. On which he thought proper to return, and fwim 
with the bag to the canoe; but denied he had ftolen it, 
though detected in the very a6t. They put us on board 
our boats, with the cocoa-nuts, plantains, and other provi- 
fions, which they had brought; and we rowed to the fhips, 
very well pleated that we had at laft got out of the hands of 
our troublefome matters. 
We regretted much, that our reftrained fttuation gave us 
fo little opportunity of making obfervations on the country. 
For, during the whole day, we were feldom a hundred 
yards from the place where we w r ere introduced to the 
Chiefs on landing; and, confequently, were confined to the 
furrounding objects. The firft thing that prefented iff elf, 
Vol. I. C c worthy 
