28 
A VOYAGE TO 
* 777 * 
Augufl. 
< - 
Saturday 30, 
on fliore. For what reafon, we could not, at firft, learn; 
though, in general, we guelTed it arofe from their knowing 
that fome theft had been committed, and apprehending pu- 
nifhment on that account. At length, I underftood what 
had happened’. One of the furgeon’s mates had been in the 
country to purchafe curiofities, and had taken with him 
four hatchets for that purpofe. Having employed one of 
the natives to carry them for him, the fellow took an op¬ 
portunity to run off with fo valuable a prize. This was the 
caufe of the fudden flight, in which Otoo himfelf, and his 
whole family, had joined; and it was with difficulty that I 
flopped them, after following them two or three miles. 
As I had refolved to take no meafures for the recovery of 
the hatchets, in order to put my people upon their guard 
againft fuch negligence for the future, I found no diffi¬ 
culty in bringing the natives back, and in reftoring every 
thing to its ufual tranquillity. 
Hitherto, the attention of Otoo and his people had been 
confined to us; but, next morning, a new fcene of bufi- 
nefs opened, by the arrival of fome mefiengers from Eimeo, 
or (as it is much oftener called by the natives) Morea % 
with intelligence, that the people in that ifland were in 
arms ; and that Otoo’s partizans there had been worfted, and 
obliged to retreat to the mountains. The quarrel between 
the two ifiands, which commenced in 1774, as mentioned in 
the account of my laft voyage, had, it leems, partly fub- 
fifted ever fince. The formidable armament which I faw, 
at that time, and defcribed t, had failed foon after I then 
left Otaheite; but the malcontents of Eimeo had made fo 
* Morea, according to Dr. Forfter, is a diftridl in Eimeo. See his Obfervations „ 
p. 217. 
f See Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 34.7, &c. 
flout 
