86 
A VOYAGE TO 
oa 7 b* run f° me of his life; for Omai, the moment he faw 
him, afked me if he fhould fhoot him; fo fully was he 
perfuaded, that I was going to carry his advice into execu¬ 
tion. I immediately ordered both him and our guide to 
make it known, that I did not intend to hurt, much lefs 
to kill, a Angle native. Thefe glad tidings flew before us 
like lightning, and hopped the flight of the inhabitants; 
fo that no one quitted his houfe, or employment, after¬ 
ward. 
As we began to afcend the ridge of hills over which lay 
our road, we got intelligence, that the goat had been car¬ 
ried that way before us; and, as we underftood, could not, 
as yet, have paffed the hills ; fo that we marched up, in 
great filence, in hopes of furprizing the party who were 
'bearing off the prize. But when we had got to the upper- 
mofl plantation on the fide of the ridge, the people there 
told us, that what we were in fearch of had, indeed, been 
kept there the firft night, but had been carried, the next 
morning, to Watea, by Hamoa. We then crofied the ridge 
without making any further inquiry, till we came within 
light of Watea, where fome people fhewed us Hamoa’s 
houfe, and told us, that the goat was there; fo that I made 
no doubt of getting it immediately upon my arrival. But 
when I reached the houfe, to my very great furprize, the 
few people we met with denied that they had ever feen it, 
or knew any thing about it; even Hamoa himfelf came, 
and made the fame declaration. 
On our firft coming to the place, I obferved feveral men 
running to and fro in the woods, with clubs and bundles of 
darts in their hands; and Omai, who followed them, had 
fome ftones thrown at him ; fo that it feemed as if they had 
intended to oppofe any ftep I fhould take, by force; but on 
i feeing 
