94 
A VOYAGE TO 
1777. feathers Were preferred. Each article was laid before one 
t of the company, who, I underftood, was a prieft, and was 
delivered with a fet fpeech or prayer, fpoken by one of 
Omai’s friends, who fat by him, but moftly dictated by 
himfelf. In thefe prayers, he did not forget his friends in 
England, nor thofe who had brought him fafe back. The 
Earee rahie no Pretane, Lord Sandwich, Eoote, Patee % were 
mentioned in every one of them. When Omai’s offerings 
and prayers were finilhed, the prieft took each article, in 
the fame order in which it had been laid before him, and 
after repeating a prayer, fent it to the moral ; which, as 
Omai told us, was at a great diftance, otherwife the offer¬ 
ings would have been made there. 
Thefe religious ceremonies having been performed, Omai 
fat down by me, and we entered upon bufinefs, by giving 
the young Chief my prefent, and receiving his in return; 
and, all things confidered, they were liberal enough, on 
both fides. Some arrangements were next agreed upon, as 
to the manner of carrying on the intercourfe betwixt us; 
and I pointed out the mifchievous confequences that would 
attend their robbing us, as they had done during my former 
vifits. Omai’s eftablifhment was then propofed to the af- 
fembled Chiefs. 
He acquainted them, 66 That he had been carried by us, 
into our country, where he was well received by the great 
King and his Earees , and treated with every mark of regard 
and affedfion, while he ftaid amongft us; that he had been 
brought back again, enriched, by our liberality, with a va¬ 
riety of articles, which would prove very ufeful to his 
countrymen; and that, belides the two horfes which were 
to remain with him, feveral other new and valuable animals 
* Cook and Clerke. 
had 
