100 
A VOYAGE TO 
1777, ply to the Chiefs, to procure reftitution. He did fo; but 
^Odober^ t p e y took no fteps toward it, being more attentive to a heeva , 
that was then ailing, till I ordered the performers of the 
exhibition to defift. They were now convinced, that I was 
in earned:, and began to make fome inquiry after the thief, 
who was fitting in the midft of them, quite unconcerned, 
infomuch that I was in great doubt of his being the guilty 
perfon; efpecially as he denied it. Omai, however, allur¬ 
ing me that he was the man, I fent him on board the fhip, 
and there confined him. This raifed a general ferment 
amongft the affembled natives; and the whole body fled, 
. in fpite of all my endeavours to flop them. Having em¬ 
ployed Omai to examine the prifoner, with fome difficulty 
he was brought to confefs where he had hid the fextant; 
but, as it was now dark, we could not find it till day-light 
Thurfday 23 the next morning, when it was brought back unhurt. Af¬ 
ter this, the natives recovered from their fright, and began 
to gather about us as ufual. And, as to the thief, fie appear¬ 
ing to be a hardened fcoundrel, I punifhed him more fe- 
verely than I had ever done any one culprit before. Befides 
having his head and beard fhaved, I ordered both his ears 
to be cut off, and then difmiffed him. 
This, however, did not deter him from giving us farther 
Saturday 25. trouble; for, in the night between the 24th and 25th, a ge¬ 
neral alarm was fpread, occafioned, as was faid, by one of 
our goats being ftolen by this very man. On examination, 
we found, that all was fafe in that quarter. Probably, the 
goats were fo well guarded, that he could not put his de¬ 
li gn in execution. But his hoftilities had fucceeded againft 
another obje£t; and it appeared, that he had deftroyed and 
carried off feveral vines and cabbage-plants in Omafis 
grounds; and he publicly threatened to kill him, and to 
3 burn 
