io4 
A VOYAGE TO • 
1777. which not a fingle female, as yet, belonged; nor, I doubt, 
was likely to belong, unlefs its matter became lefs volatile. 
At prefent, Omai did not feem at all difpofed to take unto 
himfelf a wife. 
The houfe which we erectted for him was twenty-four 
feet by eighteen; and ten feet high. It was compofed of 
boards, the fpoils of our military operations at Eimeo; and, 
in building it, as few nails, as poflible, were ufed, that 
there might be no inducement, from the love of iron, to 
pull it down. It was fettled, that immediately after our 
departure, he fhould begin to build a large houfe after the 
fafhion of his country; one end of which was to be 
brought over that which we had eredted, fo as to inclofe it 
entirely for greater fecurity. In this work, fome of the 
Chiefs promifed to aflift him; and, if the intended build¬ 
ing fhould cover the ground which he marked out, it will 
be as large as moft upon the ittand. 
His European weapons confifted of a mufquet, bayonet, 
and cartouch box; a fowling-piece; two pair of piftols; 
and two or three fwords or cutlaftes. The poffeffion of 
thefe made him quite happy; which was my only view in 
giving him fuch prefents. For I was always of opinion, 
that he would have been happier without fire-arms, and 
other European weapons, than with them; as fuch imple¬ 
ments of war, in the hands of one, whofe prudent ufe of 
them I had fome grounds for miftrufting, would rather in- 
creafe his dangers than eftablifh his fuperiority. After he 
had got on fhore every thing that belonged to him, and 
was fettled in his houfe, he had moft of the officers of both 
fliips, two or three times, to dinner; and his table was 
always well fupplied with the very beft provifions that the 
illand produced. 
Before 
