110 
A VOYAGE.TO 
1777, profit by this intercourfe; nor have they hitherto copied 
after us in any one thing. We are not, therefore, to expe£i 
, that Omai will be able to introduce many of our arts and 
cuftoms amongft them, or much improve thofe to which 
they have been long habituated. I am confident, however, 
that he will endeavour to bring to perfection the various 
fruits and vegetables we planted, which will be no fmall 
acquifttion. But the greateft benefit thefe iflands are likely 
to receive from Omai’s travels, will be in the animals that 
have been left upon them; which, probably, they never 
would have got, had he not come to England. When thefe 
multiply, of which I think there is little doubt, Otaheite, 
and the Society Iflands, will equal, if not exceed, any place 
in the known world, for provifions. 
Omai’s return, and the fubftantial proofs he brought back 
with him of our liberality, encouraged many to offer them- 
felves as volunteers to attend me to Pretane . I took everv 
j 
opportunity of exprefling my determination to rejecSl all 
fuch applications. But, notwithftanding this, Omai, who 
was very ambitious of remaining the only great traveller, 
being afraid left I might be prevailed upon to put others in 
a fttuation of rivalling him, frequently put me in mind, 
that Lord Sandwich had told him, no others of his country¬ 
men were to come to England. 
If there had been the moft diftant probability of any fhip 
being again fent to New Zealand, I would have brought the 
two youths of that country home with me; as both of 
them were very defirous of continuing with us. Tiarooa, 
the eldeft, was an exceedingly well difpofed young man, 
with ftrong natural fenfe, and capable of receiving any in- 
ftrudiion. He feemed to be fully fenftble of the inferiority 
of his own country to thefe iflands, and refigned himfelf, 
though 
