THE PACIFIC OCEAN; 
119 - 
companion had gone off with this intention; and Captain i 777 . 
Clerke fet out in quell of them with two armed boats, and Noveraber ; 
a party of marines. His expedition proved fruitlefs; for he 
returned in the evening, without having got any certain 
intelligence where they wnre. From the condu£l of the na¬ 
tives, Captain Clerke feemed to think, that they intended 
to conceal the deferters ; and, with that view, had amufed 
him with falfe information the whole day, and directed 
him to fearch for them in places where they were not to be 
found. The Captain judged right; for, the next morn¬ 
ing, we were told, that our runaways were at Otaha. As 
thefe two were not the only perfons in the fhips who 
wifhed to end their days at thefe favourite illands, in or¬ 
der to put a Hop to any further defertion, it was neceffary 
to get them back at all events; and, that the natives might 
be convinced that I was in earned:, I refolved to go after 
them myfelf; having obferved, from repeated inftances, 
that they feldom offered to deceive me with falfe infor¬ 
mation. 
Accordingly, I fet out, the next morning, with two arm- Tuefday 25 „ 
ed boats; being accompanied by the Chief himfelf. I pro¬ 
ceeded, as he directed, without flopping any where, till we 
came to the middle of the Eaft fide of Otaha. There we 
put afhore; and Oreo difpatched a man before us, with or¬ 
ders to feize the deferters, and keep them till we fhould 
arrive with the boats. But when we got to the place where 
we expedled to find them, we were told, that they had 
quitted this ifland, and gone over to Bolabola the day be¬ 
fore. I did not think proper to follow them thither; but 
returned to the fhips; fully determined, however, to have 
recourfe to a meafure, which, I gueffed, would oblige the 
natives to bring them back. 
In 
