I 33 
THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
from collateral circumftances, furnifhed by our own obfer- 
vation, as the natives could not fatisfy our inquiries with 
any precifion. The final conquefi of Ulietea, which clofed 
the war, we know, had been made before I was there in the 
Endeavour, in 1769 ; but we may infer, that peace had not 
been very long reftored, as we could then fee marks of re¬ 
cent hoftilities * having been committed upon that illand. 
Some additional light may be thrown upon this inquiry, by 
attending to the age of Teereetareea, the prefent Chief of 
Huaheine. His looks fhewed, that he was not above ten or 
twelve years old; and we were informed, that his father 
had been killed in one of the battles. As to the time when 
the war began, we had no better rule for judging, than 
this, that the young people of about twenty years of age, 
of whom we made inquiries, could fcarcely remember the 
firff battles; and I have already mentioned, that Omai’s 
countrymen, whom we found at Wateeoo, knew nothing of 
this war; fo that its commencement was fubfequent to 
their voyage. 
Ever fince the conquefi; of Ulietea and Otaha, the Bola- 
bola men have been confidered, by their neighbours, as in¬ 
vincible ; and fuch is the extent of their fame, that even 
at Otaheite, which is almoft out of their reach, if they 
are not dreaded, they are, at leaft, refpe&ed for their va¬ 
lour. It is laid, that they never fly in battle, and that they 
always beat an equal number of the other iflanders. But, 
befides thefe advantages, their neighbours feem to afcribe 
a great deal to the fuperiority of their god, who, they be¬ 
lieved, detained us at Ulietea by contrary winds, as being 
unwilling that we fhould vifit an ifland under his lpecial 
protection. 
* Thefe are taken notice of in Hawkefaorth’s GolWion -, Vol.ii. p. 256, &c. 
. How 
