These people informed us, that Toutaha, the regent of the greater peninsula of Otaheite, had been killed in a battle, which was fought between the two kingdoms about five months before; and that _Otoo_ was the reigning prince. Tubourai Tamaide, and several more of our principal friends about Matavai, fell in this battle, as also a great number of common people; but at present, a peace subsisted between the two kingdoms. On the 19th we had gentle breezes easterly, with some smart showers of rain. Early in the morning, the boats were again sent to recover the Adventure’s anchors, but returned with the same ill success as the day before; so that we ceased to look for them any longer, thinking ourselves very happy in having come off so well, considering the situation we had been in. In an excursion which Captain Furneaux and I made along the coast, we met with a chief who entertained us with excellent fish, fruit, &c. In return for his hospitality, I made him a present of an axe and other things; and he afterwards accompanied us back to the ships, where he made but a short stay. Nothing worthy of note happened on the 20th, till the dusk of the evening, when one of the natives made off with a musket belonging to the guard on shore. I was present when this happened, and sent some of our people after him, which would have been to little purpose, had not some of the natives, of their own accord, pursued the thief: they knocked him down, took from him the musket, and brought it to us. Fear, on this occasion, certainly operated more with them than principle: they, however, deserve to be applauded for this act of justice; for, if they had not given their immediate assistance, it would hardly have been in my power to have recovered the musket by any gentle means whatever; and by making use of any other, I was sure to lose more than ten times its value. The 21st, the wind was at north a fresh breeze. This morning a chief made me a visit, and presented me with a quantity of fruit, among which were a number of cocoa-nuts we had drawn the water from, and afterwards thrown over board. These he had picked up, and tied in bundles so artfully, that we did not at first perceive the cheat. When he was told of it, without betraying the least emotion, and as if he knew nothing of the matter, he opened two or three of them himself, signified to us that he was satisfied that it was so, and then went on shore and sent off a quantity of plantains and bananas. Having got on board a supply of water, fruit, and roots, I determined to sail in the morning to Matavai, as I found it was not likely that I should get an interview with Waheatoua; without which it was very improbable we should get any hogs. Two of the natives who knew my intention, slept on board, with a view of going with us to Matavai; but in the morning the wind blew fresh at N. W., and as we could not sail, I sent the trading party on shore as usual.