The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Thus equipped, on our landing, we first visited Etary; who, carried on a
hand barrow, attended us to a large house, where he was set down; and we
seated ourselves on each side of him. I caused a piece of
Tongataboo-cloth to be spread out before us, on which I laid the
presents I intended to make. Presently the young chief came, attended by
his mother, and several principal men, who all seated themselves, at the
other end of the cloth, facing us. Then a man who sat by me, made a
speech, consisting of short and separate sentences; part of which was
dictated by those about him. He was answered by one from the opposite
side, near the chief. Etary spoke next; then Omai; and both of them were
answered from the same quarter. These orations were entirely about my
arrival, and connections with them. The person who spoke last, told me,
amongst other things, that the men of _Reema_, that is, the Spaniards,
had desired them not to suffer me to come into Oheitepeha Bay, if I
should return any more to the island, for that it belonged to them; but
that they were so far from paying any regard to this request, that he
was authorised now to make a formal surrender of the province of
Tiaraboo to me, and of every thing in it; which marks very plainly, that
these people are no strangers to the policy of accommodating themselves
to present circumstances. At length, the young chief was directed, by
his attendants, to come and embrace me; and, by way of confirming this
treaty of friendship, we exchanged names. The ceremony being closed, he
and his friends accompanied me on board to dinner.
Omai had prepared a _maro_, composed of red and yellow feathers, which
he intended for Otoo, the king of the whole island; and, considering
where we were, it was a present of very great value. I said all that I
could to persuade him not to produce it now, wishing him to keep it on
board till an opportunity should offer of presenting it to Otoo, with
his own hands. But he had too good an opinion of the honesty and
fidelity of his countrymen to take my advice. Nothing would serve him,
but to carry it ashore, on this occasion, and to give it to Waheiadooa,
to be by him forwarded to Otoo, in order to its being added to the royal
_maro_. He thought, by this management, that he should oblige both
chiefs; whereas he highly disobliged the one, whose favour was of the
most consequence to him, without gaining any reward from the other. What
I had foreseen happened. For Waheiadooa kept the _maro_ for himself, and
only sent to Otoo a very small piece of feathers; not the twentieth part
of what belonged to the magnificent present.
On the 19th, this young chief made me a present of ten or a dozen hogs,
a quantity of fruit, and some cloth. In the evening we played off some
fireworks, which both astonished and entertained the numerous
spectators.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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