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
Omai had also provided himself with a good stock of cloth and cocoa-nut
oil, which are not only in greater plenty, but much better at Otaheite
than at any of the Society islands; insomuch, that they are articles of
trade. Omai would not have behaved so inconsistently, and so much unlike
himself, as he did, in many instances, but for his sister and
brother-in-law, who, together with a few more of their acquaintance,
engrossed him entirely to themselves, with no other view than to strip
him of every thing he had got. And they would, undoubtedly, have
succeeded in their scheme, if I had not put a stop to it in time, by
taking the most useful articles of his property into my possession. But
even this would not have saved Omai from ruin, if I had suffered these
relations of his to have gone with, or to have followed us to, his
intended place of settlement, Huaheine. This they had intended; but I
disappointed their farther views of plunder, by forbidding them to shew
themselves in that island, while I remained in the neighbourhood; and
they knew me too well not to comply.
On the 28th, Otoo came on board, and informed me, that he had got a
canoe, which he desired I would take with me, and carry home, as a
present from him to the _Earee rahie no Pretane_; it being the only
thing, he said, that he could send worth his Majesty’s acceptance. I was
not a little pleased with Otoo for this mark of his gratitude. It was a
thought entirely his own, not one of us having given him the least hint
about it; and it shewed that he fully understood to whom he was indebted
for the most valuable presents that he had received. At first, I thought
that this canoe had been a model of one of their vessels of war; but I
soon found that it was a small _ivahah_, about sixteen feet long. It was
double, and seemed to have been built for the purpose; and was decorated
with all those pieces of carved work, which they usually fix upon their
canoes. As it was too large for me to take on board, I could only thank
him for his good intentions; but it would have pleased him much better,
if his present could have been accepted.
We were detained here some days longer than I expected, by light breezes
from the west, and calms by turns; so that we could not get out of the
bay. During this time, the ships were crowded with our friends, and
surrounded by a multitude of canoes; for not one would leave the place
till we were gone. At length, at three o’clock in the afternoon of the
29th, the wind came at east, and we weighed anchor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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