i77!-t on the chart. When he came to O-Whai-urua the next
diftritt with a harbour, to the fouth of our prefent anchoring
place, he pulled us by the arm to look on attentively,
and related that there had been a fliip (paheï) which he
called paheï no Peppe, and which had lain there five days ;
that the people in her had received ten hogs from the
-natives, and that one of the crew ran away from the fliip,
and now lived upon the ifland. From this account we
concluded that the Spaniards had fent another veflèl to
examine O-Taheitee, probably firft difcovered by their navigators,
and which of late years had been fo frequently
vifited by the Englilh, as might juftly roufe their attention,
on account of the proximity of their own extenfive pof-
fcllions in South America. Strange as k may feetn, the
name of Peppe confirmed us in our conjcdhifes, notwith-
flandisg its vaft difference from Efpana, from whence we
fuppofed it originated 4 becaoife wè Were by this time well
acquainted with the cuftom of mutilating all foreign names,
■ which .the Tahekiaifs poflefs, even in a higher degree than
the French and Englilh. We put feveral queftions relative
to this fliip to Tuahow, but could never obtain any farther
intelligence from him, except that the man who had left
it, always accompanied Aheatua, and had given, him the
advice not to furnilh us with any hogs. Whatever felf-
interefted or bigoted motives that man may have had to
give Aheatua fuch an advice, yet k feems to have been in
reality
reality the mod friendly and valuable which he could have
offered to his protector. The way to; keep the ripl)es of
his fubjefts, among which are their hogs in the country,
and to prevent new wants from prevailing among a happy
people, was to get rid of us as foon as he could, by denying
us the refrefhmcnts of which we flood moft in nped. It
were indeed fincerely to be wiflied, that tl>e intercourfe
which has lately fubfifted between Europeans and the
natives of the South Sea illands may be brokep .off in time,
before the corruption of manners which unhappily c-ha-
racierifes civilized regions, may reach that innocent race
of men, who live here fortunate in their ignorance and
fimplicity. But it is a melancholy truth, that the dictates
of philanthropy do not harmonize with the political fyf-
tems of Europe !
Several of our people having taken a walk on fliore,
the next day returned on board with the news, that they
had met with Aheatua, who was at laft come to this diftridt
in order to give us an audience. They had been admitted
into his prefence without any ceremony, and his majefty,
in the midft of all his court, had given up one half of his
ftool (pappa), to Mr. Smith, one of our mates, who was
of the party. He had at the fame time gracioufly affured
him, that-he wiflied to fpeak to captain Cook, and had
as many hogs to give him, as he had hatchets to pay for
them, which was by far the moft agreeable news we had
heard
1773*
A ugust/
Sunday 22»