>774. ers. befides a ftar or two, with which, for the prefent, they
went away contented, as it feemed, beyond their warmeft
hopes. Thefe red feathers, with which they ornament
the drefs of their warriors, and which perhaps are made life:
of on fome other folemn occaiions, are valued at an incredible
rate in this- ifland, and clearly prove the cxiftence of a
great degree of luxury among the natives.,
Monday 25. On the next day we had a number o f vifits from different
chiefs, amongft whom was our friend Potatow, his
wife Whainee-ow, and his former wife Polatehera, whom
the fame of our great riches of red feathers had reached.
They brought with them numbers of hogs, many of which
were exchanged with the utmoft avidity for fmall pieces of
cloth covered with red feathers. The difference between
the prefent opulence of thefe illanders, arid their fituation
eight months before, was very aftonifhing to us. It was
with the utmoft difficulty that we had been able to pur-
chafe a few hogs during our firft ftay, having been obliged
to look upon it as a great favour, when the king or chief
parted with one of thefe animals. At prefent our decks
were fo crouded with them, that we were obliged to make
a hog-ftye on fhore. We concluded, therefore, that they
were now entirely recovered from the blow which they had
received in their late unfortunate war with the lefler penin-
fula, and of which they ftill felt the bad effects at our vifit
in Auguft 17 73. In the morning we had continual hard
fhowers,
fhowers, and fuch violent thunder and lightning, that, for
the fake of greater fafety, a copper chain was fixed to the
maintop-gallant-maft-head. Juft as a failor was clearing
it of the fhrouds, and had thrown the end over board, a terrible
flaffi of lightning appeared exaiftly over the Ihip, and
the flame was feen to run down along the whole length of
the chain. A tremendous thunder-clap inftantaneoufly followed,
which fhook the whole fhip, to the no fmall fur-
prize of both the Europeans and Taheitians on board.
However we happily fuffered not the leaft damage from
this explofion. This cixcumftance confirms the great ufe
of the electrical chain, which had been fo dearly proved
at Batavia, while captain Cook lay there in the Endeavour*.
The rain did not abate till the evening, when the fhowers
became intermittent, and entirely ceafed the next morning.
The firft intelligence which we received from our tents was,
that feveral waift coats and blankets belonging to the captain
had been flolen by the natives, from the man who was
wafhing them. The captain embarked therefore about ten
o’clock, in order to vifit O-Too, by whofe help he hoped to
recover his bed-cloaths. I was now fo well recovered, that
I ventured to accompany him in the boat, with my father,
Dr. Sparrman, and fome others. When we approached Ô-
# 1774^
'A p r il *
Tuefday
* See Hawkfworth’s Compilation, vol. I ll, p, 712.
I 2 Parre,