A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
January.
eerity o f my friend, and his wife alfo, did not fpare me the mortification
o f being informed a fécond time, that I was grown exceedingly old.
He much regretted, that he had not arrived in time to partake of
the entertainments o f the preceding day and evening; as he had never
been fo fortunate as to be prefont at fuch an exhibition. This induced
me to prpmifo, that, on the return of Pgmurrey from Morea, a
fimilar difplay Ihould take place.
Poatatou, who was now called Hidiea, with his wife and filler, accompanied
me on board. Amongft the valuables with which I prefented
my old acquaintance and- friend, was. an axe, of which his filler became
fo enamoured, claiming to herfelf a part of the prefont I had received;
that Hidiea was under the neceffity o f ufing fome force to prevent her
wrenching it out of his hand ; but, on my making a finall addition to
the articles, flic had received, the lady became reconciled.
Our bufinefo in the feveral departments was now in great forwardnefs;
yet we were likely to experience an inconvenience in procuring fire
wood, as we had few trees in our neighbourhood but fuch as bore fruit.
Monday 9. On mentioning fois circumllance'to Urripiah, he undertook, with Why~
tooa, Porno, and Moerree an inferior chief, to fnpply more than the
Ihips would contain, provided they were furnilhed with two axes each, as,
on fuch an occafion, they could not afford to wear out their own ; which,
pn my part, was readily acceded to.
The fea had broken fo much into the river as to render it hrack-
•ilh and unfit for ufe near our encampment; this, obliged us. to have our
calks filled near a mile off, oppolitc Urripiah’s habitation; who ordered
them to be emptied, and filled, for the purpofe of feafoning, as often as
we dçfired ; and giving them in charge to his trully domellics, they remained
in his cuftoffy feveral days in the moll perfeél fafety. This
conduct was not lingular ; for it is but j.uffiee to acknowledge, that every
one of the inhabitants behaved with an uniform propriety, as deforving
pf our thanks as of our commendations. In every tranfaflion, they
were emulous to afford us alfiftance to the utmoll of their power ; and
feemed amply and fotisfaflorily rewarded for their exertions in our
forvice, bv the humble return, of a few heads, or fmall nails.
The
, The departure of Pomurrey's family was daily put off, Mahow being
very defirous that we Ihould convey him home in one of our boats; but i. —
as thefe, as well as our men, were too much employed to be fpared for
this purpofe, we were daily honored at our meals with moll of this good
company; and it mull be acknowledged, that their deportment at table
was now fo much improved, that the major part condufted themfelves
with great cbnfiftency. Excepting the daughter o f Opoone, who reigned
oyer Bolabola, and its two neighbouring ides, we had now the prefence of
all the fovereigns o f this group o f iflands. Opoone had formerly conquered
and annexed the iflands of Ulietqa and Otaha to the government
of Balabola;; but, on his- death, the fovereignty of thefe iflands
had, in right of natural, or original fuccelfion, fallen to a chief whofe
name-was. Movrree. He. was a Ihrewd fenfible fellow; affefted-to be well
acquainted with the Englilh language, and certainly had acquired fome
words which he pronounced fo as to be underllood. He was a brother
of motheiip was; on a. vifit to the royal family here, and; was
by them treated-with much refpeft and attention.
Hitherto, I had received a few trifling prefents of provifions only
from Pomurrey, who had lately expreffed fome regret that he had not
made me a . return for the many ufeful matters I had bellowed upon
him, and had. fixed this day to make an acknowledgment.
Towards noon Pomurrey came to the marquee, attended by a- confi-
derable train. He was preceded by three men, each bearing a parri, or
mourning. drefs, efteemed ther moft valuable- prefent the country can
afford, Many of the reft were laden with cloth, fowls, and vegetables-;;
thefe with fome very large hogs which brought up the rear, made
altogether a very fuperb and grateful - compenfation. Pomurrey, and
his wives dined with u s ; after which they took leave of the encampment
to embark, for Oparre, there; to join Mahow, who had
departed early in the morning-for Morea; for which ill and the whole
of the royal party were to fail the next day ; there they propo-
fed to land Mahow, and, in the courfe. of four or five days,. return; ’
having given them to underftand we Ihould, about that time, be on
the eve of our departure. They were fainted from our flation on
V o l . I. Q ftore>
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