.imic
179a.
January. dent of his abundant outfit in England, many prefents had been made
him ; to which his want of principle had added, by making too free with
fome Valuable articles belonging to the gunner, with whom he had
melfed previoufiy to his departure. Towereroo was a boy o f weak intel-
le£l, o f a fullen difpofition, and exceffively obftinate; and though his
condition was fo very fubordinate at the Sandwich illands, that there was
little probability of his fervices being important to us or to our countrymen
hereafter; yet his example was a matter of fuch confequence, as
to render it highly expedient that his return lhould be infilled upon; left
the crew might fuppofe I had not fufficient influence with the chiefs to
procure it, and fome o f them be tempted to abfcond from the veflHs.
On my return on Ihore Pomurrey and his wives were at the encampment,
and feemed not at all ignorant o f what had happened, therefore
Tittle explanation was neceffary. A fervant o f Moerree being lent for
by Pomurrey, delivered the fame meffage Urripiah had brought re-
fpe&ing the wood axe, -and with which Pomurrey requefted I would
comply. I Ihewed him the adz, but infilled on the reiteration o f the
axe before it lhould be returned. A Ihort conference now took place,
bn which he faid he would himfelf go for the wood axe, and gave di-
reftions that proper perfons lhould be fent in quell o f Towereroo, who,
he moll folemnly promifed lhould be given up; and added, that he
would immediately take meafures for the recovery of the linen, but requelling,
as Urripiah had before done, that I would refort to Whytooa for
this efpecial purpofe, as it lay in his particular department. About
noon Pomurrey returned with the wood axe, and the adz was accordingly
reftored to its owner.
In the prefence o f Taow his' father, his two brothers, Poatatou, and
leveral other chiefs-; Pomurrey inquired if, agreeably to my promife, I
intended a difplay of fire-works that evening; to which I replied in the
negative, and explained, that when that promife was made there was no
reafon to fufpefl the treatment we had fince experienced, from thofe whofe
duty it was to have obferved a very different conduct with refpefl to the
theft o f the linen, and the elopement of Towereroo; in both of which
unpardonable tranfaftions many o f the principal chiefs were materially
concerned.
concerned. Pomurrey inftantly replied, that Towereroo lhould the next
day be brought back, either to the tents or to the Difcovery; and, on
interrogating him refpefting the linen, a very warm argument took place
between the three brothers, in which Pomurrey in particular accufed
Whytooa o f a want of exertion and friendlhip on the occafion. In the
courfe of this debate, the name of Arreheah was frequently mentioned ;
and, fo far as I could underftand, Pomurrey feemed convinced that he
was very principally concerned. This man was an inferior chief in
Hapino, one o f the diUriels belonging to Whytooa, who, as well as
Urripiah, had recommended him to our notice; in confequence of
which, he had lately been a conftant attendant on the encampment; a
man, who had alfo been recommended by fome of the chiefs to alfift in
cooking, had been obferved with Arreheah to have flept near the marquee
on the night the robbery was committed. On this circumftance
being made known to Pomurrey, he replied, that one, if not both, were
certainly guilty. The dinner being now ferved, ended the debate; after
which the three brothers fallied out in quell of the ftolen linen, and foon
returned with the fervant who had abfeonded. On his being examined
he accufed Arreheah as the thief; but being confcious of the robbery, he
had fled, left he lhould be fufpefted and punilhed. This man’s evidence
although tending to acquit himfelf as the principal, clearly proved him
an accomplice; and, not being without my fufpicions that he was in
reality the thief, I ordered a halter to be put about his neck in terrorem,
and fent on board the Ihip, there to be confined in irons ; with the affu-
rance, that if the linen was not reftored, he lhould certainly be hanged.
A Ihort debate, nearly to the fame purport, again took place between
the three brothers, in which Whytooa feemed much affected by Pomurrey's
rebuke. As the thief was now known, I embraced this occafion to inform
the royal party, that very confiderable prefents were propofed to
be made to them and the feveral chiefs; but not one fingle article would
be prefented unlefs Towereroo and Mr. Broughton’s linen were forthcoming.
On this they again departed, faying every thing lhould be
reftored.
The furf being tolerably fmooth in the afternoon, the large working
V ol. I. S tent,