who generally takes up his abode in an extenfive village, about a
league to the fouthward of the north-eaft point o f the illand. Here
Enemo the regent, with the young prince Tamooerrie, were now living;
who fent Williams (the Welchman mentioned in bur former vifit) to
acquaint me, that, in the courfe of the forenoon, they would vifit the
'{hip, if we were near enough the fliore for them to embark. I under-
ftood from Williams, that we had gained fo much on the efteem and
regard o f Enemo, the young prince, the principal chiefs, and others, on
our Iaft vifit, that, for a great length o f time, the hogs, and every other
production o f the major part o f the illand, had been tabooed, in order
that on our arrival our wants might be amply fupplied. O f thefe kind
intentions we were made acquainted before our departure from Owhy-
hee; but I knew too well the little regard that the whole o f the great
South-Sea nation o f iflanders bear to truth, to rely implicitly on fuch tales;
and it was very fortunate that I did not, and that I had availed myfelf
o f the bounty o f Tamaahmaah, and the reft o f our Owhyhean friends:
fo r I was given to underhand, that, in confequence o f our having exceeded
the period o f our promifed return, the prefling demands of the trading
veflels, and the extravagant prices paid by their commanders, in firearms,
ammunition, and other commodities, for fuch things as their necef-
fities or fancies prompted them to purchafe, the regent had been prevailed
upon to fufpend the interdiction, under the perfuafion that we Ihould not
return, and that moll o f the fupplies had been difpofed of. Some few
hogs, I found, might probably be procured from the north fide, and I
was happy to difcover, that the few fupplies we were likely to obtain, were-
-in the route I wilhed to purfue; but I was again mortified, on hearing
that the current fat, almoft without intermillion, from the N.w. along
the north fide of the illand; and following the direftion of the Ihores,
on the fouthern and weftern fides o f the illand, caufed a ftream almoft
always1 round i t ; fo that the eafieft mode o f arriving at the north-eaft
point, now fcarcely more than 2 leagues diftant, was to fail to leeward
round its weft extremity, and then to turn up along its northern fide,
which Williams informed me afforded no Ihelter, nor convenient anchorage,
for {hipping. Several veflels, he faid, fince he had been at
2 Attowai,
Attowai, had fallen, as we had done, to leeward o f the north-eaft point, 1793.
and <fll their attempts to beat round it proved ineffectual; one veffel 1
only having fucceeded after a week’s trial, and which then paffed the
point merply by an accidental fpirt o f wind from the fouthward.
Williams confirmed alfo the account o f the infurreftion that we had
heard the preceding day. He Hated, that the difaffeftion had been produ-
duced by the conduct o f the regent Enemo, (or, as he is frequently called,
Attain,); that no harm was meditated againft Taio, or his fon 'Tamooerrie ;
but, on the contrary; it was the general wilh o f the people, that the
young prince would either direft the government himfelf, or that Taio
would appoint fome other perfon to officiate in his abfence, until his
fon Ihould be confidered equal to the - talk. The principal dillike to
the regent, arofe from his having put feveral people to death, and con-
fifcated the property o f others, for having been fufpefted o f witchcraft
; a notion that univerfally prevails, and is confided in by the generality
o f the people belonging to the Sandwich illands. It feemed, by
his account, to have been a fortunate circumftance, that the infurreffion
was difcovered in its infancy, and that he and Rowbottom, with five
other Englilh or American failors (who fince our laft vifit had deferted
from different trading veflels) had fided with the governor, as, on their
inftantly attacking the leaders o f the rebellion it was ealily quelled.’
This circumftance was afterwards mentioned by the natives, who fpoke
in the higheft terms o f their courage, and propriety o f conduct.
We again flood in fhore, and about noon were honored with the prefence
o f Enemo.
On this occafion, I expected much fatisfaftion in the renewal of
our former acquaintance; but inftead of deriving any pleafure in our
meeting, I experienced fenfations of a very oppofite nature the inftant
he entered the ffiip. His limbs, no longer able to fupport his aged and
venerable perfon, feemed not only deferted by their former mufcular
ftrength, but their fubftance was alfo intir.ely wafted away, and- the flein,
now inclofing the bones only, hung loofe and uncontraQed from the
joints, whilft a dry white feurf, or rather feales, overfpread the 'whole
furface