A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
March. bltl0n t0 Polrefs themfelves of each others territories, which experience
'---------' had fliewn them they were incapable of retaining after conqueft.
Thefe and fimilar arguments I had repeatedly made ufe of, for the
defirable purpofe o f bringing about a general pacification with the contending
fovereigns of thefe Hands ; and had at' length fucceeded fo far,
as to induce the king, and moft o f die chiefs, to give the matter their feri-
ous confideration. One obftacle, however, feemed to be infurmountable.
The want of confidence, ;in all the ruling parties. Such a négociation
could only- take place by perfonal conference, and were a chief to be
fent from hence to Mowee, with full powers to enter upon fo defirable a
bufinefs, it was alledged die people there would have no good opinion of
his intentions ; and, confidering him as a fpy, would inftantly put him
to death.
I endeavoured to do away this objeftion, by offering to take any chief fo
empowered on board the fhip, and to tow his canoe to Mowee, where I
would proteéi him, and remain until the négociation was at an end.
This was not confidered as a fufficient proteftion, as the ambaffador
would be fafe no longer than I fhould remain on the fpot. The bufinefs
however did not reft here; for being on fhore, the day before Ka-
hoitmotQo’s departure, I was folicited to attend a council o f die chiefs at
Tamaakmaah’s houfe. Here much was. faid on the fubjeft o f the peace
1 had f° earneftly recommended. The king and feveral o f the chiefs
feemed to be well convinced o f the benefits with which a peace would be
attended ; on this part of the difcourfe little was faid by Kakozvmotoo or
Tianna, but that they were convinced that little confidence could be
placed in Titeeree. They were however of opinion, that the beft method
o f infuring fuccefs would be, that I fhould take a chief of Owhyhee to
Mowee, and having fhewn to Titeeree and Taio the advantages of making
peace, and convinced their minds o f the propriety of fo doing, and of
the inclination o f Tamaafmaahto accomplifh this happy objeSl, that I
fhould return with Taio to Owhyhee, where they would immediately enter
heartily into the bufinefs with him, and leave all difputed points to
be adjufted by me, as the mutual friend of both parties.
There was doubtlels a great deal of folid fenle in this mode o f arffuinff,
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 157
guing, and probably there was no other mode fo likely to have 1793.
been attended with fuccefs; but I was fo much preffed for time, that ■
it was impoflible for me to havé made the experiment. On my
ftating, that the want o f time put it totally out of my power to comply
with this arrangement, which I fhould otherways have cheerfully acceded
to, fome eonverfation, that 1 did not underftand, paffed in a low
voice between the king and Kafiowmotoo; after which the former re-
quefted, as I feemed fo defirous o f effe&ing a peace between thé two
illands, that I would ufe my endeavours when I went to Mowee to
bring this matter about; and that on m y ' return next autumn to
thefe ’ illands, I fhould vifit Mowee firft, and if I then found the bufinefs
unaccomplilhed, fhould bring Taio under my proteftion to Owhyhee,
where every thing fhould be adjufted and fettled in the manner before
propofed. To this I gave no pofitive anfwer, wilhing firft to know
on what terms Tamaahmaah would agree to peace; to this it was replied,
that Mowee, Morotoi, and the neighbouring illands, fhould be
ceded to his fovereignty of Owhyhee, in right of his laft conqueft; and
that Titeeree and Taio fhould remain in the quiet poffeflion of Woahoo,
AtfOwai, and the reft o f the fmall iflands to leeward.
This exorbitant demand I Was confident would never be liftened to,
and I therefore declined having any thing more to do in the bufinefs,
until terms fhould be offered that might incline the oppofite party to be
defirous o f an accommodation.
After much eonverfation refpeffing the magnitude, population, and
fertility o f Owhyhee, which was ftated to be equal if not fuperior to
all the iflands colleffively taken, the right which Titeeree heid in the
fovereignty of Mowee and its neighbouring iflands was next difeuffed.
As the poffeflion o f thefe territories appeared to have been in the family
of Titeeree for many ages, I ftated that it was not likely he fhould eafily
relinquifh his pretenfions; and though he might be tempted to do fo on
certain conditions, at the moment, yet after he had re-eftablifhed his
power, and recruited his ftrength in men and canoes, there could not be
a doubt but he would endeavour to re-affume the dominions of his forefathers,
and then the fame devaftation and warfare would be again revived.
Thefe;