A V O Y A G E OF D I S C O V E R Y
*793* returned to the fhore without a handfome token of my efteem. Tamaah-
j motoo, and his retinue, though Iefs deferving of fuch marks of attention,
and with little claim to any acknowledgment from me, were not
omitted, but received fuch prefents as their refpeftive conditions and
the occalion feemed to demand. With this party had come a daughter
of Tamaahmaah, about nine years o f age. She had not vifited us when
we were here before, nor had we ever feeri her until the arrival of
Tamaahmotoo, to whofe charge Ihe had fome time fince been entrufted fot
the purpofe of being educated and brought up agreeably to the cuftom
of thefe iflands. She bore a ftriking likenefs to her father, and though
far from being handfome, had an expreffive,intelligent countenance, and
was a very cheerful and engaging girl.
All the chiefs that were expefled being now alfembfed, I inquired of
the king when the propofed voluntary ceffion of the ifland was to be
confirmed. A fhoft cOnverfation immediately took place between Tamaahmaah
and fome of his counfellors then prefent; the refult of which
was, that as a taboo-poory was to commence on the evening of the enfuing
funday,- and would continue until tuefday morning, they were unani-
moufly of opinion, that it would be highly proper to embrace that opportunity
of reconfulting the priefts, that each might be fully fatisfied
with the propriety of the meafure they were about to adopt. Tamaahmaah
at the fame time requefled, that I would attend him at the grand
moral during the interdi&ion.
This was a reply that I did not altogether like, nor did I expefii it, as
they were all convinced how anx-ious I now was to take my departure.
A final appeal to the priefts, however, I was given to underftand, could
not be difpenfed with ; and as there was little probability of the party
from Mowna Roa returning much before that time, I was induced to pro-
mife that I would comply with their wiflies:
There appeared little reafon to believe that the ceffion would not be
made, although fome previous ceremonies were ftill wanting, before they
would be enabled to make the furrender in form, which at this time
was fixed for the following tuefday; immediately after which, I informed
them, I fhould fail with the land wind for Tyahtatooa and Toeaigh,
to
to the former, for the purpofe of more particularly examining the an- Fe^ a4'
chorage, arid to the latter for the purpofe o f procuring fuch a further 1----„—
flock of refrefhments as we could conveniently take ; well knowing that
we ought to place little dependence on the precarious fupply that Mowee,
Woahoo, or the reft of the iflands to leeward might afford. The whole
of the party did me the favor to fay, that they would remain on board
Until we quitted Owhyhee.
I was very much concerned to find, that my earned: endeavours to
bring about a reconciliation, and to eftablifh peace amongft thefe
iflands, had proved unfuccefsful. The mutual diftruft that continued
to exift amongft the people of the feveral iflands, which I had forefeen
to be the greateft difficulty there was to combat, and which I had apprehended
would be an infurmountable obflacle* had proved fatal to the
attainment of this defirable objefl. Immediately on my arrival here, I
inquired if my letter from Mowee had been received, and received an
anfwer in the negative. But I was given to underftand, that a fmall party
from that ifland had arrived on the weftern fide of Owhyhee, whofe ob-
je£t was fufpeffted to be that of feizing on fome of the inhabitants there,
for the purpofe o f taking them away, and of facrificing them in their religious
rites at Mowee ; and fome reports went fo far as to affert that
this diabolical objeft had been effefted. On further inquiry, however,
this fa£t appeared to be by no means eftablifhed ; as it was pofitively infilled
on by fome, and by others as pofitively denied. One circumflance,
however, both parties agreed in, that of the people from Mowee having
been under the neceffity of making a hafty retreat. I could not underftand
that any chief was in the neighbourhood of the place where they
had landed ; and Tamaahmaah himfelf, either from a conviftion that they
had been unfairly dealt with, or that I fhould difapprove of the fufpici-
ous narrow policy that had influenced the condufl o f his people on
this occafion, was unwilling to allow that he had been made duly acquainted
with their arrival,- and was always defirous of avoiding the
fubjeft in converfation.
After many attempts to fix his attention, I at length explained to him
what Was the refult of my négociation with the chiefs at Mowee ; and
V ol. III. H he