a
, 1794-
February.
March.
Saturday i.
Sunday i t
behind which the plains of Whymea are Hated to commence, which are
reputed to be very rich and productive, occupying a fpace of feveral
miles in extent, and winding at the foot of thefe three lofty mountains
far into the country. In this valley is a great tract of luxuriant, natural
pafture, whither all the cattle and (heep imported by me were to be
driven, there to roam unreftrained, to “ increafe and multiply” far from
the fight of Grangers, and confequently lefs likely to tempt the inhabi-j
tants to violate the facred promife they had made; the obferVance of
which, for the time ftipulated in their interdiction, cannot fail to render
the extirpation of thefe animals a talk not eafily to be aecomplilhed.
This day being devoted to their holy rites, the king, with all the provincial
chiefs, remained in facred retirement. The fame caufe operated
to deprive us of the fociety of our other vifitors, particularly the females,
who are on no account permitted to be afloat on thefe occalions.
The next morning the king, with all our friends, were again about the
veflels. In the courfe of the day a further proof of the liberality of
Tamdahnurnh’s difpolition was given, by his prefenting us with near an
hundred hogs of the largeft fize, and as great a quantity of vegetables as
both veflels could well difpofe of; with offers o f a further fupply if
thefe were infufKcient.
It was my intention to have failed with the land wind in the evening,
but TartuuJvmaah pointing out that fince thurfday his engagements on
Ihore had totally deprived him of our fociety ; firft by his attendance on
their religious ceremonies, and afterwards in procuring and fending us
the fupplies we required; and foliciting, at the fame time, in the molt
earneft manner, that the laft day Ihould be dedicated to the enjoyment
of each other’s company, I was induced to remain the following day, to
prove to him that there was no indulgence in my power, compatible
with my duty, that I would not grant, in return for the friendfhip and
regard he had on all occalions manifefted towards us, and that in the
moll princely and unlimited manner.
The fucceeding day was confequently pafled in receiving farewell vilits,
and malting farewell acknowledgments to our numerous friends; who all
exprefljed
expreffed the high fatisfa&ion they had experienced during our refit >791-
dence amongft them,-and the deep regret they felt at our departure <— „—
from the ifland ; after which they were feen.to Heal away gently and
reluflantly from a fcene that had. afforded them fo many valuable acquirements,
and fo much pleating entertainment. By fun-fet nearly the
whole group was difperfed in the feveral direftions to which their inclinations
or neceflities led, The occurrences of this day did not pafs over
without producing fome impreflions on, our fenfibility, from the repeated
ardent felicitations that we would come back to. them again, and from
the undifguifed fincerity of the withes and: prayers that were offered up
for our future happinefs and profperity.
As our departure was to take place with the firft breeze from the land,
Tamaahmaah and his queen, unwilling to take leave until the very , laft
moment, remained.on board until near. midnight, when they departed,
with hearts too full to exprefs the fenfations which the moment of .reparation
produced in each ; with them their honeft and judicious epunfellors
Young and Davis returned ,to the Ihore. The good fenfe, moderation,,
and propriety of conduft in thefe men, daily increafed their own refpec-
tability, and augmented the efteem and regard,, not only of the king
and all .his friends, but even .o f thofe .who were profefledly adverfe tq
the exifting government, and who confequently were at firft inimical tq
their intereft.
As it was a great uncertainty, whether we thould or Ihould not return
again to thefe iflands, I had given thefe two worthy characters their
choice of taking their paffage with me to their native country,, or of
remaining on the »ifland in the fame fituation which they had fo long
filled with credit to themfelves, and with Jo much fatisfa&ion to the
king and the reft of the principal people.. After mature eonfidera-
tion, they preferred their prefent way of life, and were defirous of continuingat
Owhyhee; obferving, that being deftitute of refources; bn their
return home,' (which, however, they fpoke of, in a way that did honor to
their hearts and underftandings). they muft be again expofed to the vicifli-
tudes of a life of hard labour, for the purpofe of merely acquiring a precarious
fupply of the molt common neceffaries of life ; objects which, for
Vo b. HI. K. lome