March ^0me years pall, had not occafioned them the Ieaft concern. Nor was
>— „— i it probable that they would be liable hereafter to any fort of inconvenience
in thofe refpefts% for, befxdes the high reputation, and univerfal
good opinion they had acquired amongft all claffes of the inhabitants,
they were now conlidered in the light of chiefs, and each of them pof-
fefled a confiderable landed property. Here they lived happily, and in
the greateft plenty; and, to their praife be it fpoken, the principal ob-
je ft they feemed to have in view was, to correft by gentle means the
vices, and encourage by the m o l laudable endeavours the virtues, of
thefe iflanders; in this meritorious undertaking they had evidently made
fome progrefs, and there are reafonable grounds to believe, that, by fteadi-
ly purfuing the fame line of condufl, it will in time have a due influence
on the general charafler of thefe people. From us they received every
attention that could ferve to raife them in the eftimation of the natives;
and fuch an alfortment of ufeful articles for promoting their comforts,
as it was in our power to afford.
Our faithful fhipmate Terchooa, who, to the lafl moment, conduced
himfelf with the greateft integrity and propriety, was alfo left very ad-
vantageoufly lituated, under the protection of the king and his. old maf-
ter Kahowmotoo, with a large affortment of ufeful implements, and ornamental
articles; and being firmly attached to Young and Davis, to
whom he could be very ufeful, and who had it in their power to ferve
him in return, his future profpefts in life feemed to have been much improved
by his excurfions in the Difcovery, of which he feemed very
fenfible, and which he gratefully acknowledged.
Thus concluded our tranfadions at Owhyhee, .to which we bad
Monday 3. adieu about three in the morning of monday the 3d of march, very
highly indebted for our reception, and the abundant refreftiments we
had procured. Thefe elfential comforts I fhould have entertained
no doubt would, in future, have been adminiftered to all vifitors who
fhould condufl themfelves with common honefty and proper decorum,
had we not left behind us a banditti of renegadoes, that had quitted different
trading vefiels in confequence of difputes with their refpeflive
commanders, who had reforted to this ifland fince the preceding year,
I - under
r o u n d t h e w o r l d . 6 f
under American or Portuguefe colours. Amongft them was one Portuguefe,
one Chinefe, and one Genoefe, but all the reft appeared to be 1----,— j
the fubjefts o f Great Britain, as feemed alfo the major part of the crew
of the: brig Walhington, although they called themfelves Americans.
Thefe latter perfons, in the charafler of failors, amounting to fix or fe-
vën in number, had taken up their abode with different chiefs of fome
power and confequence, who efleemcd thefe people as great aequifitions,
from their knowledge of fire-arms ; but-as no one of them could produce
any teftifhofiials of their former good condufl, or even make out aplau-
fible charafler for himfelf or his comrades, it is much to be" apprehended
they may be the means of creating; jnteftine commotions, by inciting
the jealbufy, and furthering the ambitious views of die haughty
chiefs, with whom they are refident. Their machination^ to the prejudice
of the exifting government, however, will prove ineffectual,. unlefs
they fhould- be able to elude the watchful attention Of Young and Davis ;
who are both Well aware of the danger they ought to be prepared to’
meet ; and whofe fidelity to Tamaakmdoh, I had every reafon to believe,.
Was not o f a nature to be ftiaken by the moft flattering temptations.
That thefe apprehenfions were well founded I could not entertain the
leaft doubt; for foon after my arrival at Owhyhee, I received, by Youngs
a letter from Mr. William Brown, commanding' the Butterworth of London,
complaining heavily of a fimi'larfet of vagabonds,- refidirig at Wôa-
hoo and at Attowai, who had, at the'latter place, taken up arms in fupport
of an inferior chief, againft the authority o f Taio:and Titeerie, thefove-
reighs o f that ifland; and had fo fa‘r forgotten their allegiance, and the
rules which humanity, jufticë, and comm'on- honefty preferibe, as:to concert,
with the natives1 of Attowai, a plan for the capturing of an American
brig, called the Hancock. This was1 to have been effected by fdut-
tling her- üridér water, which would induce the crew to fuppofe file
had fprung a very bad leak; when thefe renegadoes wèré to advife
her being hauled . on fibre, for the purpofe of laving from her as much
as poffible ; and when in this fituatien, Ihe would be completely In the
power, and at the difpofal, of the natives. But, happily for thofe in the
veffel, although Ihe was near finking, in confequence of a hole cut in
K 2 her