Ap,7if.' ° ne party wamed me to go to Otoo, and the other to remain
with Towha. Coming to the ufual place of audience, a
mat was fpread for me to fit down upon, and Tee left me to
go and bring the king. Towha was unwilling I fliould fit
down, partly infilling on my going with him ; but, as I
knew nothing of this chief, I refufed to comply. - Prefently
Tee returned, and wanted to condudlme to the king, taking
hold of my hand for that purpofe. This Towha oppofedj
fo that, between the one party and the other, I was like to
have been torn in pieces; and was obliged to delire Tee to
defill, and to leave me to the -admiral and his party, who
conduced me down to the fleet. As foon as we came before
the admiral’s veflel, we found two lines of armed men
drawn up before her, to keep off the crowd, as I fuppofed,
and to clear the way for me to go in. But, as I was determined
not to go, I made the water, which was between me
and her, an excufe. This did nor anfwer* for a man immediately
fquatted himfelf down at my feet, offering to carry
me; and then I declared I would not go. That very moment
Towha quitted me, without my feeing which way he
went, nor would any one inform me. Turning myfelf
round I faw Tee, who, I believe, had never loll fight of me
Inquiring of him for the king, he told me he was gone into the
country Mataou, and advifed me to go to my boat; which
we accordingly did, as foon. as we could get collected together.
For Mr. Edgcumbe was the only perfon that could
keep wrth me; the others being jollied about in the crowd
in the fame manner we had been.
When we got into our boat we took our time to view this
grand fleet. The veffels of war confified of an hundred and
fixty large double canoes, very well equipped, manned, and
armed.
armed. But I am not fure that they had their full complement
of men or rowers; I rather think not. The chiefs,
and all thofe on the lighting ftages, were dreffed in their war
habits ; that is, in a vail quantity of cloth, turbans, bread-
plates, and helmets., Some of the latter were of fuch a
length as greatly to incumber, the wearer. Indeed, their
whole drefs feemed to be ill calculated for the day of battle,
and to be defigned more for fhew than ufe. Be this as it may,
it certainly added grandeur to the profpedt, as they were fo
complaifant as to fhew themfelves to the bell advantage.
The veffels were decorated with flags, llreamers, &c.; fo
that the whole made a grand and noble appearance, fuch as
we had never feen before in this fea, and what no one would
have expected. Their inllruments of war were clubs, fpears,
and Hones. The veffels were ranged clofe along-fide of each
other, with their heads alhore, and their Hern to the fea ;
the admiral’s veflel being nearly in the centre. Befides the
veffels of .war, there were an hundred and feventy fail of
fmaller double canoes, all with a little houfe upon them,
and rigged with malt and fail, which the war canoes had
not. Thefe, we judged, were defigned for tranfports, victuallers,
& c .; for in the war canoes was no fort of provi-
fions whatever. In thefe three hundred and thirty veffels I
guefled there were no lefs than feven thoufand feven hundred
and fixty men; a number which appears incredible,
efpecially as we were told they all belonged to the diftridts
of Attahourou and Ahopatea. In this computation I allow
to each war canoe forty men, troops and rowers, and to
each of the fmall canoes eight. Moll of the gentlemen who
were with me, thought the number of men belonging to the
war canoes exceeded this. It is certain that the moft of
.them were fitted to row with .more paddles than I have al-
Vol. I. T t lowed
Tuefday z X