.Sunday 8.
Monday 9«
from him. I know nor, if they took this trouble of their
own accord, or by order of Otoo. I rewarded them, and
made no farther inquiry about it. Thefe men, as well as
Lome others prefent, allured me that it was one of Maritata’s
people who had committed this theft; which vexed me that
I had let his canoes fo ealily flip through my fingers. Here,
I believe, both Tee and Oedidee defignedly deceived me.
When the mufquet and other things were brought in,
every one then prefent, or who came after, pretended to have
had fome hand in recovering them, and claimed a reward
accordingly. But there was no one who a died this farce fo
well as Nuno, a man of fome note, and Well known to us
when I was here in 1769. This man came, with all the Lavage
fury imaginable in his countenance,-and a large club
in his hand, with which he beat about him, in order to fhew
us how he alone had killed the thief; when, at the fame
time, we all knew that he had not been out of his houfe the
whole time.
Thus ended this troublefome day; and next morning
■ early, Tee, Otoo’s faithful ambaflador, came again on board,
to acquaint me that Otoo was gone to Oparree, and defired I
■ would fend a perfon (one of the natives as I underftood), to
tell him that I was ftill his Tiyo. I alked him why he did not
do this himfelf, as I had defired. He made fome excufe;
but, I believe, the truth was, he had not feen him. In fhort,
I found it was neceflary for me to go myfelf; for, while
we thus fpent our time in meflages, we remained without
fruit, a flop being put to all exchanges of this nature; that
is, the natives brought nothing to market. Accordingly, a
party of us Tet out, with Tee in our company, and proceeded
to the very utmoft limits of Oparree, where, after
waiting
waiting fome confiderable time, and feveral meflages having 1774-
palled, the king, at laft, made his appearance.- After we ■
were feated under the fhade of fome trees, as ufual, and the Monday 9;
firft falutations were over, he defired me-to parou (that is, to
fpeak). Accordingly, I began with blaming him for being
frightened and alarmed at what had happened, fince I had
always profefled myfelf his friend, and I was not angry
with him or any of his people; but with thofe of Tiarabou
who were the thieves. I was then alked, how I came to fire
at the Canoes ? Chance, on this occafion, furnilhed me with
a good excufe. I told them, that they belonged to Maritata,
a Tiarabou man, one of whofe people had ftolen the mufquet,
and occafioned all this difturbance, and if I had
them in my power I would deftroy them, or any other belonging
to Tiarabou. This declaration pleafed them, as L
expended, from the natural averfion the one kingdom has to
the other. What I faid was enforced by prefents, which,
perhaps, had the greateft weight with them. Thus were
things once more reftored to their former Hate; and Otoo-
promifed on his part, that, the next day, we Ihould be fup-
plied with fruit, &c. as ufual.
We then returned with him to his proper refidence at
Oparree, and there took a view of fome of his dock-yards.
(for fuch they well deferved to be called) and large canoes
fome lately built and others building; two of which were-
the largelt I had ever feen in this fea ; or, indeed, any where
elfe, under that name. This done, we returned on board,,
with Tee in our company; who, after he had dined with
us, went to inform old Happi, the king’s father, that all-
matters were accommodated.
This.