»774-
May.
Monday 9.
Tuefday 10.
This old chief was, at this time, in the neighbourhood of
Matavai; and it fhould feem, from what followed, that he
was not pleafed with the conditions; for, that fame evening,
all the women, which were not a few, were fent for
out of the fhip, and people ftationed, on different parts of
the fhore, to prevent any from coming off; and, the next
morning, no fupplies whatever being brought, on my inquiring
into the reafon, I was told Happi was mataoued-
Chagrined at this difappointment as I was, I forbore taking
any flep, from a fuppofition that Tee had not feen him, or
that Otoo’s orders had not yet reached Matavai. A fupply of
fruit fent us from Oparfee, and fome brought us by our
friends, ferved us for the prefent, and made us lefs anxious
about it. Thus matters flood till the afternoon, when Otoo
himfelf came to the tents with a large fupply. Thither I
went, and expoftulated with him for not permitting the
people in our neighbourhood to bring us fruit as ufual, in-
fifting on his giving immediate orders about it; which he
either did, or had done before. For, prefently after, more
was brought us than we could well manage. This was not
to be wondered at; for the people had every thing in readi-
nefs to bring, the moment they were permitted, and, I believe,
thought themfelves as much injured by the reftric-
tion as we did.
Otoo defiring to fee fome of the great guns fire from the
fhip, I ordered twelve to be fhotted and fired towards the
fea. As he had never feen a cannon fired before, the fight
gave him as much pain as pleafure. In the evening, we entertained
him with fire-works, which gave him great fa-
tisfaction.
Thus
Thus ended all our differences,- on which I beg. leave to
fuggeft the following remarks. I have had occafion, in this
journal before, to ob'férvê that thefé people Were continually
watching opportunities to rob us. This their governors
either encouraged, or had not power to prevent; but mofl
probably the former, becaufe the offender was always
-fcreened. That they fhould có'mmit fuch daring thefts Was
the more extraordinary, as they frequently run the rifque of
being fhot in the attempt; and if the article that they ftolè
was of any confequencc, they knew they fhould be obliged
to-make reftitution. The moment a theft of this kind was
committed, it fpread like thé wind over the whole neighbourhood.
They judged of the cohfequences from what
they had got. If it were a trifle, and fuch an article as wé
ufually gave them, little or no notice was taken of i t ; but
if the contrary, every one took the alarm, and moved off
with his moveables in all hafte. The chief then was mataoued,
giving orders to bring us no fupplies, and flying to
fome diftant part. All this was fornetimes done fo fuddenly,
that we obtained, by thefe appearances, thé firft intelligence
of our being robbed. Whether We obliged them to make
reftitution or no, the chief muft be reconciled, before any
of the people were permitted to bring in arty refrefliments.
They knew very well we could not do without them, and
therefore never failed ftriftly to obferve this rule, without
ever confidering, that all their war canoes, on which the
ftrength of their nation depends, their houfes, and even the
very fruit they refufed to fupply us with, were entirely in
our power. It is hard to fay how they would aft, were one
to deftroy any of thefe things. Except the detaining fome
of their canoes for a while, I never touched the leaft article
Vol. I. X x> of
■ 77+.
May. !
Tüéfdàÿ io.