»774- On the 13th, winds eafterly, fair weather. Neverthelefs,
■ ^*y‘ , we were not ready to fail, as Otoo had made me promife to
Friday ij. ^ee h»'m aga;n . and I had a prefent to make him, which I
referved to the laft. Oedidee was not yet come back from
Attahourou; various reports arofe concerning him; fome
faid he had returned to Matavai; others that he would not
return ; and fome would have it that he was at Oparree. In
order to know more of the truth, a party of us in the evening
went down to Oparree; where we found him, and like-
wife Towha, who, notwithftanding his illnefs, had refolved
to fee me before I failed, and had gotten thus far on his
journey. He was affll&ed with a fwelling in his feet and legs,
which had entirely taken away the ufe of them. As the
day was far fpent we were obliged to fhorten our ftay; and,
after feeing Otoo, we returned with Oedidee on board.
This youth, I found, was defirous of remaining at this
ifle, having, before, told him, as likewife many others, that
we Ihould not return. I now mentioned to him that he was
at liberty to remain here; or to quit us at Ulietea ; or to go
with us to England ; frankly owning that if he chofe the
latter, it was very probable he would never return to his
country ; in which cafe I would take care of him, and he
mull afterwards look upon me as his father. He threw his
arms about me, and wept much, faying many people per-
fuaded him to remain at Otaheite. I told him to go afhore
and fpeak to his friends, and then come to me in the morning.
He was well beloved in the fliip; fo that every one
was perfuading him to go with us ; telling him what great
things he would fee in England, and the immenfe riches
(according to his idea of riches) he would return with. But
I thought proper to undeceive him, as knowing that the
. 3 | only
only inducement to his going, was the expectation of re- W4.
turning, and I could fee no profpedfc of an opportunity of —v-— >
that kind happening, unlefs a fhip fhould be exprefsly fent Fnday '3'
out for that purpofe; which neither I, nor any one elfe, had
a right to expect. I thought it an act of the higheft injuftice
to take a perfon from thefe ifles, under any promife which
was not in my power to perform. At this time, indeed, it
was quite unneceflary; for many youths voluntarily offered
themfelves to go, and even to remain and die in Pretanee-, as
they call our country. Otoo importuned me much to take
one or two, to collect red feathers for him at Amfterdam,
willing to rifque the chance of their returning. Some of
the gentlemen on board were likewife defirous of taking
fome as fervants; but I refufed every folicitation of this
kind, knowing, from experience, they would be of no ufe
to us in the courfe of the voyage; and farther my views
were not extended. What had the greateft weight with me,
was the thinking myfelf bound to fee they were afterwards
properly taken care of, as they could not be carried from
their native fpot without confent.
Next morning early, Oedidee came on board with a refo- Saturday 1-4.
lution to remain at the ifland; but Mr. Forfter prevailed
upon him to go with us to Ulietea. Soon after, Towha, Poa-
tatou, Oamo, Happi, Oberea, and feveral more of our friends,
came on board with fruit, &c. Towha was hoifted in and
placed on a chair on the quarter-deck; his wife was with
him. Among!! the various articles which I gave this chief,
was an Englifh pendant, which pleafed him more than all-
the reft, efpecially after he had been inftrudted in the ufe-
of it.
We