>~74- had been, all along, told, it would be ten moons before it
—,---< took place; and it was not till the evening before we failed,
that Otoo and Towha told us it was to be in five days after
we were gone; as if it were neceflary to have that time to
put every thing in order; for, while we lay there, great part
of their time and attention was taken up with us. I had
obferved that, for feveral days before we failed, Otoo and the
other chiefs hadxeafed to folicit my affiftance, as they were
continually doing at firft, till I allured Otoo that, if they got
their fleet ready in time, I would fail with them down to
Eimeo: after this I heard no more of it. They probably had
taken it into confideration, and concluded themfelves fafer
without me ; well knowing it would be in my power to give
the victory to whom I pleafed, and that, at the bell, I might
thwart fome favourite cuftom, or run away with the fpoils.
But be their reafons what they might, they certainly wanted
us to be gone, before they undertook any thing. Thus, we
were deprived of feeing the whole fleet equipped on this
occafion; and perhaps of being fpedlators of a fea-fight,
and, by that means, gaining fome knowledge of their manoeuvres.
I never could learn what number of veflels were to go on
this expedition. We knew of no more than two hundred
and ten, befides fmaller canoes to ferve as tranfports, See.
and the fleet of Tiarabou, the ftrength of which we never
learnt. Nor could I ever learn the number of men neceflary
to man this fleet; and whenever I afked the queftion, the
anfwer was, Warou, ivarou, warou te Tata, that is, many;
.many, many men ; as if the number far exceeded their arithmetic.
If we allow forty men to each war canoe, and four
to each of the others, which is thought a moderate computation,
tation, the number will amount to nine thoufand. An afto-
nilhing number to be raifed in four diftridts; and one of *-—**-
them, viz. Matavai, d'id not equip a fourth part of its fleet.
The fleet of Tiarabou is not included in this account; and
many other diftridls might be arming which we knew nothing
of. I, however, believe, that the whole ifle did not
arm on this occafion; for we faw not the leaft preparations
making in Oparree.. From what we faw and could learn, I
am clearly of opinion that the chief, or chiefs, of each dif-
tricSt fu perintended the equipping of the fleet belonging to
that diftriiSl; but, after they are equipped, they mull pafs in
review before the king, and be approved of by him. By
this means he knows the Hate of the whole, before they af-
femble to go on fervice.
It hath been already obferved, that the number of war
canoes belonging to Attahourou and Ahopata was an hundred
and fixty, to Tettaha forty, and to Matavai ten, and that
this diftridf did not equip one-fourth part of their number.
If we fuppofe every diftridt in the ifland; of which there are
forty-three, ’ to raife and equip the fame number of war
canoes as Tettaha, we fhall find, by this eftimate, that the
whole ifland can raife and equip one thoufand feven hundred
and twenty war canoes, and fixty-eight thoufand able men ;
allowing forty men to each canoe. And, as thefe cannor
amount to above one-third part of the number of both fexes,.
children included, the whole ifland cannot contain lefs tharr
two hundred and four thoufand inhabitants; a number
which, at firft fight, exceeded my belief. But, when I came:
to refledt on the vaft fwarms which appeared wherever we
came, I was convinced that this eftimate-was not much, if at
all, too great. There cannot be a greater proof of the rich-
• mefc