7777' fail, the wind became unfettled ; which made it UIVMay.
■ / fafe to attempt a pauage this way, till we were better acquainted
with it. I, therefore, lay fail, and made the fignal
for the.Mailer to return; and afterward fent him and the
Mailer of the Difcovery, each in a boat, with inftrutilions
to examine the channels, as far as they could, allowing
themfelves time to get back to the fhips before the clofe of
the day.
About noon, a large failing canoe came under our ftern,
in which was a perfon named Futtafaihe, or Poulaho, or
both ; who, as the natives then on board told us, was King
o f Tongataboo, and of all the neighbouring iflands that we
had feen or heard of. It was a matter of furprize to me, to
have a ftranger introduced under this character, which I
had fo much reafon to believe really belonged to another.
But they perfifted in their account of the fupreme dignity
of this new vifiter; and now, for the firft time, they
owned to me, that Feenou was not the King, but only a
fubordinate Chief, though of great power; as he was often
fent from Tongataboo to the other iflands, on warlike expeditions,
or to decide differences. It being my intereft, as
well as my inclination, to pay court to all the great men,
without making inquiry into the validity of their af-
fumed titles, I invited Poulaho on board ; as I underftood he
was very delirous to come. He could not be' an unwelcome
.gueft; for he brought with him, as a prefent to me, two
good fat hogs; though not fo fat as himfelf. If weight of
body could give weight in rank or power, he was certainly
the moft eminent man in that refpeft, we had feen; for,
though not very tall, he was very unwieldy, and almoft
ihapelefs with corpulence. He feemed to be about forty
years of age, had ftraight hair, and his features differed a
§ good
good deal from thofe o f the bulk of his people. I found 'm-'
him to be a fedate, fenlible man. He viewed the fhip, and 1 »
the feveral new objeils, with uncommon attention; and
aiked many pertinent queftions; one of which was, What
could induce us to vifit thefe iflands ? After he had fatisfied
his curiofity in looking at the cattle, and other novelties
which he met with upon deck, I defired him to walk down
into the cabin. To this, fome of his attendants objected,
faying, that, i f he were to accept of that invitation, it muft
happen, that people would walk over his head ; which could
not be permitted. I directed my interpreter Omni, to tell
them, that I would obviate their objection, by giving orders,
that no one fhould prefume to walk upon that part of the
deck which was over the cabin. Whether this expedient
would have fatisfied them, was far from appearing ; bat the
Chief himfelf, lefs fcrupulous, in this refpedt, than his attendants,
waved all ceremony, and walked down without
any ftipulation. He now appeared to be as folicitous himfelf,
as his people were, to convince us that he was king,
and not Feenou, who had palled with us as fuch. For he
foon perceived, that we had fome doubts about it ; which
doubts Omai was not very delirous . of removing. The
clofeft connexion had been formed between him and Feenou,
in teftimony of wliich, they had exchanged names ;
and, therefore, he was not a little chagrined, that .another
perfon now put in his claim to the honours which , his
friend had hitherto enjoyed.
Poulaho fat down with us to dinner; but he eat little, and
drank lefs. When we rofe from the table, he defired me to
accompany him afhore. Omai was aiked to be of thé party ;
but he was too faithfully attached to Feenou, to ihew any
attention to his competitor; and, therefore, excufed him-
V o l . I. M m f e l f .