„ '777- A circumftance w h ich I ih a ll now mention o f Otoo, w ill
S eptemb er .
<—-v---- 1 iliew , that thefe people are capable o f much addrefs and
art, to ga in their purpofes. Amongft other things, which,
at different times, I had given to this Chief, was a fpying-
' glafs. After ha vin g it in his pofieflion two or three days,
tired o f its novelty, and probably finding it o f no ufe to
him, he carried it privately to Captain Clerke, and told him,
that, as he had been his ve ry good friend, he had got a pre-
fent for him, w h ich he k n ew would be agreeable. “ But,
fays Otoo, you muft not let Toote kn ow it,' becaufe he wants
it, and I would not let him have it.” He then put the glafs;
into Captain C lerke's hands ; at the fame time, affuring him,
that he came honeftly by it. Captain Clerke, at firft, declined
accepting i t ; but Otoo infifted upon it, and le ft it
w ith him. Some days after, he put Captain Clerke in mind
o f the glafs ; who, though he did not want it, was yet de-
firous o f o b lig in g O to o ; and thinking, that a few axes
would be o f more ufe at this ifland, produced four to give
him in return. Otoo no fooner faw this, than he faid,
“ Toote offered me five fo r it.” “ Well, fays Captain
Cle rk e, i f that be the cafe, y o u r friendihip fo r me iha ll
not make yo u a lofer, and you Ihall have fix axes.” Thefe
he a ccepted; but defired again, that I m igh t not be told
what he had done.
Our friend Omai got one good thing, at this ifland, for
the many good things he gave away. This was a very fine
double failin g canoe, completely equipped, and fit for the
fea. Some time before, I had made up fo r him, a fuit o f
Engiifh colours ; but he thought thefe too valuable to bs
ufed at this t im e ; and patched up a parcel o f colours, fuch
as flags and pendants, to the number o f ten or a dozen,
w hich he fpread on different parts o f his veffel, all at the
fame
fame t im e ; an d drew together as many people to look at gm
* 0 ; 4 1 Sep tem b e r ,
her, as a man o f war would, dreffed, in a European port. 1 »----
Thefe ftreamers o f Omai were a mixture o f E n g liih ,
French, Spanifh, and Dutch, w hich were all the European
colours that he had feen. When I was laft at this ifland, I
gave to Otoo an En gliih ja s k and pendant, and to T owh a a'
p endant; w hich I n ow found they had preferved with the
greateft care.
Omai had arfo provided h im fe lf w ith a good flock o f
cloth and cocoa-nut oil, w h ich are not only in greater
plenty, but much better, at Otaheite, than at any o f the
Society Iflands j infomuch, that the y are articles o f trade.
Omai would not have behaved fo inconfiftently, and fo
mu ch u n lik e himfelf, as he did, in many inftances, but
fo r his fitter and brother-in-law, who, together with a few
more o f their acquaintance, engrofled him entirely to them-
felves, w ith no other v iew than to ftrip him o f every thing,
he had got. And they would, undoubtedly, have fucceeded
in their fcheme, i f I had not put a flop to it in time, b y
taking the moft u fe fu l articles o f his property into m y pof-
feifion. But even this would not have faved Omai from
ruin, i f I had fuffered thefe relations o f his to have-gone
with, or to have follow ed us to, his intended place o f fettle--
ment, Huaheine. T h is they had intended; but I dffap-
pointed their farther views o f plunder, by forbidding'them*
to fliew themfelves in that ifland, while I remained in
the neighbourhood; and they knew me too well not to
comply.
On the 28th, Otoo came on board, and informed me, that Sanc’ay 28.
he had got a canoe, which he defired I would take with me,
and carry home, as a prefent from him to the Earee rahle
no Pretane; it being the only thing, he faid,. that he could
fend