In Consequence Of This Information, I
Determined To Wait One Day Longer, In Order To Have An Interview With This
Prince.
Accordingly, early the next morning, I set out in company with
Captain Furneaux, Mr Forster, and several of the natives.
We met the chief
about a mile from the landing-place, towards which he was advancing to meet
us; but, as soon as he saw us, he stopt, with his numerous train, in the
open air. I found him seated upon a stool, with a circle of people round
him, and knew him at first sight, and he me, having seen each other several
times in 1769. At that time he was but a boy, and went by the name of
Tearee, but, upon the death of his father, Waheatoun, he took upon him that
name.
After the first salutation was over, having seated me on the same stool
with himself, and the other gentlemen on the ground by us, he began to
enquire after several by name who were with me on my former voyage. He next
enquired how long I would stay, and when I told him no longer than next
day, he seemed sorry, asked me to stay some months, and at last came down
to five days, promising, that in that time I should have hogs in plenty;
but, as I had been here already a week, without so much as getting one, I
could not put any faith in this promise; and yet, I believe, if I had
staid, we should have fared much better than at Matavai. The present I made
him consisted of a shirt, a sheet, a broad axe, spike-nails, knives,
looking-glasses, medals, beads, &c.; in return, he ordered a pretty good
hog to be carried to our boat. We staid with him all the morning, during
which time, he never suffered me to go from his side, where he was seated.
I was also seated on the same stool, which was carried from place to place
by one of his attendants, whom he called stool-bearer. At length we took
leave, in order to return on board to dinner, after which, we visited him
again, and made him more presents, and he, in return, gave Captain Furneaux
and me each of us an hog. Some others were got by exchanges at the trading
places; so that we got in the whole, to-day, as much fresh pork as gave the
crews of both the ships a meal; and this in consequence of our having this
interview with the chief.[3]
The 24th, early in the morning, we put to sea with a light land-breeze.
Soon after we were out, we got the wind at west, which blew in squalls,
attended with heavy showers of rain. Many canoes accompanied us out to sea,
with cocoa-nuts and other fruits, and did not leave us till they had
disposed of their cargoes.
The fruits we got here greatly contributed towards the recovery of the
Adventure's sick people; many of them, who had been so ill as not to be
able to move without assistance, were, in this short time so far recovered,
that they could walk about of themselves. When we put in here, the
Resolution had but one scorbutic man on board, and a marine, who had been
long sick, and who died the second day after our arrival, of a complication
of disorders, without the least mixture of the scurvy. I left Lieutenant
Pickersgill, with the cutter, behind the bay, to purchase hogs, as several
had promised to bring some down to-day, and I was not willing to lose them.
On the 25th; about noon, Mr Pickersgill returned with eight hogs, which he
got at Oaiti-piha. He spent the night at Ohedea, and was well entertained
by Ereti, the chief of that district. It was remarkable, that this chief
never once asked after Aotouroo, nor did he take the least notice when Mr
Pickersgill mentioned his name. And yet M. de Bougainville tells us, this
is the very chief who presented Aotourou to him; which makes it the more
extraordinary, that he should neither enquire after him now, nor when he
was with us at Matavai, especially as they believed that we and M. de
Bougainville came from the same country, that is, from Pretane, for
so they called our country. They had not the least knowledge of any other
European nation, nor probably will they, unless some of those men should
return who had lately gone from the isle, of which mention shall be made
bye and bye. We told several of them, that M. de Bougainville came from
France, a name they could by no means pronounce; nor could they pronounce
that of Paris much better; so that it is not likely that they will remember
either the one or the other long; whereas Pretane is in every
child's mouth, and will hardly ever be forgotten. It was not till the
evening of this day that we arrived in Matavai bay.
[1] Perhaps few descriptions of natural scenery excel the following,
in real poetic effect: - "It was one of those beautiful mornings which
the poets of all nations have attempted to describe, when we saw the
isle of Otaheite, within two miles before us. The east-wind which had
carried us so far, was entirely vanished, and a faint breeze only
wafted a delicious perfume from the land, and curled the surface of
the sea. The mountains, clothed with forests, rose majestic in various
spiry forms, on which we already perceived the light of the rising
sun: Nearer to the eye a lower range of hills, easier of ascent,
appeared, wooded like the former, and coloured with several pleasing
hues of green, soberly mixed with autumnal browns. At their foot lay
the plain, crowned with its fertile bread-fruit trees, over which rose
innumerable palms, the princes of the grove. Here everything seemed as
yet asleep, the morning scarce dawned, and a peaceful shade still
rested on the landscape.
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