For When I Went To Visit Otoo, In The Morning, By
Appointment, I Found Him Removed, Or Rather Fled, Many Miles From The Place
Of His Abode.
Even there I was obliged to wait some hours, before I could
see him at all; and when I did, he complained of the last night's riot.
As this was intended to be my last visit, I had taken with me a present
suitable to the occasion. Among other things were three Cape sheep, which
he had seen before and asked for; for these people never lose a thing by
not asking for it. He was much pleased with them; though he could be but
little benefited, as they were all weathers; a thing he was made acquainted
with. The presents he got at this interview entirely removed his fears, and
opened his heart so much, that he sent for three hogs; one for me, one for
Captain Furneaux, and one for Mr Forster. This last was small, of which we
complained, calling it ete, ete. Presently after a man came into the
circle, and spoke to the king with some warmth, and in a very peremptory
manner; saying something or other about hogs. We at first thought he was
angry with the king for giving us so many, especially as he took the little
pig away with him. The contrary, however, appeared to be the true cause of
his displeasure; for, presently after he was gone, a hog, larger than
either of the other two, was brought us in lieu of the little one. When we
took leave, I acquainted him that I should sail from the island the next
day; at which he seemed much moved, and embraced me several times. We
embarked to return on board, and he, with his numerous train, directed his
march back to Oparree.
The sick being all pretty well recovered, our water-casks repaired, and
water completed, as well as the necessary repairs of the ships, I
determined to put to sea without farther delay. Accordingly, on the 1st of
September, I ordered every thing to be got off from the shore, and the
ships to be unmoored. On this work we were employed the most of the day. In
the afternoon, Mr Pickersgill returned from Attahourou; to which place I
had sent him, two days before, for the hogs he had been promised. My old
friend Pottatou, the chief of that district, his wife, or mistress, (I know
not which,) and some more of his friends, came along with Mr Pickersgill,
in order to visit me. They brought me a present of two hogs and some fish;
and Mr Pickersgill got two more hogs, by exchange, from Oamo; for he went
in the boat as far as Paparra, where he saw old Oberea. She seemed much
altered for the worse, poor, and of little consequence. The first words she
said to Mr Pickersgill were, Earee mataou ina boa, Earee is
frightened, you can have no hogs. By this it appeared that she had little
or no property, and was herself subject to the Earee, which I believe was
not the case when I was here before. The wind, which had blown westerly all
day, having shifted at once to the east, we put to sea; and I was obliged
to dismiss my friends sooner than they wished to go; but well satisfied
with the reception they had met with.
Some hours before we got under sail, a young man, whose name was Poreo,
came and desired I would take him with me. I consented, thinking he might
be of service to us on some occasion. Many more offered themselves, but I
refused to take them. This youth asked me for an axe and a spike-nail for
his father, who was then on board. He had them accordingly, and they parted
just as we were getting under sail, more like two strangers than father and
son. This raised a doubt in me whether it was so; which was farther
confirmed, by a canoe, conducted by two men, coming along-side, as we were
standing out of the bay, and demanding the young man in the name of Otoo. I
now saw that the whole was a trick to get something from me; well knowing
that Otoo was not in the neighbourhood, and could know nothing of the
matter. Poreo seemed, however, at first undetermined whether he should go
or stay; but he soon inclined to the former. I told them to return me the
axe and nails, and then he should go, (and so he really should,) but they
said they were on shore, and so departed. Though the youth seemed pretty
well satisfied, he could not refrain from weeping when he viewed the land
astern.[1]
[1] Mr G.F. has been so successful in his Otaheitan delineations, that
though the subject occupied no small space of our preceding volume,
and must again engage our attention, when we treat of Cook's third
voyage, nevertheless we cannot help running the risk of the reader's
impatience by a transcript of some of his sketches. Speaking of the
natives first met with, he says, "The people around us had mild
features, and a pleasing countenance; they were about our size, of a
pale mahogany brown, had fine black hair and eyes, and wore a piece of
cloth round their middle of their own manufacture, and another wrapped
about the head in curious picturesque shapes like a turban. Among them
were several females, pretty enough to attract the attention of
Europeans, who had not seen their own countrywomen for twelve long
months past. These wore a piece of cloth with a hole in the middle,
through which they had passed the head, so that one part of the
garment hung down behind, and the other before, to the knees; a fine
white cloth like a muslin, was passed over this in various elegant
turns round the body, a little below the breast, forming a kind of
tunic, of which one turn sometimes fell gracefully across the
shoulder.
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