We Landed
Presently After, And Found He Was Gone Still Farther.
An immense crowd,
however, waited our landing, who entreated me to follow him.
One man
offered to carry me on his back; but the whole story appearing rather more
mysterious than ever, and being all unarmed, I did not choose to separate
myself from the boat, but embarked again, and rowed after him. We soon came
before the place where our guide told us he was, and put in the boat
accordingly. It grounded at some distance from the shore, where we were met
by a venerable old lady, wife to the chief. She threw herself into my arms,
and wept bitterly, insomuch that it was not possible to get one plain word
from her. With this old lady in my hand I went ashore, contrary to the
advice of my young man from Otaheite, who was more afraid than any of us,
probably believing every word the people had told us. I found the chief
seated under the shade of a house, before which was a large area, and
surrounded by a vast number of people. As soon as I came to him, he threw
his arms about me, and burst into tears, in which he was accompanied by all
the women, and some of the men, so that the lamentation became general;
astonishment alone kept me from joining with them. It was some time before
I could get a word from any one; at last, all my enquiries gave me no other
information, than that they were alarmed on account of our boats being
absent, thinking that the people in them had deserted from us, and that I
should take some violent means to recover them. For when we assured them
that the boats would return back, they seemed cheerful and satisfied, and
to a man, denied that any one was hurt, either of their own or our people,
and so it afterwards proved. Nor did it appear that there was the least
foundation for these alarms, nor could we ever find out by what means this
general consternation first took its rise. After a stay of about an hour, I
returned on board, three of the natives coming along with us, who
proclaimed the peace as we rowed along shore to all they saw.
Thus matters were again restored to their former footing, and the next
morning they came off to the ships as usual. After breakfast, Captain
Furneaux and I paid the chief a visit; we found him at his own house
perfectly easy, insomuch that he and some of his friends came on board and
dined with us. I was now told that my Otaheitean young man, Poreo, had
taken a resolution to leave me. I have just mentioned before, his
being with us when I followed Oreo, and his advising me not to go on shore.
He was so much afraid at that time, that he remained in the boat till he
heard all matters were reconciled; then he came out, and presently after,
met with a young woman, for whom he had contracted a friendship. Having my
powder-horn in keeping, he came and gave it to one of my people who was by
me, and then went away with her, and I saw him no more.
In the afternoon, our boats returned from Otaha, pretty well laden with
plantains, an article we were most in want of. They made the circuit of the
island, conducted by one of the Earees, whose name was Boba, and were
hospitably entertained by the people, who provided them with victuals and
lodging. The first night, they were entertained with a play, the second,
their repose was disturbed by the natives stealing their military chest.
This put them on making reprisals, by which means they recovered the most
of what they had lost.
Having now got on board a large supply of refreshments, I determined to put
to sea the next morning, and made the same known to the chief, who promised
to see me again before we departed. At four o'clock we began to unmoor; and
as soon as it was light, Oreo, his son, and some of his friends, came
aboard. Many canoes also came off with fruit and hogs, the latter they even
begged of us to take from them, calling out Tiyo boa atoi. - I am
your friend, take my hog, and give me an axe. But our decks. were already
so full of them, that we could hardly move, having, on board both ships,
between three and four hundred. By the increase of our stock, together with
what we had salted and consumed, I judge that we got at this island 400 or
upwards; many, indeed, were only roasters, others again weighed one hundred
pounds, or upwards, but the general run was from forty to sixty. It is not
easy to say how many we might have got, could we have found room for all
that were offered us.
The chief, and his friends, did not leave me till we were under sail, and
before he went away, pressed me much to know, if I would not return, and
when? Questions which were daily put to me by many of these islanders. My
Otaheitean youth's leaving me proved of no consequence, as many young men
of this island voluntarily offered to come away with us. I thought proper
to take on board one, who was about seventeen or eighteen years of age,
named Oedidee, a native of Bolabola, and a near relation of the great
Opoony, chief of that island. Soon after we were out of the harbour, and
had made sail, we observed a canoe following us, conducted by two men;
whereupon I brought-to, and they presently came alongside, having brought
me a present of roasted fruit and roots from Oreo. I made them a proper
return before I dismissed them, and then set sail to the west, with the
Adventure in company.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 80 of 235
Words from 80487 to 81490
of 239428
