# The Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook/Chapter 21

Arrival at Eimeo: behaviour of Maheine. Two goats stolen; the natives compelled by severe measures to restore them. Arrival at Huaheine. Omai's settlement there: animals, and other property, left with him. Remarks on his situation: lines from Cowper. Sequel of Omiai's history; and notices of Oedidee. Arrival at Ulieten. Desertion of a marine, who is recovered. Desertion of a midshipman and a seaman: serious troubles incurred in recovering them. Bolabola visited: animals left there, and at Ulietea. Discovery of Christmas Island. The Sandwich Islands discovered. Landing at Atooi. Respectful conduct of the natives, and friendly trade with them. A morai examined. Manners and customs of tho natives. Landing at Oneeheow. Reverence shewn to Capt. Cook, as to the native chiefs.
On tuesday, Sept. 30th, the ships anchored in the fine harbour of Taloo, in the north part of Eimeo; which was found to be an excellent place for procuring wood and water. The natives soon came hither in crowds; partly through curiosity, and partly to carry on a friendly trade. On thursday, Oct. 2nd, Maheine, the chief of the island, who held the supreme power, in opposition to Motooaro, the rightful sovereign, Otoo's brother-in-law, came to visit Capt. Cook, along with his wife, who was Oamo's sister; but knowing the friendship between the Captain and Otoo, with whom he had just been at war, he approached the Resolution very cautiously, and could scarcely be persuaded to go on board. Capt. Cook received him and his lady ​with kindness, and presents were interchanged. The chief was bald-headed; but concealed this defect by a turban. One of the natives who had been caught stealing, was punished by our people with the tonsure, as inflicted at the Friendly Isles; and hence it was supposed, that baldness, among the British, was a mark of disgrace, and some gentlemen on board, not overburdened with hair, were shrewdly suspected to be tetos.
The ships had been well repaired at Otaheite; but, this being a very convenient harbour, a few days were spent here in paying further attention to the stores, particularly in tarring the heads of the spirit casks, to save them from insects. In the mean time, four goats which had been procured from Otoo, were taken on shore to graze, with some other cattle; and once or twice, Capt. Cook and Omai took a ride on horseback along the shore, to the no small wonder of the inhabitants. The landing of the goats, however, proved the occasion of much trouble and mischief. Maheine had begged a couple of them; but the Captain having destined them for other islands, instead of granting his request, desired Tidooa, a Tahitian chief, who was present, to beg Otoo to send two goats to Maheine, and sent a large piece of red feathers to pay for them. This arrangement did not satisfy Maheine, and or monday, the 6th, one of the goats was found to have been stolen. A boat was despatched next day to Maheine, then at the neighbouring harbour of Parowroah, requiring him to deliver up the goat, and also the thief; and the boat returned in the evening, bringing not only the goat, but one of the thieves. In the mean time, the goats being sent off again to graze, ano​ther of them had been stolen, before this came back.
Next morning, the natives were found to have deserted the place, and it was learned that Maheine himself had removed. The Captain, perceiving, that the latter had resolved to steal what he had been refused, determined to make him return the goat and accordingly sent a boat, with two petty officers, to Watea, whither it was said to have been conveyed, to demand it of Hamoa, chief of that place; but the natives amused them with vain pretences, and the boat returned in the evening without it. Capt. Cook was now sorry that he had proceeded so far, but, with that firmness of purpose for which he was noted, he would not now retract, and resolved to recover the goat, whatever it might cost. Omai, and two old men, who had assisted him in recovering the other goat, advised him to march with a party through the country, and shoot every person that could be met with. This bloody counsel was of course rejected; but, on the morning of the 9th, a party of about 40 proceeded with the Captain into the interior, while three armed boats, commanded by Lieut. Williamson, were sent round to the west side of the island, to meet them. When the land party reached Watea, Hamoa, and such of his people as had not fled, denied that they had seen the goat, or knew any thing of it. The natives had been seen running to and fro with clubs and darts but seeing the Capt in's force, they gave up the idea of resisting. Omai was employed to warn them of the consequences of refusing to surrender the goat; and as they persisted in denying all knowledge of it, Capt. Cook burned six or eight houses, and two ​or three war canoes lying near them. Proceeding some miles further, he consumed other six war canoes; but another that lay in the way, beyond these, was spared at the humble request of the natives, who came with plantain trees in their hands, and laid them at the Captain's feet. The party met the boats in a part of the island belonging to Otoo's friends, and returned by sea to the ships, where no account of the goat had been received.
Early next morning, the Captain sent a peremptory message to Maheine, by one of Omai's servants, threatening to destroy the whole of his canoes, if he persisted in keeping the goat; and before the messenger set out, the carpenter was sent to break up three, or four canoes that lay at the head of the harbour; the plank being carried on board, to aid in constructing a house for Omai. In the afternoon, three or four more were broken up in the next harbour, and as many burnt. These last might have been spared; for, in consequence of the message sent to Maheine, the goat was brought back before the party returned from this work of destruction. The Captain was exceedingly grieved in reflecting, that after having resisted the pressing invitations of the Tahitians to take part in the war against Maheine, he had thus been compelled to resort to hostilities, which probably did more mischief than Towha's expedition. The natives, however, appeared conscious, that the blame rested with themselves; for, after the goat was restored, they renewed their friendly trade, in the full confidence, that no further harm would be done them.
Leaving Eimeo on the 11th, our navigators arrived next day at Fare harbour, in Huaheine; ​Omai preceding them in his canoe. The Tahitians, who had come with them, gave a very exaggerated account of the mischief done at Eimeo; and at this the Captain was not sorry, as the people of Huaheine required such a lesson. This island was now almost in a state of anarchy; Oree, the friend of Cook, had been forced to resign the sovereign power, which he had held as regent for Taireetareea; and the latter, being still a boy of eight or ten years, could not exercise much authority over the chiefs.
As the Captain wished Omai to settle here, an assembly was held on the 13th, attended by a great number of respectable looking chiefs, as well as the prince; when Omai, with much ceremony, gave handsome presents to him, and to his Eatooa; accompanied with prayers, in which the King of Britain, Lord Sandwich, Cook, and Clerke, were not forgotten. Some of the presents were sent to the morai. Capt. Cook then exchanged presents with the young King; and Omai, by the Captain's direction, made a speech on the subject of his voyage to Britain, the good treatment he had there received, the rich presents he had brought back, and his wish to settle, with all his property, in that island.-Omai had expected, that Capt. Cook would reinstate him in his paternal inheritance in Ulietea, expelling the men of Bolabola; and so bent was he on conquering the latter, to gratify a spirit of revenge, that when Etary, at Otaheite, offered to give him peaceable possession of the inheritance of his fathers, he spurned at the offer. On this subject he had talked idly to some of the chiefs, present at this meeting, and they were pleased with the idea of driving out the Bolabola ​men but the Captain peremptorily declaring in this assembly, that he would neither countenance nor permit any hostile invasion of Ulietea, for such a purpose, the settlement of Omai at Huaheine was at once agreed to. A piece of ground, with a front of 200 yards towards the harbour, and extending backward to the hill, was set apart as Omai's property: and here a house was erected for him by the carpenters, while others were employed in making him a garden, and planting it with vegetables and fruit trees, including shaddocks, vines, pine-apples, and melons. His house being finished, on the 26th, he took possession of it, with his goods, and his family; the latter consisting of four or five persons whom he picked up at Otaheite, a brother and some others who joined him at Huaheine, and the two New Zealand youths, who felt much regret in parting with their British friends. He had also a sister and brother-in-law here; who, with his brother, received him affectionately; and did not seek to plunder him, like his relations at Otaheite. Of his prodigality there, he now heartily repented, beginning to feel the importance of husbanding his resources. Many culinary utensils, and articles of furniture, given him in England, but of no use here, he exchanged with persons on board, for hatchets and iron tools.
In order to secure the favour and patronage of some of the principal chiefs, he divided among them a portion of his property, by the Captain's direction. Some of his acquisitions excited much interest among the natives; particularly a box of toys, which he shewed them, and his fire-works, of which he gave an exhibition in the evening of the ​28th. He himself set most value on his coat of mail, and his European weapons; consisting of a musket, bayonet, and cartouch box; a fowling-piece, two pair of pistols, and two or three swords or cutlasses. Capt. Cook doubted the propriety of his having fire-arms, as there was a danger of his not making a prudent use of them; but his heart was much set on these weapons. After his settlement on shore, he had most of the officers of both ships to dinner, two or three times; and entertained them liberally.
The animals left with him consisted of a horse and mare, on which he set much value; a goat big with kid; and a boar and two sows, of the English breed; besides a sow or two of his own. The goat died in kidding, about a fortnight after the ships left Huaheine; and on his sending notice of his loss to Capt. Cook, then at Ulietea, his messengers received two kids for him, male and female, which were spared out of the Discovery.
A man of Bolabola, a hardened thief, whom the Captain had severely punished for stealing a sextant, not only shaving him, but cropping his ears, committed depredations in Omai's garden, and threatened to kill him. Capt. Cook, to free him from such a dangerous neighbour, took him into custody, to transport him to Ulietea. He contrived, however, to escape from the ship; but was found to have removed to that very island.
When about to leave Huaheine, Captain Cook got the following inscription cut upon the outside of Omai's house:
Georgius Tertius, Rex, 2 Novembris, 1777. :
| Naves | Resolution, Jac. Cook, Pr. |
| Naves | Discovery, Car. Clerke, Pr. |
Before he sailed, the Captain, for the further security of Omai, intimated to the principal chiefs, that if they should presume to molest his friend, they might expect to feel the weight of his resentment, on his next visit to their island. Captain Cook felt much satisfaction, in having restored him safe to the very spot from which he was taken. Yet he justly questioned, whether the happiness of Omai was not diminished, rather than increased, by his connexion with the British; both because his riches exposed him to greater danger, and because the sweets of civilized life, of which he had tasted, were no more within his reach. This last idea is beautifully illustrated by Cowper:
The worthy poet was mistaken in supposing, that these islands would no more partake of British benevolence; yet, as far as Omai was concerned, ​his anticipations proved correct: for before another British ship visited this group, the "Gentle savage" was no more. When Lieut. Bligh, who had been Master of the Resolution, arrived at Otaheite, in 1788, to take bread-fruit plants to the West Indies, one of his first inquiries was for our friend Omai; and he felt greatly disappointed, when he learned, that he and his two New Zealand boys were all dead: so that they had lived only about ten years, if so much, after their settlement at Fare. The sequel of Omai's history is thus given by the Rev. William Ellis, in his Polynesian Researches, Vol. II. pp. 94, 95, &c.
"The estimate Captain Cook formed of his character was correct: he appeared to have derived no permanent advantage from the voyage he had made, the attention he had received, or the civilized society with which he had been associated. He soon threw off his European dress, and adopted the costume, uncivilized manners, and indolent life, of his countrymen. Weakness and vanity, together with savage pride, appear to have been. the most conspicuous traits of character he developed in subsequent life."
"The horses, included among his presents, appear to have been regarded by Mai as mere objects of curiosity, and were occasionally ridden, in order to inspire terror, or excite admiration, in the minds of the inhabitants. His implements of war, and especially the fire-arms, rendered his aid and cooperation a desideratum with the King of the island, who, in order more effectually to secure the advantage of his influence and arms, gave him one of his daughters in marriage, and honoured ​him with the name of Paari (wise or instructed), by which name he is now always spoken of among the natives; several of whom still remember him. He appears to have passed the remainder of his life in inglorious indolence or wanton crime, to have become the mere instrument of the caprice or cruelty of the king of the island, who not only availed himself of the effects of his fire-arms in periods of war, but frequently ordered him to shoot at a man at a certain distance, to see how far the musket would do execution; or to despatch with his pistol, in the presence of the king, the ill-fated objects of his deadly anger."
Thus as, on landing, he resumed the worship of his country's idols, he soon relapsed into its vices; instead of proving a blessing to the island, he was rather a curse; and, as Mr. Ellis further observes, the majority of those whom he heard speak of him, "mentioned his name with execration, rather than respect." Had sufficient pains been taken, while he was in England, to imbue his mind with the principles of true religion, and to instruct him in some of the useful arts, the result might have been. very different.
The spot where his house stood retains the name Beritani, or Britain; a shaddock tree, planted by Capt. Cook, grows in his garden; his helmet, some other parts of his armour, and some cutlasses, are still displayed on the sides of the house erected. there; and even a few of his toys, including a jack-in-a-box, are preserved as curiosities. It is gratifying to add, that as Omai's bible is preserved, ​and made use of, a building for divine worship now stands in front of the dark and glossy-leaved shaddock tree planted by Capt. Cook; and on the same spot, the first school in Huaheine was opened by Christian Missionaries.
The benevolent attempts of Cook, to stock Huaheine, Otaheite, and other islands, with horses and cattle, did not succeed: it was not till after the introduction of christianity, and the establishment of permanent peace, that this important object was accomplished.
Oedidee (or Hete-hete) survived Omai a number of years. When Lieut. Watts, who had sailed with Cook, visited Otaheite in the Lady Penrhyn, in 1788, three months before the arrival of Bligh, he found him at Matavai, in the service of Otoo, then called Pomare; who was so attached to him, that he would not consent to his accompanying Mr. Watts to Ulietea. Oedidee wanted to go to Britain with Lieut. Bligh; and he afterwards went with the mutineers in the Bounty to Toobouai; but when the Bounty returned to Matavai, in September, 1789, he was again left there; and, from his skill in the use of fire-arms, was very serviceable to Pomare, and his son Otoo, in the war with Eimeo, in 1790. When Capt. Bligh, in the Providence, came a second time to Otaheite, for bread-fruit plants, in 1792, he took Oedidee with him to the West Indies, and he was left at Jamaica, in 1793, to take care of the plants.
On monday, Nov. 3rd, the ships arrived in the harbour of Ohamaneno, in Ulietea; and here our navigators were kindly received by their friend Oreo, with his family and people; and spent several days in trading for provisions, in nautical ​observations, and in paying further attention to the ships and stores. Few thefts were committed by the natives, but other troubles unexpectedly occurred. On the 13th, John Harrison, a marine, deserted, and went to the other side of the island; where Capt. Cook, accompanied by Oreo, found him on the 15th, sitting between two women, with his musket lying before him. The females rose to plead for him; but the Captain, to discourage such proceedings, rebuked them with a frown, and sent them off in tears; and when Paha, the local chief, came with a plantain tree and a sucking pig, as a peace-offering, he rejected his gift, and ordered him out of his sight. As it was found that Harrison had been enticed away by Paha and the women, he was punished with less severity than might have been expected.
Another desertion, which threatened to produce worse consequences, was announced on monday, the 24th, when a midshipman and a seaman, belonging to the Discovery, were missing. Capt. Clerke went in pursuit of them; but the natives amusing him with false information, his search was fruitless. Capt. Cook, knowing that the natives rarely presumed to attempt baffling him in the same way, set out himself in pursuit of the fugitives next day, taking Oreo with him; but on arriving at Otaha, whither they had fled, it was found, that they had escaped to Bolabola. Returning to the ships, he took other measures for recovering the deserters. Oreo's son, with Poedooa, his daughter, and Pootoe, his son-in-law, were confined on board the Discovery on the 26th; and Oreo was informed, that unless the deserters were brought back, these prisoners would be car​ried off in the ships. Pootoe's father was immediately despatched to Bolabola, with directions to King Opoony to seize and restore the fugitives. In the mean time, many natives, chiefly women, came under the Discovery's stern in canoes, bewailing the fate of the prisoners, especially Poedooa, and expressing their grief by shedding their blood as well as their tears. While the women were thus engaged in lamentation, some of the men, impatient for the liberation of the royal captives, were devising means for retaliating on Capt. Cook in his own way. They first proposed to lay hold of himself, when he should go to bathe; as he was wont to retire for this purpose daily, alone and unarmed; but his prudence having frustrated this daring plan, they were about to seize Capt. Clerke and Lieut. Gore, who had walked out a little way from the ships; when Capt. Cook, apprized of their danger, instantly sent a strong party to rescue them, and another to stop the canoes, that were hurrying out of the harbour. The people who were going to seize the two officers, hearing two or three muskets fired, and seeing Capt. Clerke armed with a pistol, desisted from their enterprise. A girl whom one of the officers had brought from Huaheine, was the person who apprized Captain Cook of this daring conspiracy, and as the natives threatened to kill her, it was found necessary to convey her away to a place of safety. On the 28th, Oreo himself set out for Bolabola, in quest of the deserters; they had escaped from thence to the small island Toobaee, but were there seized, and brought back to the ships; upon which the three prisoners were released, and a friendly trade with the natives resumed. The ships were, however, ​further detained, by contrary winds, till the 7th of December. During his stay here, Capt. Cook gave instructions to Capt. Clerke, how to proceed in case the vessels should part company in the voyage northward. Oree, the former sovereign, or regent, of Huaheine, was met with here; and Ooroo, the dethroned monarch of Ulietea. Both of them had still a considerable retinue, and were treated with much respect.
On monday, Dec. 8th, the ships arrived at Bolabola, where there is a good harbour on the west side of the island. The wind and tide being unfavourable for entering the harbour, Capt. Cook contented himself with going on shore in a boat, accompanied by Oreo and some friends, who had come with him from Ulietea. He was introduced to King Opoony, in the midst of a crowd of people; and purchased from him an imperfect anchor, which Bougainville had lost at Otaheite, to make iron tools of it for trade, the stock being now very low. The Captain gave for it six axes, with several garments and toys. He also presented Opoony with a Cape ewe, having learned that he had got a Spanish ram. To Oreo he gave, at Ulietea, a pair of goats, and an English boar and sow. He stopped but a few hours at Bolabola, and then bade a final adieu to the chiefs and their friends, and to those lovely isles of the Pacific, where he had spent so many pleasant days. Many natives had begged to be taken on board, to visit Britain; but he peremptorily refused every such application.—His journal regarding this visit to Otaheite and the Society Isles, closes with a number of additional observations, relating to the islands, their productions, and their inhabitants; ​partly by himself, and partly by Mr. Anderson.
From Bolabola, our navigators sailed towards the north; in the night between the 22nd and 23rd, they crossed the line, and on the 24th discovered a small and low uninhabited island, in 1° 58' N. lat., 202° 28' E. long. Here they anchored for eight days, during which they obtained an abundant supply of fish, and about 300 fine green turtle, weighing, on an average, 90 or 100b. each. On the 30th, an eclipse of the sun was observed, on a little isle opposite a central lagoon. Here some cocoa nuts and yams were planted, and melon seeds sown. A bottle also was left containing this inscription:
Georgius Tertius, Rex, 31 Decembris, 1777. :
| Naves | Resolution, Jac. Cook, Pr. |
| Naves | Discovery, Car. Clerke, Pr. |
During the fishing for turtle, two seamen lost their way on the island; one of them was absent a whole day, and the other was not found till the third day, when he was much exhausted for want of food, and especially of fresh water, not a drop being found in the island.
From this place, which was named Christmas Island, our navigators proceeded on their course, on the 2nd of January, 1778: and on the 18th, in lat. 21° 12' N., long. 200° 41' E., they came in sight of some high islands, which proved to be part of a new and interesting group, which Capt. Cook named the Sandwich Islands. On monday, the 19th, the ships approached an island, which was found to be named Atooi; and some natives coming off in canoes, our people were agreeably surprised to find, that their language was, with ​little variation, that of Otaheite. They readily exchanged fish, potatoes, and pigs, for nails. They cared not for beads; but set a great value on iron, which they asked for by the names toe and hamaite. At the same time, their great astonishment at the sight of the ships, and the things on board, was a proof that no Europeans had visited them before. Some of them repeated a long prayer before they came on board, and were at first afraid of giving offence; but afterwards they attempted to seize every thing they came near, and one man made off with the butcher's cleaver, and gained the shore with his prize. Next day, the ships anchored in a convenient road, opposite a village called Wymoa, where there was plenty of fresh water. Lieut. Williamson had been previously sent with three armed boats, to examine the shore; and at one place where he tried to land, the natives crowded upon him, attempting to seize oars, muskets, and whatever else they could reach; so that he felt obliged to fire on them, and one man was unfortunately killed; a circumstance which Capt. Cook did not hear of, till he had left the island.
In the afternoon, the Captain went on shore; and as soon as he reached the land, the whole of the assembled natives fell upon their faces before him, and continued to lie prostate, till he made signs for them to rise; when they presented to him a number of young pigs, and plantain leaves, with much ceremony, and long prayers. A friendly trade for hogs and potatoes was then established, and the watering party filled their casks at a pool, without molestation.
On wednesday, the 21st, Captain Cook, with Messrs. Anderson and Webber, took a walk into ​the country; and observed several morais, at each of which was a quadrangular pyramid of rude wicker-work, covered with a light grey cloth, which gave it a white appearance. Beside it was an elevated board, like the whatta of Otaheite, on which lay oblations of plantains; some carve pieces of wood were also set up, corresponding with the Tahitian unus; and in an adjacent house were two wooden images, called Eatova no veheina, or goddesses. The graves of some chiefs, were pointed out by the guide, being small square enclosures; and close to each of them was the grave of a human victim. The Captain also discovered with deep regret, that cannibalism was not unknown here; a wooden knife or saw, armed with shark's teeth, used for cutting up dead bodies, was among the articles purchased; and the natives acknowledged the use that was made of it, and affirmed that human flesh was savoury eating.
The natives were only partially tattooed: the men had generally no clothing but the maro; the women wore a short petticoat. Some of the chiefs had short cloaks of red and yellow feathers, resembling rich velvet; and helmets of wicker-work covered with feathers, and adorned with an elegant crest. Some had their hair set up in a crest, while others had it twisted into numerous ringlets; none had their ears pierced, but several wore necklaces of small strings and shells, and bracelets of shells, ivory, black wood, or hog's teeth. Their cloth was well manufactured, and prettily coloured; their canoes were neatly built, but smaller than those of Otaheite; their houses resembled oblong haystacks; they had wooden bowls, and bottles of gourd-shells, neatly made, and often handsomely ​painted their fishing-hooks also, which were of various kinds, were formed with much ingenuity and taste. They use Tahitian ovens in baking their food.
On friday, the 23rd, Captain Cock put to sea in the Resolution, in the hope of finding a better place of anchorage in Atooi; but being disappointed in this, as well as in trying to regain his former station, he was joined by the Discovery on the 25th; and both ships, after being much baffled with currents, anchored, on the 29th, at another island, called Oneeheow. Here, as at Atooi, to which this island is subject, the natives commenced a friendly trade, disposing their pigs, potatoes, yams, mats, and salt, for nails and pieces of iron.
Lieut. Gore was sent ashore with a party, to look for fresh water, and a good landing place; he and a party were again sent ashore, on the 30th, to trade for refreshments; and owing to the strength of the wind, and the violence of the surf, they remained on shore two nights. This circumstance gave the Captain much pain; for he had been very anxious to prevent the men from having intercourse with the native females, lest the latter should be infected with an odious disease, then existing among the crew. It ought to be noticed, to his honour, that he often condemns in his journal that illicit commerce with native women, which he found himself unable wholly to repress. In closing his remarks respecting the fascinations of Otaleite, he says, "If I could now add any finishing strokes to a picture, the outlines of which have been already drawn with sufficient accuracy, I should still have hesitated to make this journal the place for exhibiting a view of licentious manners, ​which could only serve to disgust those for whose information I write."
Having found a better landing place, the Captain went ashore on the 1st of February; and here, as at Atooi, he was received with much ceremony, and all who met him, during his walks, fell prostrate before him. This homage the natives pay to their own principal chiefs, none of whom were seen by Captain Cook. One of them, a youth named Tamahano, clothed from head to foot, came on board the Discovery at Wymoa, in a double canoe; which, like that of Poulaho at the Friendly Isles, dashed over the small canoes that lay in the way, without trying to avoid them. He exchanged presents with Captain Clerke, but would not go below. The natives paid him, and his wife who accompanied him, the greatest reverence.
After procuring more water and refreshments at Oneeheow, our navigators sailed hence, on monday, Feb. 2nd, leaving the rest of this new archipelago as a subject for future investigation. They had seen other three of the group, viz. Woahoo, Oreehoua, and Tahoora. The islands visited did not appear so densely peopled, as from their fertility might have been expected.