as fuch implements of war, in the hands of one, whofe prudent use of them I had fome grounds for miftrufting, would rather increase his dangers than establish his fuperiority. After he had got on fhore every thing that belonged to him, and was settled in his house, he had moft of the officers of both ships, two or three times, to dinner; and his table was always well fupplied with the very beft provifions that the island produced. Before I failed, I had the following inscription eut upon the outfide of his house: Georgius Tertius, Rex, 2 Novembris, 1777. On the 2d of November, at four in the afternoon, I took the advantage of a breeze, which then fprung up at east, and failed out of the harbour. Moft of our friends remained on board till the fhips were under fail; when, to gratify their curiofity, I ordered five guns to be fired. They then all took their leave, except Omai, who remained till we were at fea. In an hour or two after he went afhore, taking a very affectionate farewell of all the officers. He fuftained himself with a manly refolution, till he came to me. Then his utmost efforts to conceal his tears failed; and Mr. King, who went in the boat, told me that he wept all the time in going afhore. It was no fmall fatisfaction to reflect, that we had brought him fafe back to the very spot from which he was taken. And, yet, fuch is the ftrange nature of human affairs, that it is probable we left him in a lefs defirable fituation, than he was in before his connection with us. Omai, from being much careffed in England, loft fight of his original condition; and neverconfidered in what manner his acquifitions, either, of knowledge or of riches, would be eftimated by his countrymen, at his return; which were the only things he could have to recommend him to them now, more than before, and on which he could build his future greatnefs or happiness. Rank feems to be the very foundation of all diftinction here, and, of its attendant, power; and, fo pertinaciously, or rather blindly, adhered to, that, unless a perfon has fome degree of it, he will certainly be defpifed and hated, if he affumes the appearance of exercifing any authority. This was really the cafe, in fome measure, with Omai; though his countrymen were pretty cautious of expreffing their fentiments while we remained amongst them. Had he made a proper ufe of the prefents he brought with him from England, this, with the knowledge he had acquired by travelling fo far, might have enabled. him to form the moft ufeful connections. But we have already given inftances of his childish inattention to this obvious means of advancing his intereft. His fchemes feemed to be of a higher, though ridiculous, nature; indeed, I might fay, meaner; for revenge, rather than a defire of becoming great, appeared to actuate him' from the beginning. This, however, may be excufed, if we confider that it is common to his countrymen. His father was, doubtlefs, a man of confiderable property in Ulietea, when that ifland was conquered by thofe of Bolabola; and, with many others, fought refuge in Huaheine, where he died, and left Omai, with fome other children; who, by that means, became totally dependant, dependant. In this fituation, he was taken up by Captain Furneaux, and carried to England. Whether he really expected, from his treatment there, that any affiftance would be given him against the enemies of his father and his country, or whether he imagined that his own perfonal courage, and fuperiority of knowledge, would be fufficient to difpoffefs the conquerors of Ulietea, is uncertain; but from the beginning of the voy age, this was his conftant theme. He would not liften to our remonftrances on fo wild a determination; but flew into a paffion, if more moderate and reasonable counfels were propofed for his advantage. As we advanced, however, on our voyage, he became more fenfible of his error; and, by the time we reached the Friendly Iflands, had even fuch apprehenfions of his reception at home, that he would fain have staid behind at Tongataboo, under Feenou's protection. At these iflands he fquandered away much of his European treasure, very unneceffarily. At Matavai, he continued the fame inconfiderate behaviour, till I abfolutely put a stop to his profufion. Whether the remains of his European wealth, which, after all his improvident wafte, was ftill confiderable, will be more prudently adminiftered by him, or whether the steps I took, as already explained, to infure him protection in Huaheine, fhall have proved effectual, must be left to the decifion of future navigators of this ocean; with whom it cannot but be a principal object of curiofity to trace the future fortunes of our traveller. Whatever faults belonged to Omai's character, they were more than overbalanced by his great good-nature and docile difpofition. During the whole whole time he was with me, I very seldom had reason to be seriously displeased with his general conduct. His grateful heart always retained the highest fenfe of the favours he had received in England; nor will he ever forget those who honoured him with their protection and friendship, during his ftay there. He had a tolerable share of understanding, but wanted application and perfeverance to exert it; fo that his knowledge of things was very general, and, in many inftances, imperfect. He was not a man of much obfervation. There were many ufeful arts, as well as elegant amufements, amongst the people of the Friendly Iflands, which he might have. conveyed to his own; where they probably would have been readily adopted, as being fo much in their own way. But I never found that he used the leaft endeavour to make himself master of any one. This kind of indifference is, indeed, the characteristic foible of his nation. We are not, therefore, to expect that Omai will be able to introduce many of our arts and cuftoms amongst them, or much improve those to which they have been long habituated. I am confident, however, that he will endeavour to bring to perfection, the various fruits and vegetables we planted, which will be no fmall acquifition. But the greatest benefit these islands are likely to receive from Omai's travels, will be in the animals that have been left upon them; which, probably, they never would have got, had he not come to England. When thefe multiply, of which I think there is little doubt, Otaheite, and the Society Islands, will equal, if not exceed, any place in the known world, for provifions. 1 Omai's Omai's return, and the substantial proofs he brought back with him of our liberality, encouraged many to offer themselves as volunteers to attend me to Pretane. I took every opportunity of exprefling my determination to reject all fuch applications. If there had been the moft diftant probability of any fhip being again fent to New Zealand, I would have brought the two youths of that country home with me; as both of them were very defirous of continuing with us. Tiarooa, the eldeft, was an exceedingly well-difpofed young man, with ftrong natural sense, and capable of receiving any inftruction. He feemed to be fully fenfible of the inferiority of his own country to thefe iflands, and refigned himself, though perhaps with reluctance, to end his days in ease and plenty, in Huaheine. But the other was fo ftrongly attached to us, that he was taken out of the thip, and carried afhore by force. He was a witty, fmart boy; and on that account much noticed on board. The boat which carried Omai afhore, (never to join us again,) having returned to the thip, we hoifted her in, and immediately flood over for Ulietea, where I intended to touch next. On the 4th we arrived in the harbour of Obamaneno, and were vifited by Oreo, the chief of the island, with whom I interchanged civilities and prefents. On the 6th, we fet up the obfervatories, and got the neceffary inftruments on fhore. Though we had feparated from Omai, we were ftill near enough to have intelligence of his proceedings; and I had defired to hear from him. Accordingly, about a fortnight after our arrival |