day after Poulaho's _haiva_, most of them left us. We still,
however, had thieves about us; and, encouraged by the negligence of our
own people, we had continual instances of their depredations.

Some of the officers, belonging to both ships, who had made an excursion
into the interior parts of the island, without my leave, and, indeed,
without my knowledge, returned this evening, after an absence of two
days. They had taken with them their musquets, with the necessary
ammunition, and several small articles of the favourite commodities; all
which the natives had the dexterity to steal from them in the course of
their expedition. This affair was likely to be attended with
inconvenient consequences. For our plundered travellers, upon their
return, without consulting me, employed Omai to complain to the king of
the treatment they had met with. He, not knowing what step I should
take, and, from what had already happened, fearing lest I might lay him
again under restraint, went off early the next morning. His example was
followed by Feenou; so that we had not a chief of any authority
remaining in our neighbourhood. I was very much displeased at this, and
reprimanded Omai for having presumed to meddle. This reprimand put him
upon his mettle to bring his friend Feenou hack; and he succeeded in the
negociation, having this powerful argument to urge, that he might depend
upon my using no violent measures to oblige the natives to restore what
had been taken from the gentlemen. Feenou, trusting to this declaration,
returned toward the evening; and, encouraged by the reception, Poulaho
favoured us with his company the day after. Both these chiefs, upon this
occasion, very justly observed to me, that, if any of my people, at any
time, wanted to go into the country, they ought to be acquainted with
it; in which case they would send proper people along with them; and
then they would be answerable for their safety. And I am convinced, from
experience, that, by taking this very reasonable precaution, a man and
his property may be as safe among these islanders, as in other parts of
the more civilized world. Though I gave myself no trouble about the
recovery of the things stolen upon this occasion, most of them, through
Feenou's interposition, were recovered, except one musquet, and a few
other articles of inferior value. By this time, also, we had recovered
the turkey-cock, and most of the tools, and other matters, that had been
stolen f