on board, and as soon
as possible the ships got under way. As, however, they could not get to
sea before it was dark, they had to bring up for the night under
Tongataboo. The next day they reached Eooa, where the English were well
received by Captain Cook's former acquaintance, the chief of the island,
Taoofa, or, as he then called him, Tioony. An abundant supply of yams
and a few hogs were obtained, and the ram and two ewes of the Cape of
Good Hope breed of sheep were entrusted to the chief, who seemed proud
of his charge.

Captain Cook made an excursion into the interior, and as he surveyed,
from an elevation to which he had ascended, the delightful prospect
before him, "I could not," he says, "help flattering myself with the
pleasing idea that some future navigator may, from the same station,
behold these meadows stocked with cattle, brought to these islands by
the ships of England; and that the completion of this high benevolent
purpose, independently of all other considerations, would sufficiently
mark to posterity that our voyages had not been useless to the general
interests of humanity." The great navigator here gives utterance to the
genuine feelings of his heart, for such were undoubtedly the principles
which animated him. He little dreamed that those friendly natives, of
whom he had thought so highly, and whom he had praised as among the most
humane people on earth, had, headed by Feenou, laid a plot for his
destruction, and that of all his followers. Providentially, the
conspirators could not agree as to the mode of proceeding; but all were
equally eager to possess themselves of the stores of wealth the ships
were supposed to contain. Probably Feenou's pretended friendship for
the foolish Omai was in the hope that he would thus have a ready tool in
his hands. He had offered to make Omai a great chief if he would remain
in Tonga, but Cook advised him not to accept the offer.

Captain Cook had settled to sail on July 15, but, pressed by Taoofa, who
promised more presents, he consented to remain a couple of days. During
this period a seaman was surrounded by a number of people, and, being
knocked down, had every particle of clothing torn from his back; but, by
seizing on a couple of canoes and a fat hog, the English obtained the
restoration of some of the articles.

The captain kept to his purpose of sailing, but when still not far from
the land a canoe with four men came off, saying that orders had