inhabitants had always behaved with great fairness and
honesty in their dealings, and had not shewn the slightest propensity
to theft, which appeared to us the more extraordinary, because those
with whom we had hitherto held any intercourse, were of the lowest
rank, either servants or fishermen. We now found the case exceedingly
altered. The immense crowd of islanders, which blocked up every part
of the ships, not only afforded frequent opportunity of pilfering
without risk of discovery, but our inferiority in number held forth
a prospect of escaping with impunity in case of detection. Another
circumstance, to which we attributed this alteration in their
behaviour, was the presence and encouragement of their chiefs;
for, generally tracing the booty into the possession of some men
of consequence, we had the strongest reason to suspect that these
depredations were committed at their instigation.

Soon after the Resolution had got into her station, our two friends,
Pareea and Kaneena, brought on board a third chief, named Koah, who,
we were told, was a priest, and had been in his youth a distinguished
warrior. He was a little old man, of an emaciated figure, his eyes
exceedingly sore and red, and his body covered with a white leprous
scurf, the effects of an immoderate use of the _ava_. Being led into
the cabin, he approached Captain Cook with great veneration, and threw
over his shoulders a piece of red cloth, which he had brought along
with him. Then stepping a few paces back, he made an offering of a
small pig which he held in his hand, whilst he pronounced a discourse
that lasted for a considerable time. This ceremony was frequently
repeated during our stay at Owhyhee, and appeared to us, from many
circumstances, to be a sort of religious adoration. Their idols we
found always arrayed with red cloth, in the same manner as was done
to Captain Cook, and a small pig was their usual offering to the
_Eatooas_. Their speeches, or prayers, were uttered too with a
readiness and volubility that indicated them to be according to some
formulary.

When this ceremony was over, Koah dined with Captain Cook, eating
plentifully of what was set before him, but, like the rest of the
inhabitants of the islands in these seas, could scarcely be prevailed
on to taste a second time our wine or spirits. In the evening, Captain
Cook, attended by Mr Bayly and myself, accompanied him on ashore. We
landed at the beach, and were received by four