s people
must be interesting to the reader, on account of the tragedy that was
afterwards acted here, it will be proper to acquaint him, that we
had not always so much reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the
warrior chiefs, or _Earees_, as with that of the priests. In all our
dealings with the former, we found them sufficiently attentive to
their own interests; and besides their habit of stealing, which may
admit of some excuse, from the universality of the practice amongst
the islanders of these seas, they made use of other artifices
equally dishonourable. I shall only mention one instance, in which
we discovered, with regret, our friend Koah to be a party principally
concerned. As the chiefs, who brought us presents of hogs, were always
sent back handsomely rewarded, we had generally a greater supply than
we could make use of. On these occasions, Koah, who never failed in
his attendance on us, used to beg such as we did not want, and
they were always given to him. It one day happened, that a pig was
presented us by a man whom Koah himself introduced as a chief, who was
desirous of paying his respects, and we recollected the pig to be
the same that had been given to Koah just before. This leading us to
suspect some trick, we found, on further enquiry, the pretended
chief to be an ordinary person; and on connecting this with other
circumstances, we had reason to suspect, that it was not the first
time we had been the dupes of the like imposition.

Things continued in this state till the 24th, when we were a good deal
surprised to find that no canoes were suffered to put off from the
shore, and that the natives kept close to their houses. After several
hours suspense, we learned that the bay was _tabooed_, and all
intercourse with us interdicted, on account of the arrival of
Terreeoboo. As we had not foreseen an accident of this sort, the crews
of both ships were obliged to pass the day without their usual supply
of vegetables. The next morning, therefore, they endeavoured, both by
threats and promises, to induce the natives to come along-side; and as
some of them were at last venturing to put off, a chief was observed
attempting to drive them away. A musket was immediately fired over
his head, to make him desist, which had the desired effect, and
refreshments were soon after purchased, as usual. In the afternoon,
Terreeoboo arrived, and visited the ships in a private manner,
attended only by one canoe, in which