a stop to his
profusion; and he formed such improper connections there, that Otoo,
who was at first much disposed to countenance him, afterward openly
expressed his dislike of him, on account of his conduct. It was not,
however, too late to recover his favour; and he might have settled, to
great advantage, in Otaheite, as he had formerly lived several years
there, and was now a good deal noticed by Towha, whose valuable
present, of a very large double canoe, we have seen above. The
objection to admitting him to some rank would have also been much
lessened, if he had fixed at Otaheite; as a native will always find
it more difficult to accomplish such a change of state amongst his
countrymen, than a stranger who naturally claims respect. But Omai
remained undetermined to the last, and would not, I believe, have
adopted my plan of settlement in Huaheine, if I had not so explicitly
refused to employ force in restoring him to his father's possessions.
Whether the remains of his European wealth, which after all his
improvident waste, was still considerable, will be more prudently
administered by him, or whether the steps I took, as already
explained, to insure him protection in Huaheine, shall have proved
effectual, must be left to the decision of future navigators of this
ocean, with whom it cannot but be a principal object of curiosity to
trace the future fortunes of our traveller. At present, I can only
conjecture that his greatest danger will arise from the very impolitic
declarations of his antipathy to the inhabitants of Bolabola. For
these people, from a principle of jealousy, will, no doubt, endeavour
to render him obnoxious to those of Huaheine; as they are at peace
with that island at present, and may easily effect their designs, many
of them living there. This is a circumstance, which, of all others, he
might the most easily have avoided. For they were not only free from
any aversion to him, but the person mentioned before, whom we found
at Tiaraboo as an ambassador, priest, or god, absolutely offered to
reinstate him in the property that was formerly his father's. But he
refused this peremptorily; and, to the very last, continued determined
to take the first opportunity that offered of satisfying his revenge
in battle. To this, I guess, he was not a little spurred by the coat
of mail he brought from England; clothed in which, and in possession
of some fire-arms, he fancied that he should be invincible.

Whatever