ossessed away to his
worthless companions. Some horses had been brought out, on two of which
the captains rode daily over the plains of Matavai, to the great
astonishment of the natives, who on all occasions assembled to witness
this, to them, extraordinary feat.

Leaving Otaheite, Cook the next day landed at Eimeo, where one of the
goats he carried to stock their islands was stolen. It was not until
several war canoes and six or eight huts had been burnt that the natives
restored the missing animal.

On the 12th of October, he anchored at Huaheine, where it was arranged
that Omai was to be left, though he himself wished to settle at Ulietea,
where his father had possessed some land, which he hoped to be able to
recover through the means of the English. He was very indignant on
finding that the captain would not consent to do this, but was at last
reconciled to the plan proposed for him. The grant of a piece of land
being obtained from the chief, a house was built, a garden stocked, and
the young savage was sent on shore with various firearms, toys, a
portable organ, an electrical machine, fireworks, with other things, as
well as a horse and a mare, a boar and sow, and a male and female kid.
Being thus established, it was hoped that with these advantages he would
be able to maintain himself, and instruct the islanders in some of the
arts of civilisation. He exhibited the deepest grief when he was at
length landed, and would gladly have remained with his friends.

How different was the conduct of Omai to that which was expected!
Abandoning his European dress, he quickly sank into idleness,
barbarously employing his firearms either to assist the chief in his
wars or to shoot those of his countrymen who had offended him. In three
years he died, despised even by the savages it was supposed that he
would have improved.

At Otaheite, where Cook afterwards touched, three or four of his people
having deserted, several members of the chief's family were seized and
kept as hostages until they should be delivered up. Oreo, the chief,
fearing that the runaways might not be discovered, formed a plot to
seize the captain and some of his principal officers; but, as they
wisely took care not to put themselves in his power, this was prevented,
and fortunately the deserters were discovered and brought on board.

Bolabola was the next island visited, for the purpose of recovering an
anchor which had been lost by Bougainville a