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Volume the eleventh.
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CAPTAIN COOK ’S SECOND VOYAGE.

586

natives would have given him more general fatisfa&ion by his behaviour among them.—“ Omai has certainly a very good underftanding, quick parts, and honefl principles;he is of good natural behaviour, which rendered him acceptable to the belt company,and a proper degree of pride, which taught him to avoid the fociety of perfons ofinferior rank. He has paffions of the fame kind as other young men, but has judg-ment enough not to indulge them m any improper degree. I do not imagine that hehas any diflike to liquor, and if he had fallen into company where the perfon whodrank the moll met with the mod approbation, I have no doubt, but that he wouldhave endeavoured to gain the applaufe of thofe w'ith whom he alfociated; but, fortu-nately for him, he perceived that drinking was very little in ufe but among inferiorpeople, and as he was very watchful into the manners and conduct of the perfons ofrank who honoured him with their protection, he was fober and modeft, and I neverheard that, during the whole time of his hay in England, which was two years, heever once was difguifed with wine, or ever fhewed an inclination to go beyond theftridteft rules of moderation.

“ Soon after his arrival in London , the Earl of Sandwich, the firfl lord of theAdmiralty, introduced him to His Majefly at Kew, when he met with a mod graciousreception, and imbibed the flrongefl impreffion of duty and gratitude to that great andamiable Prince, which I am perfuaded he will preferve to the latefl moment of hislife. During his flay among us, he was careffed by many of the principal nobility,and did nothing to forfeit the efteem of any one of them ; but his principal patronswere the Earl of Sandwich, Mr. Banks , and Dr. Solander; the former probablythought it a duty of his office to proteft and countenance an inhabitant of that hofpi'table country, where the wants and diftreffes of thofe in his department had been alle-viated and fupplied in the mofl ample manner; the others, as a teilimony of theirgratitude for the generous reception they had met with during their refidence in hiscountry. It is to be obferved, that though Omai lived in the midfl of amufementsduring his refidence in England, his return to his native country was always in histhoughts, and though he was not impatient to go, he expreffed a fatisfaclion as thetime of his return approached. He embarked with me in the Refolution, when fhewas fitted out for another voyage, loaded with prefents from his feveral friends, andfull of gratitude for the kind reception and treatment he had experienced among

us.

The chief was no fooner gone, than they made fail for Ulietea, where they intendedto flop a few days. The next morning, September 8th, after making a few trips,they gained the harbour, and in the afternoon came to anchor; the natives crowdedround them in their canoes, with hogs and fruit. The latter they exchanged for nailsand beads; the former they refufed as yet, having already as many on board as theycould manage. Several they were, however, obliged to take; as many of the p rirl 'cipal people brought off little pigs, pepper, or eavoa-root, and the young plantain trees,and handed them into the fhip. In this manner did thefe good people welcome themto their country. .

Next morning they paid a formal vifit to Oreo, the chief of this part of the nj e ’carrying with them the neceffary prefents. He was feated in his own houfe, whicflood near the water-fide, where he and his friends received them with great cordiality'He expreffed much fatisfadlion at feeing Captain Cook again, and defired that thejrmight exchange names, which he accordingly agreed to : this is the flrongefl mark 0friendfhip they can fhew to a flranger. He inquired after Tupia, and all the gent emen, by name, who were with him when he firft vifited the ifland. After they ha ^