pieces were handed to others who sat behind:  For we had a vast crowd about us; so that it might be truly said we dined in public.  The chief never failed to drink his glass of Madeira whenever it came to his turn, not only now, but at all other times when he dined with us, without ever being once affected by it.  As soon as we had dined, the boat’s crew took the remainder; and by them, and those about them, the whole was consumed.  When we rose up, many of the common people rushed in, to pick up the crumbs which had fallen, and for which they searched the leaves very narrowly.  This leads me to believe, that though there is plenty of pork at these isles, but little falls to their share.  Some of our gentlemen being present when these pigs were killed and dressed, observed the chief to divide the entrails, lard, &c. into ten or twelve equal parts, and serve it out to certain people.  Several daily attended the ships, and assisted the butchers, for the sake of the entrails of the hogs we killed.  Probably little else falls to the share of the common people.  It however must be owned, that they are exceedingly careful of every kind of provision, and waste nothing that can be eaten by man; flesh and fish especially.

In the afternoon we were entertained with a play.  Plays, indeed, had been acted almost every day since we had been here, either to entertain us, or for their own amusement, or perhaps both.[2]

Next morning produced some circumstances which fully prove the timorous disposition of these people.  We were surprised to find that none of them came off to the ships as usual.  Two men belonging to the Adventure having staid on shore all night, contrary to orders, my first conjectures were, that the natives had stripped them, and were now afraid to come near us, lest we should take some step to revenge the insult; but in order to be better satisfied, Captain Furneaux and I went ashore to Oreo’s house, which we found quite empty; he and all his family gone, and the whole neighbourhood, in a manner, quite deserted.  The two men belonging to the Adventure made their appearance, and informed us that they had been very civilly treated by the natives, but could give no account of the cause of their precipitate flight.  All that we could learn from the very few that durst come near us, was, that severals were killed, others wounded by our guns, pointing out to us where the balls went in and out of the body, &c.  This relation gave me a good deal of uneasiness for the safety of our people gone to Otaha, fearing that some disturbance had happened at that island.  However, in order to be better informed, I determined, if possible, to see the chief himself.  Accordingly we embarked in our boat, having one of the natives with us, and rowed along shore to the northward, the way we were told he was gone.  We soon came in sight of the canoe in which he was; but before we could come up with her he had got on shore.  We landed presently