This old chief was at this time in the neighbourhood of Matavai; and it should seem, from what followed, that he was not pleased with the conditions; for that same evening all the women, which were not a few, were sent for out of the ship, and people stationed on different parts of the shore, to prevent any from coming off; and the next morning no supplies whatever being brought, on my enquiring into the reason, I was told Happi was mataoued.  Chagrined at this disappointment as I was, I forbore taking any step, from a supposition that Tee had not seen him, or that Otoo’s orders had not yet reached Matavai.  A supply of fruit sent us from Oparree, and some brought us by our friends, served us for the present, and made us less anxious about it.  Thus matters stood till the afternoon, when Otoo himself came to the tents with a large supply.  Thither I went, and expostulated with him for not permitting the people in our neighbourhood to bring us fruit as usual, insisting on his giving immediate orders about it; which he either did or had done before.  For presently after, more was brought us than we could well manage.  This was not to be wondered at, for the people had every thing in readiness to bring, the moment they were permitted, and I believe thought themselves as much injured by the restriction as we did.

Otoo desiring to see some of the great guns fire from the ship, I ordered twelve to be shotted and fired towards the sea.  As he had never seen a cannon fired before, the sight gave him as much pain as pleasure.  In the evening, we entertained him with fire-works, which gave him great satisfaction.

Thus ended all our differences, on which I beg leave to suggest the following remarks.  I have had occasion before, in this journal, to observe that these people were continually watching opportunities to rob us.  This their governors either encouraged, or had not power to prevent; but most probably the former, because the offender was always screened.[6] That they should commit such daring thefts was the more extraordinary, as they frequently run the risk of being shot in the attempt; and if the article that they stole was of any consequence, they knew they should be obliged to make restitution.  The moment a theft of this kind was committed, it spread like the wind over the whole neighbourhood.  They judged of the consequences from what they had got.  If it were a trifle, and such an article as we usually gave them, little or no notice was taken of it; but if the contrary, every one took the alarm, and moved off with his moveables in all haste.  The chief then was mataoued, giving orders to bring us no supplies, and flying to some distant part.  All this was sometimes done so suddenly, that we obtained, by these appearances, the first intelligence of our being robbed.  Whether we obliged them to make restitution or no, the chief must be reconciled before any of the people were permitted to bring in refreshments.