robbery committed the day before.  The chief then began to assure me, that neither he, nor any one present (which were the principal chiefs in the neighbourhood) had any hand in it; and desired me to kill, with the guns, all those which had.  I assured him, that I was satisfied that neither he nor those present were at all concerned in the affair; and that I should do with the fellows as he desired, or any others who were guilty of the like crimes.  Having asked where the fellows were, and desired they would bring them to me, that I might do with them as he had said, his answer was, they were gone to the mountains, and he could not get them.  Whether this was the case or not, I will not pretend to say.  I knew fair means would never make them deliver them up; and I had no intention to try others.  So the affair dropt, and the council broke up.

In the evening, some of the gentlemen went to a dramatic entertainment.  The piece represented a girl as running away with us from Otaheite; which was in some degree true; as a young woman had taken a passage with us down to Ulietea, and happened now to be present at the representation of her own adventures; which had such an effect upon her, that it was with great difficulty our gentlemen could prevail upon her to see the play out, or to refrain from tears while it was acting.  The piece concluded with the reception she was supposed to meet with from her friends at her return; which was not a very favourable one.  These people can add little extempore pieces to their entertainments, when they see occasion.  Is it not then reasonable to suppose that it was intended as a satire against this girl, and to discourage others from following her steps?[1]

In the morning of the 18th, Oree came on board with a present of fruit, stayed dinner, and in the afternoon desired to see some great guns fired, shotted, which I complied with.  The reason of his making this request was his hearing, from Oedidee, and our Otaheitean passengers, that we had so done at their island.  The chief would have had us fire at the hills; but I did not approve of that, lest the shot should fall short and do some mischief.  Besides, the effect was better seen in the water.  Some of the petty officers, who had leave to go into the country for their amusement, took two of the natives with them to be their guides, and to carry their bags, containing nails, hatchets, &c. the current cash we traded with here; which the fellows made off with in the following artful manner:  The gentlemen had with them two muskets for shooting birds.  After a shower of rain, their guides pointed out some for them to shoot.  One of the muskets having missed fire several times, and the other having gone off, the instant the fellows saw themselves secure from both, they ran away, leaving the gentlemen gazing after them with so much surprise, that no one had presence of mind to pursue them.

The 19th, showery morning; fair afternoon, nothing happened worthy of note.