Early in the morning of the 20th, three of the officers set out on a shooting party, rather contrary to my inclination; as I found the natives, at least some of them, were continually watching every opportunity to rob straggling parties, and were daily growing more daring.  About three o’clock in the afternoon, I got intelligence that they were seized and stripped of every thing they had about them.  Upon this I immediately went on shore with a boat’s crew, accompanied by Mr Forster, and took possession of a large house with all its effects, and two chiefs whom I found in it; but this we did in such a manner, that they hardly knew what we were about, being unwilling to alarm the neighbourhood.  In this situation I remained till I heard the officers had got back safe, and had all their things restored to them:  Then I quitted the house; and presently after every thing in it was carried off.  When I got on board I was informed of the whole affair by the officers themselves.  Some little insult on their part, induced the natives to seize their guns, on which a scuffle ensued, some chiefs interfered, took the officers out of the crowd, and caused every thing which had been taken from them to be restored.  This was at a place where we had before been told, that a set of fellows had formed themselves into a gang, with a resolution to rob every one who should go that way.  It should seem from what followed, that the chief could not prevent this, or put a stop to these repeated outrages.  I did not see him this evening, as he was not come into the neighbourhood when I went on board; but I learnt from Oedidee that he came soon after, and was so concerned at what had happened that he wept.

Day-light no sooner broke upon us on the 21st, than we saw upwards of sixty canoes under sail going out of the harbour, and steering over for Ulietea.  On our enquiring the reason, we were told that the people in them were Eareeois, and were going to visit their brethren in the neighbouring isles.  One may almost compare these men to free-masons; they tell us they assist each other when need requires; they seem to have customs among them which they either will not, or cannot explain.  Oedidee told us he was one; Tupia was one; and yet I have not been able to get any tolerable idea of this set of men, from either of them.  Oedidee denies that the children they have by their mistresses are put to death, as we understood from Tupia and others.  I have had some conversation with Omai on this subject, and find that he confirms every thing that is said upon it in the narrative of my former voyage.[2]