visit I made the chief after our arrival, he desired I would not suffer any of my people to shoot herons and wood-peckers; birds as sacred with them as robin-red-breasts, swallows, &c. are with many old women in England.  Tupia, who was a priest, and well acquainted with their religion, customs, traditions, &c. paid little or no regard to these birds.  I mention this, because some amongst us were of opinion that these birds are their Eatuas, or gods.  We indeed fell into this opinion when I was here in 1769, and into some others still more absurd, which we had undoubtedly adopted, if Tupia had not undeceived us.  A man of his knowledge and understanding we have not since met with, and consequently have added nothing to his account of their religion but superstitious notions.[2]

On the 31st, the people knowing that we should sail soon, began to bring more fruit on board than usual.  Among those who came was a young man who measured six feet four inches and six-tenths; and his sister, younger, than him, measured five feet ten inches and a half.  A brisk trade for hogs and fruit continued on the 1st of June.  On the 2d, in the afternoon, we got intelligence that, three days before, two ships had arrived at Huaheine.  The same report said, the one was commanded by Mr Banks, and the other by Captain Furneaux.  The man who brought the account said, he was made drunk on board one of them, and described the persons of Mr Banks and Captain Furneaux so well, that I had not the least doubt of the truth, and began to consider about sending a boat over that very evening with orders to Captain Furneaux, when a man, a friend of Mr Forster, happened to come on board and denied the whole, saying it was wa warre, a lie.  The man from whom we had the intelligence was now gone, so that we could not confront them, and there were none else present who knew any thing about it but by report; so that I laid aside sending over a boat till I should be better informed.  This evening we entertained the people with fire-works, on one of the little isles near the entrance of the harbour.

I had fixed on the next day for sailing, but the intelligence from Huaheine put a stop to it.  The chief had promised to bring the man on board who first brought the account; but he was either not to be found, or would not appear.  In the morning, the people were divided in their opinions; but in the afternoon, all said it was a false report.  I had sent Mr Clerke, in the morning, to the farthest part of the island, to make enquiries there; he returned without learning any thing satisfactory.  In short, the report appeared now too ill founded to authorize me to send a boat over, or to wait any longer here; and therefore, early in the morning of the 4th, I got every thing in readiness to sail.  Oree the chief, and his whole family, came on board, to take their last farewell, accompanied by Oo-oo-rou, the Earee di hi, and Boba, the Earee of Otaha, and