in my pocket; and when I took the liberty of complaining to the chief of this treatment, he justified it.  From these circumstances, I now entertained apprehensions, that they might have formed the design of detaining us amongst them.  They did not, indeed, seem to be of a disposition so savage, as to make us anxious for the safety of our persons; but it was, nevertheless, vexing to think we had hazarded being detained by their curiosity.  In this situation, I asked for something to eat; and they readily brought to me some cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a sort of sour pudding; which was presented by a woman.  And on my complaining much of the heat, occasioned by the crowd, the chief himself condescended to fan me, and gave me a small piece of cloth, which he had round his waist.”

“Mr Burney happening to come to the place where I was, I mentioned my suspicions to him; and, to put it to the test, whether they were well-founded, we attempted to get to the beach.  But we were stopped, when about halfway, by some men, who told us, that we must go back to the place which we had left.  On coming up, we found Omai entertaining the same apprehensions.  But he had, as he fancied, an additional reason for being afraid; for he had observed, that they had dug a hole in the ground for an oven, which they were now heating; and he could assign no other reason for this, than that they meant to roast and eat us, as is practised by the inhabitants of New Zealand.  Nay, he went so far as to ask them the question; at which they were greatly surprised, asking, in return, whether that was a custom with us?  Mr Burney and I were rather angry that they should be thus suspected by him; there having, as yet, been no appearances, in their conduct toward us, of their being capable of such brutality.”

“In this manner we were detained the greatest part of the day, being sometimes together, and sometimes separated, but always in a crowd; who, not satisfied with gazing at us, frequently desired us to uncover part of our skin; the sight of which commonly produced a general murmur of admiration.  At the same time they did not omit these opportunities of rifling our pockets; and, at last, one of them snatched a small bayonet from Mr Gore, which hung in its sheath by his side.  This was represented to the chief, who pretended to send some person in search of it.  But, in all probability, he countenanced the theft; for, soon after, Omai had a dagger stolen from his side, in the same manner, though he did not miss it immediately.”

“Whether they observed any signs of uneasiness in us, or that they voluntarily repeated their emblems of friendship when we expressed a desire to go, I cannot tell; but, at this time, they brought some green boughs, and, sticking their ends in the ground, desired we might hold them as we sat.  Upon out urging again the business we came upon, they gave us to understand, that we must stay and eat with them; and a pig which we saw, soon after, lying near the oven, which they had prepared and heated, removed Omai’s apprehension of being put into it himself; and made us think it might be intended for our repast.  The chief also promised to send some people to procure food for the cattle; but it was not till pretty late in the afternoon, that we saw them return with a few plantain-trees, which they carried to our boats.”