“In the mean time, Mr Barney and I attempted again to go to the beach; but when we arrived, we found ourselves watched by people, who, to appearance, had been placed there for this purpose.  For when I tried to wade in upon the reef, one of them took hold of my clothes and dragged me back.  I picked up some small pieces of coral, which they required me to throw down again; and, on my refusal, they made no scruple to take them forcibly from me.  I had gathered some small plants, but these also I could not be permitted to retain.  And they took a fan from Mr Barney, which he had received as a present on coming ashore.  Omai said we had done wrong in taking up any thing, for it was not the custom here to permit freedoms of that kind to strangers, till they had, in some measure, naturalized them to the country, by entertaining them with festivity for two or three days.”

“Finding that the only method of procuring better treatment was to yield implicit obedience to their will, we went up again to the place we had left; and they now promised that we should have a canoe to carry us off to our boats, after we had eaten of a repast which they had prepared for us.”

“Accordingly the second chief, to whom we had been introduced in the morning, having seated himself upon a low broad stool of blackish hard wood, tolerably polished, and, directing the multitude to make a pretty large ring, made us sit down by him.  A considerable number of cocoa-nuts were now brought, and shortly after a long green basket, with a sufficient quantity of baked plantains to have served a dozen persons.  A piece of the young hog, that had been dressed, was then set before each of us, of which we were desired to eat.  Our appetites, however, had failed from the fatigue of the day; and though we did eat a little to please them, it was without satisfaction to ourselves.”

“It being now near sun-set, we told them it was time to go on board.  This they allowed, and sent down to the beach the remainder of the victuals that had been dressed, to be carried with us to the ships.  But, before we set out, Omai was treated with a drink he had been used to in his own country, which, we observed, was made here, as at other islands in the South Sea, by chewing the root of a sort of pepper.  We found a canoe ready to put us off to our boats, which the natives did with the same caution as when we landed.  But even here their thievish disposition did not leave them.  For a person of some consequence among them, who came with us, took an opportunity, just as they were pushing the canoe into the surf, to snatch a bag out of her, which I had with the greatest difficulty preserved all day, there being in it a small pocket-pistol, which I was unwilling to part with.  Perceiving him, I called out, expressing as much displeasure as I could.  On which he thought proper to return, and swim with the bag to the canoe; but he denied he had stolen it, though detected in the very act.  They put us on board our boats, with the cocoa-nuts, plantains, and other provisions, which they had brought, and we rowed to the ships, very well pleased that we had at last got out of the hands of our troublesome masters.”