The several articles which his people had got, by trading on board the ships, were now displayed before him.  He looked over them all with attention, enquired what they had given in exchange, and seemed pleased with the bargains they had made.  At length he ordered every thing to be restored to the respective owners, except a glass bowl, with which he was so much pleased that he reserved it for himself.  The persons who brought these things to him, first squatted themselves down before him, then they deposited their several purchases, and immediately rose up and retired.  The same respectful ceremony was observed in taking them away, and not one of them presumed to speak to him standing.  I stayed till several of his attendants left him, first paying him obeisance, by bowing the head down to the sole of his foot, and touching or tapping the same with the upper and under side of the fingers of both hands.  Others, who were not in the circle, came, as it seemed, on purpose, and paid him this mark of respect and then retired, without speaking a word.  I was quite charmed with the decorum that was observed.  I had no where seen the like, not even amongst more civilized nations.

I found the master returned from his expedition when I got on board.  He informed me, that, as far as he had proceeded, there was anchorage, and a passage for the ships, but that toward the S. and S.E. he saw a number of small isles, shoals, and breakers.  Judging, from this report, that my attempting a passage that way would be attended with some risk, I now dropped all thoughts of it, thinking it better to return toward Annamooka by the same route, which we had so lately experienced to be a safe one.

Having come to this resolution, I should have sailed next morning if the wind had not been too far southerly, and at the same time very unsettled.  Poulaho, the king, as I shall now call him, came on board betimes, and brought, as a present to me, one of their caps, made, or at least covered, with red feathers.  These caps were much sought after by us, for we knew they would be highly valued at Otaheite.  But though very large prices were offered, not one was ever brought for sale; which shewed that they were no less valuable in the estimation of the people here; nor was there a person in either ship that could make himself the proprietor of one, except myself, Captain Clerke, and Omai.  These caps, or rather bonnets, are composed of the tail feathers of the tropic bird, with the red feathers of the parroquets wrought upon them, or jointly with them.  They are made so as to tie upon the forehead without any crown, and have the form of a semicircle, whose radius is eighteen or twenty inches.  The chief stayed on board till the evening, when he left us; but his brother, whose name was also Futtafaihe, and one or two or more of his attendants, continued in the ship all night.