This morning I sent a boat to Oparre, which returned in the afternoon with Oberreeroah and two women, her servants.  As she was old and corpulent it was with difficulty that we helped her up the ship’s side.  As soon as she was in the ship she sat down on the gangway and, clasping my knees in her arms, expressed her pleasure at seeing me by a flood of tears.  Her servants then produced three pieces of cloth which, with a large hog, some breadfruit, plantains, and coconuts, she had brought as a present.  As she was fatigued by her journey she wished to remain on board all night, and I directed accommodations to be prepared, which was done with little trouble as nothing more was necessary than a mat and some cloth spread on the deck.  She had with her a favourite cat, bred from one that had been given her by Captain Cook.  She told me all the misfortunes that had befallen her son and friends since Captain Cook left Otaheite.  All the accounts agree in some of the cattle being now alive at the island Eimeo:  in the number they differ but that there were eight is the least account.

Wednesday 26.

In the morning, Oberreeroah being desirous to go on shore, I made her a present of several things, which she did not care to take with her then, but requested that I would keep them safe for her.  Only Moannah and Poeeno dined with me today.  They told me that Tinah and his brother Oreepyah were not on good terms together, and it was imagined that they would fight as soon as the ship was gone.  I had observed a coolness between them, and had at times endeavoured to make them more cordial, but with very little effect.  Their quarrel has arisen from a disagreement between their wives.

In the afternoon a canoe from Ulietea arrived in which was an Earee or chief of that island, who is a nephew to Oberreeroah.  He brought a sheep with him:  the poor animal was infected with the mange and in very poor condition.  The climate had not as far as I could judge altered the quality of the wool, with which he was well covered except a part about the shoulders.  I imagine this animal to be the English ewe left by Captain Cook.  The owner assured me that there were ten sheep at Huaheine; the truth of which I much doubted.  I was surprised and rather mortified to find that he set so little value on this as to let me have it, at the first word, for a small adze.  I sent it to be kept at Poeeno’s with the heifer.

Friday 28.

Tinah and his wife returned to Matavai and, from appearances which I have no reason to mistrust, were sincerely glad to see me again after their short absence.  They brought as usual a present of a hog and fruit.  This morning there was an eclipse of the sun, but the weather was so cloudy that I had only an opportunity of observing the end of the eclipse, which was at 19 hours 43 minutes 53 seconds.

Saturday 29.

I sent a man to shear the ewe, by which a remedy could more easily be applied to cure the disease with which it was infected.  The garden made near the tents was not in a prosperous condition:  most of the melons and cucumbers were destroyed by insects; and the soil being sandy was not favourable to the other seeds.  I therefore chose another spot of ground farther from the seaside and had an assortment of seeds sown.