When I landed this morning I found the inhabitants that lived near to us had left their houses and retired towards the mountains; and was informed that in the night a water cask, part of an azimuth compass, and Mr. Peckover’s bedding, had been stolen from the post on shore; the knowledge of which had caused a general alarm.  I sent a message to complain of this theft to Tinah who did not come near me.  About two hours elapsed, during which time I went on board to breakfast and returned when I saw Tinah and Oreepyah with a number of people at a house at some distance; and soon after they all marched to the eastward, passing close by our post.  Oedidee, who was with me, told me that they had intelligence of the thief, and were gone in quest of him:  and in less than an hour news was brought that they had taken him.  Shortly after the whole party appeared with the water-cask and compass.  Tinah had hold of the thief by the arm and, showing him to me, desired that I would kill him.  The bedding, he said, he had not heard of, but would go in search of it.  I applauded him for the pains he had taken in this business, and explained with some success the injustice of stealing from us:  that if any of our people committed the least offence against them it did not pass unnoticed; and that friendship required on their part that those who injured us should not be protected by them.  Tinah stopped me from saying more by embracing me and the whole crowd cried out Tyo myty (i.e. good friend).  Tinah then left me to enquire after the bedding, and I sent the offender on board, whom I punished with a severe flogging.  I was glad to find this man was not of Oparre or Matavai.

The fine fruit called Avee was just coming into season:  it was likewise in season at the time of our arrival in October.  The breadfruit trees I have no doubt bear all the year round:  we have seen a scarcity of breadfruit but have never been wholly without it.  Some fern-root was shown to me which in scarce seasons is used by the natives as bread.  It bears a long even-edged leaf about an inch wide; the taste somewhat resembled that of a yam.  I was informed by our people that in their walks they saw in many places patches of Indian corn just making their appearance through the ground.  This convinces me that the corn taken from Matavai could not have been better disposed of.

Goats are frequently offered for sale, but I rather discouraged the buying of them for fear of injuring the breed.  The natives will not eat them, neither will they taste the milk, and ask with some appearance of disgust why we do not milk the sows?  I endeavoured to prevail on Tinah and Iddeah to eat the goats milk by mixing it with fruit, but they would only try one spoonful.