1789.  April.  Sunday 5.

We steered towards the island Huaheine, which we got sight of the next morning.  At noon we brought to near the entrance of Owharre harbour, it not being my intention to anchor.  We could see every part of the harbour distinctly, but my attention was particularly directed to the spot where Omai’s house had stood, no part of which was now visible.  It was near three o’clock before any canoes came off to us, for the people on shore imagined that the ship was coming into the harbour.  The first that arrived had three men in it, who brought a few coconuts.  I enquired about the chief or Earee Rahie; and one of the fellows with great gravity said he was the Earee Rahie, and that he had come to desire I would bring the ship into the harbour.  I could not help laughing at his impudence:  however I gave him a few nails for his coconuts and he left us.  Immediately after a double canoe in which were ten men came alongside; among them was a young man who recollected and called me by my name.  Several other canoes arrived with hogs, yams, and other provisions, which we purchased.  My acquaintance told me that he had lived with our friend Omai.  He confirmed the account that had already been given and informed me that of all the animals which had been left with Omai the mare only remained alive.  He said that Omai and himself had often rode together, and I observed that many of the islanders who came on board had the representation of a man on horseback tattooed on their legs.  After the death of Omai his house was broken to pieces and the materials stolen.  The firearms were at Ulietea but useless.  I enquired after the seeds and plants and was informed that they were all destroyed except one tree, but of what kind that was I could not make out from their description.  I was much pressed to take the ship into the harbour, and Omai’s companion requested me to let him go to England.  When they found that I would not stop among them they seemed jealous of our going to Ulietea, and it appeared to give them some satisfaction when I told them that I should not go near that island.

The canoes had left us and we were making sail when we discovered an Indian in the water swimming towards the shore, which in all probability he would not have been able to reach.  We took him up and luckily another canoe coming alongside we put him in her.  The people of the canoe said that the man was insane, but how he came to be swimming so far from the land we could not conjecture.  At six o’clock we made sail and ran all night to the south-west and south-west by south, between the islands Huaheine and Ulietea.  The next morning I altered the course, steering more to the westward for the Friendly Islands.

Thursday 9.