not a little; and, lastly, finished his repast by eating, or rather drinking, about three pints of popoie, which is made of bread-fruit, plantains, mahee, &c. beat together and diluted with water till it is of the consistence of a custard.  This was at the outside of his house, in the open air; for at this time a play was acting within, as was done almost every day in the neighbourhood; but they were such poor performances that I never attended.  I observed that, after the juice had been squeezed out of the chewed pepper-root for the chief, the fibres were carefully picked up and taken away by one of his servants.  On my asking what he intended to do with it, I was told he would put water to it, and strain it again.  Thus he would make what I will call small beer.

The 23d, wind easterly, as it had been ever since we left Otaheite.  Early in the morning, we unmoored, and at eight weighed and put to sea.  The good old chief was the last man who went out of the ship.  At parting I told him we should see each other no more; at which he wept, and said, “Let your sons come, we will treat them well.”  Oree is a good man, in the utmost sense of the word; but many of the people are far from being of that disposition, and seem to take advantage of his old age; Teraderre, his grandson and heir, being yet but a youth.  The gentle treatment the people of this isle ever met with from me, and the careless and imprudent manner in which many of our people had rambled about in the country, from a vain opinion that firearms rendered them invincible, encouraged many at Huaheine to commit acts of violence, which no man at Otaheite ever durst attempt.

During our stay here we got bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, &c. more than we could well-consume, but not hogs enough by far to supply our daily expence; and yet it did not appear that they were scarce in the isle.  It must be allowed, however, that the number we took away, when last here, must have thinned them greatly, and at the same time stocked the isle with our articles.  Besides, we now wanted a proper assortment of trade; what we had being nearly exhausted, and the few remaining red feathers being here but of little value, when compared to the estimation they stand in at Otaheite.  This obliged me to set the smiths to work to make different sorts of iron tools, nails, &c. in order to enable me to procure refreshments at the other isles, and to support my credit and influence among the natives.

CHAPTER XV.

Arrival at Ulietea; with an Account of the Reception we met with there, and the several Incidents which happened during our Stay.  A Report of two ships being at Huaheine.  Preparations to leave the Island; and the Regret the Inhabitants shewed on the Occasion.  The Character of Oedidee; with some general Observations on the Islands.

1774 May