A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

which taught him to avoid the society of persons of inferior rank. He has passions of the same kind as otheryoung men, but has judgment enough not to indulge them in any improper excess. I do not imagine that hehas any dislike to liquor, and if he had fallen into company where the person who drank the most met withthe most approbation, I have no doubt, but that he would have endeavoured to gain the applause of thosewith whom he associated; but, fortunately for him, he perceived that drinking was very little in use butamong inferior people, and as he was very watchful into the manners and conduct of the persons of rankwho honoured him with their protection, he was sober and modest, and I never heard that, during the wholetime of his stay in England, which was two years, he ever once was disguised with wine, or ever shewed aninclination to go beyond the strictest rules of moderation.Soon after his arrival in London, the Earl of Sandwich, the first Lord of the Admiralty, introduced him tohis majesty at Kew, when he met with a most gracious reception, and imbibed the strongest impression ofduty and gratitude to that great and amiable prince, which I am persuaded he will preserve to the latestmoment of his life. During his stay among us he was caressed by many of the principal nobility, and didnothing to forfeit the esteem of any one of them; but his principal patrons were the Earl of Sandwich, MrBanks, and Dr Solander; the former probably thought it a duty of his office to protect and countenance aninhabitant of that hospitable country, where the wants and distresses of those in his department had beenalleviated and supplied in the most ample manner; the others, as a testimony of their gratitude for thegenerous reception they had met with during their residence in his country. It is to be observed, that thoughOmai lived in the midst of amusements during his residence in England, his return to his native countrywas always in his thoughts, and though he was not impatient to go, he expressed a satisfaction as the timeof his return approached. He embarked with me in the Resolution, when she was fitted out for anothervoyage, loaded with presents from his several friends, and full of gratitude for the kind reception andtreatment he had experienced among us.SECTION XIII.Arrival at, and Departure of the Ships from, Ulietea: With an Account of what happened there, and ofOedidee, one of the Natives, coming away in the Resolution.The chief was no sooner gone, than we made sail for Ulietea (where I intended to stop a few days).Arriving off the harbour of Ohamaneno at the close of the day, we spent the night making short boards. Itwas dark, but we were sufficiently guided by the fishers lights on the reefs and shores of the isles. The nextmorning, after making a few trips, we gained the entrance of the harbour; and, as the wind blew directlyout, I sent a boat to lie in soundings, that we might know when to anchor. As soon as the signal was madeby her, we borrowed close to the south point of the channel; and, with our sails set, shooting within theboat, we anchored in seventeen fathoms water. We then carried out anchors and hawsers, to warp in by;and, as soon as the Resolution was out of the way, the Adventure came up in like manner, and warped inby the Resolution. The warping in, and mooring the ships, took up the whole day.We were no sooner at anchor at the entrance of the harbour, than the natives crowded round us in theircanoes with hogs and fruit. The latter they exchanged for nails and beads; the former we refused as yet,having already as many on board as we could manage. Several we were, however, obliged to take, as manyof the principal people brought off little pigs, pepper, or eavoa-root, and young plantain trees, and handedthem into the ship, or put them into the boats along-side, whether we would or no; for if we refused to takethem on board, they would throw them into the boats. In this manner, did these good people welcome us totheir country.