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

eceived an interruption, through the negligence of one of the centinels on shore. He having either slept orquitted his post, gave one of the natives an opportunity to carry off his musket. The first news I heard of itwas from Tee, whom Otoo had sent on board for that purpose, and to desire that I would go to him, for thathe was mataoued. We were not well enough acquainted with their language to understand all Tee's story;but we understood enough to know that something had happened which had alarmed the king. In order,therefore, to be fully informed, I went ashore with Tee and Tarevatoo, who had slept aboard all night. Assoon as we landed, I was informed of the whole by the serjeant who commanded the party. I found thenatives all alarmed, and the most of them fled. Tarevatoo slipped from me in a moment, and hardly anyremained by me but Tee. With him I went to look for Otoo; and, as we advanced, I endeavoured to allaythe fears of the people, but, at the same time, insisted on the musket being restored. After travelling somedistance into the country, enquiring of every one we saw for Otoo, Tee stopped all at once and advised meto return, saying, that Otoo was gone to the mountains, and he would proceed and tell him that I was stillhis friend; a question which had been asked me fifty times by different people, and if I was angry, &c. Teealso promised that he would use his endeavours to recover the musket. I was now satisfied it was to nopurpose to go farther; for, although I was alone and unarmed, Otoo's fears were such, that he durst not seeme; and, therefore, I took Tee's advice, and returned aboard. After this I sent Oedidee to Otoo to let himknow that his fears were ill- grounded; for that I only required the return of the musket, which I knew wasin his power.Soon after Oedidee was gone, we observed six large canoes coming round Point Venus. Some peoplewhom I had sent out, to watch the conduct of the neighbouring inhabitants, informed me they were ladenwith baggage, fruit, hogs, &c. There being room for suspecting that some person belonging to these canoeshad committed the theft, I presently came to a resolution to intercept them; and having put off in a boat forthat purpose, gave orders for another to follow. One of the canoes, which was some distance ahead of therest, came directly for the ship. I went alongside this, and found two or three women in her whom I knew.They told me they were going on board the ship with something for me; and, on my enquiring of them forOtoo, was told he was then at the tents. Pleased with this news, I contradicted the orders I had given forintercepting the other canoes, thinking they might be coming on board also, as well as this one, which I leftwithin a few yards of the ship, and rowed ashore to speak with Otoo. But when I landed, I was told that hehad not been there, nor knew they any thing of him. On my looking behind me, I saw all the canoesmaking off in the greatest haste; even the one I had left alongside the ship had evaded going on board, andwas making her escape. Vexed at being thus outwitted, I resolved to pursue them; and as I passed the ship,gave orders to send another boat for the same purpose. Five out of six we took, and brought alongside; butthe first, which acted the finesse so well, got clear off. When we got on board with our prizes, I learnt thatthe people who had deceived me, used no endeavours to lay hold of the ship on the side they were up on,but let their canoe drop past, as if they meant to come under the stern, or on the other side; and that themoment they were past, they paddled off with all speed. Thus the canoe, in which were only a few women,was to have amused us with false stories as they actually did, while the others, in which were most of theeffects, got off.In one of the canoes we had taken, was a chief, a friend of Mr Forster's, who had hitherto called himself anEaree, and would have been much offended if any one had called his title in question; also three women,his wife and daughter, and the mother of the late Toutaha. These, together with the canoes, I resolved todetain, and to send the chief to Otoo, thinking he would have weight enough with him to obtain the returnof the musket, as his own property was at stake. He was, however, very unwilling to go on this embassy,and made various excuses, one of which was his being of too low a rank for this honourable employment;saying he was no Earee, but a Manahouna, and, therefore, was not a fit person to be sent; that an Eareeought to be sent to speak to an Earee; and as there were no Earees but Otoo and myself, it would be much