o the three chiefs, whose names were Otteroo, Taroa,
and Fatouweera. Each of these expected a present; and Mr Gore gave them
such things as he had brought with him from the ship, for that purpose.
After this, making use of Omai as his interpreter, he informed the
chiefs with what intention we had come on shore; but was given to
understand, that he must wait till the next day, and then he should have
what was wanted."

"They now seemed to take some pains to separate us from each other; and
every one of us had his circle to surround and gaze at him. For my own
part, I was, at one time, above an hour apart from my friends; and when
I told the chief, with whom I sat, that I wanted to speak to Omai, he
peremptorily refused my request. At the same time, I found the people
began to steal several trifling things which I had in my pocket; and
when I took the liberty of complaining to the chief of this treatment,
he justified it. From these circumstances, I now entertained
apprehensions, that they might have formed the design of detaining us
amongst them. They did not, indeed, seem to be of a disposition so
savage, as to make us anxious for the safety of our persons; but it was,
nevertheless, vexing to think we had hazarded being detained by their
curiosity. In this situation, I asked for something to eat; and they
readily brought to me some cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a sort of sour
pudding; which was presented by a woman. And on my complaining much of
the heat, occasioned by the crowd, the chief himself condescended to fan
me, and gave me a small piece of cloth, which he had round his waist."

"Mr Burney happening to come to the place where I was, I mentioned my
suspicions to him; and, to put it to the test, whether they were
well-founded, we attempted to get to the beach. But we were stopped,
when about halfway, by some men, who told us, that we must go back to
the place which we had left. On coming up, we found Omai entertaining
the same apprehensions. But he had, as he fancied, an additional reason
for being afraid; for he had observed, that they had dug a hole in the
ground for an oven, which they were now heating; and he could assign no
other reason for this, than that they meant to roast and eat us, as is
practised by the inhabitants of New Zealand. Nay, he went so far as to
ask them the question; at which they were greatly surprised, asking, in
return, whether that was a custom with us? Mr Burney and I were rather
angr