chiefs, brought back to the tents, and
confidence was restored.

Preparations were now made for leaving Otaheite. On May 11 a large
supply of fruit arrived from all parts, some of it sent by Towha, the
admiral of the fleet, with orders to his servants to receive nothing in
return. However, the captain thought fit to send an equivalent present
by Oedidee. That young native had come to the resolution of remaining
at Otaheite, but was persuaded to go on in the ship to Ulietea, his
native island. Nothing but Captain Cook's warning that it was very
probable he would be unable to return to the Pacific would have induced
him to leave the ship, so great was his affection for the English, and
his desire to visit their country.

On the 12th old Oberea, who had been supposed by Captain Wallis to be
the queen of the island, came on board, and brought a present of pigs
and fruit, and soon afterwards Otoo appeared with a retinue and a large
quantity of provisions. Handsome presents were made in return, and the
visitors were entertained in the evening with fireworks. A succession
of broadsides from the great guns on another occasion must have still
more astonished the natives.

Captain Cook waited in vain for the sailing of the fleet on the proposed
warlike expedition. It was evident that the chiefs considered, since
they could not obtain the assistance of the English, that they should be
more at liberty to act if left alone, and therefore, as long as the
Resolution remained, they continued to make excuses for not setting out.
Otoo's large canoe had been called, at Cook's request, the Britannia,
and he had presented to the king a grappling-iron, a rope, and an
English Jack and pendant for her.

Several natives were anxious to accompany Captain Cook, but he firmly
resisted all their solicitations, from motives of humanity, knowing the
great probability that they would never return to their native land. At
length, on May 14, 1774, the anchor was hove up, and the ship proceeded
out of the harbour, Otoo remaining in his canoe alongside till the ship
was under sail. At that juncture, all the boats being hoisted in, a
gunner's mate, a good swimmer, slipped overboard, hoping to reach the
shore and remain behind. He was, however, seen before he got clear of
the ship; a boat was lowered, and he was brought back. He was an
Irishman by birth, but he had been long-absent from home, and he was
without any tie of kindred; Captain Co