anxious for
their safety. We were communicating our apprehensions to old Kaoo, who
appeared as much concerned as ourselves, and were concerting measures
with him, for sending after them, when they arrived all safe. They had
been obliged to go farther into the country than was expected,
before they met with trees fit for their purpose; and it was this
circumstance, together with the badness of the roads, and the
difficulty of bringing back the timber, which had detained them so
long. They spoke in high terms of their guides, who both supplied them
with provisions, and guarded their tools with the utmost fidelity.

The next day being fixed for our departure, Terreeoboo invited Captain
Cook and myself to attend him on the 3d, to the place where Kaoo
resided. On our arrival, we found the ground covered with parcels of
cloth; a vast quantity of red and yellow feathers, tied to the fibres
of cocoa-nut husks; and a great number of hatchets, and other pieces
of iron-ware, that had been got in barter from us. At a little
distance from these lay an immense quantity of vegetables, of every
kind, and near them was a large herd of hogs. At first, we imagined
the whole to be intended as a present for us, till Kaireekeea informed
me, that it was a gift, or tribute, from the people of that district
to the king; and, accordingly, as soon as we were seated, they
brought all the bundles, and laid them severally at Terreeoboo's feet;
spreading out the cloth, and displaying the feathers, and iron-ware,
before him. The king seemed much pleased with this mark of their duty;
and having selected about a third part of the iron-ware, the same
proportion of feathers, and a few pieces of cloth, these were set
aside, by themselves; and the remainder of the cloth, together with
all the hogs and vegetables, were afterward presented to Captain Cook
and myself. We were astonished at the value and magnitude of this
present, which far exceeded every thing of the kind we had seen,
either at the Friendly or Society Islands. Boats were immediately sent
to carry them on board; the large hogs were picked out, to be salted
for sea-store; and upward of thirty smaller pigs, and the vegetables,
were divided between the two crews.

The same day, we quitted the _morai_, and got the tents and
astronomical instruments on board. The charm of the _taboo_ was now
removed; and we had no sooner left the place, than the natives rushed
in, and searched eagerly about, in ex