having been performed, Omai sat down by me,
and we entered upon business, by giving the young chief my present,
and receiving his in return; and, all things considered, they were
liberal enough on both sides. Some arrangements were next agreed upon,
as to the manner of carrying on the intercourse betwixt us; and I
pointed out the mischievous consequences that would attend their
robbing us, as they had done during my former visits. Omai's
establishment was then proposed to the assembled chiefs.

He acquainted them, "that he had been carried by us into our country,
where he was well received by the great king and his _earees_, and
treated with every mark of regard and affection while he staid amongst
us; that he had been brought back again, enriched, by our liberality,
with a variety of articles which would prove very useful to his
countrymen; and that, besides the two horses which were to remain with
him, several other new and valuable animals had been left at Otaheite,
which would soon multiply, and furnish a sufficient number for the
use of all the islands in the neighbourhood. He then signified to them
that it was my earnest request, in return for all my friendly offices,
that they would give him a piece of land to build a house upon, and to
raise provisions for himself and servants; adding, that if this could
not be obtained for him in Huaheine, either by gift or by purchase, I
was determined to carry him to Ulietea, and fix him there."

Perhaps I have here made a better speech for my friend than he
actually delivered; but these were the topics I dictated to him. I
observed that what he concluded with, about carrying him to Ulietea,
seemed to meet with the approbation of all the chiefs; and I instantly
saw the reason. Omai had, as I have already mentioned, vainly
flattered himself that I meant to use force in restoring him to his
father's lands in Ulietea, and he had talked idly, and without any
authority from me, on this subject, to some of the present assembly,
who dreamed of nothing less than a hostile invasion of Ulietea, and of
being assisted by me to drive the Bolabola men out of that island. It
was of consequence, therefore, that I should undeceive them; and,
in order to this, I signified, in the most peremptory manner, that I
neither would assist them in such an enterprise, nor suffer it to be
put in execution, while I was in their seas; and that, if Omai fixed
himself in Ulietea, he must be introduced as a