distress. All that could be said, or
done, availed nothing. He insisted on my coming into the boat, which was no
sooner done than he ordered it to be put off. His sister, with a spirit
equal to that of her royal brother, was the only person who did not oppose
his going. As his intention in coming into our boat was to go with us in
search of the robbers, we proceeded accordingly as far as was convenient by
water, then landed, entered the country, and travelled some miles inland,
the chief leading the way, enquiring of every one he saw. At length he
stepped into a house by the road side, ordered some cocoa-nuts for us, and
after we were a little refreshed, wanted to proceed still farther. But this
I opposed, thinking that we might be carried to the very farthest end of
the island, after things, the most of which, before they came into our
hands again, might not be worth the bringing home. The chief used many
arguments to persuade me to proceed, telling me that I might send my boat
round to meet us, or that he would get a canoe to bring us home, if I
thought it too far to travel. But I was resolved to return, and he was
obliged to comply and return with me, when he saw I would follow him no
farther. I only desired he would send somebody for the things; for I found
that the thieves had got so much start of us, that we might follow them to
the remotest parts of the isle, without so much as seeing them. Besides, as
I intended to sail the next morning, this occasioned a great loss to us, by
putting a stop to all manner of trade; for the natives were so much
alarmed, that none came near us, but those that were about the chief. It
therefore became the more necessary for me to return, to restore things to
their former state. When we got back to our boat, we there found Oree's
sister, and several more persons, who had travelled by land to the place.
We immediately stepped into the boat in order to return on board, without
so much as asking the chief to accompany us. He, however, insisted on going
also, and followed us into the boat in spite of the opposition and
entreaties of those about him; his sister followed his example, and the
tears and prayers of her daughter, who was about sixteen or eighteen years
of age, had no weight with her on this occasion. The chief sat at table
with us, and made a hearty dinner; his sister, according to custom, eat
nothing. After dinner, I sufficiently rewarded them for the confidence they
had put in