genius of the people in this vice. The theft is discovered
before the thief has time to carry off his prize; then a scuffle ensues
with those set to guard it, who, though four to two, are beat off the
stage, and the thief and his accomplices bear away their plunder in
triumph. I was very attentive to the whole of this part, being in full
expectation that it would have ended very differently. For I had before
been informed that _Teto_ (that is, the Thief) was to be acted, and
had understood that the theft was to be punished with death, or a good
_tiparahying_ (or beating), a punishment, we are told, they inflict on
such as are guilty of this crime. Be this as it may, strangers are
certainly excluded from the protection of this law; them they rob with
impunity, on every occasion that offers. After the play was over, we
returned on board to dinner; and in the cool of the evening took a walk on
shore, where we learnt from one of the natives, that nine small islands,
two of which were uninhabited, lay to the westward, at no great distance
from hence.[1]

On the 11th, early in the morning, I had a visit from Oreo and his son, a
youth about twelve years of age. The latter brought me a hog and some
fruit; for which I made him a present of an axe, and dressed him in a
shirt, and other things, which made him not a little proud of himself.
Having staid some hours, they went on shore; as I also did soon after, but
to another part. The chief hearing I was on shore, came to the place where
he found the boat, into which he put a hog and a quantity of fruit, without
saying a word to any body, and, with some of his friends, came on board,
and dined with us. After dinner I had a visit from Oo-oorou, the principal
chief of the isle. He was introduced to us by Oreo, and brought with him,
as a present, a large hog, for which I made him a handsome return. Oreo
employed himself in buying hogs for me (for we now began to take of them),
and he made such bargains as I had reason to be satisfied with. At length
they all took leave, after making me promise to visit them next morning;
which I accordingly did, in company with several of the officers and
gentlemen. Oreo ordered an _heava_ to be acted for our entertainment,
in which two very pretty young women were the actresses. This _heava_
was somewhat different from the one I saw before, and not so entertaining.
Oreo, after it was over, accompanied us on board, together with two of his
friends.