I now was informed of a circumstance which was observed on board; several
canoes being at the ship, when the great guns were fired in the morning,
they all retired, but one man, who was bailing the water out of his canoe,
which lay alongside directly under the guns. When the first was fired, he
just looked up, and then, quite unconcerned, continued his work. Nor had
the second gun any other effect upon him. He did not stir till the water
was all out of his canoe, when he paddled leisurely off. This man had,
several times, been observed to take fruit and roots out of other canoes,
and sell them to us. If the owners did not willingly part with them, he
took them by force; by which he obtained the appellation of custom-house
officer. One time, after he had been collecting tribute, he happened to be
lying alongside of a sailing canoe which was on board. One of her people
seeing him look another way, and his attention otherwise engaged, took the
opportunity of stealing somewhat out of his canoe; they then put off, and
set their sail. But the man, perceiving the trick they had played him,
darted after them, and having soon got on board their canoe, beat him who
had taken his things, and not only brought back his own, but many other
articles which he took from them. This man had likewise been observed
making collections on shore at the trading-place. I remembered to have seen
him there; and, on account of his gathering tribute, took him to be a man
of consequence, and was going to make him a present; but some of their
people would not let me, saying he was no _Areeke_ (that is, chief).
He had his hair always powdered with some kind of white dust.

As we had no wind to sail this afternoon, a party of us went ashore in the
evening. We found the natives everywhere courteous and obliging; so that,
had we made a longer stay, it is probable we should have had no more reason
to complain of their conduct. While I was now on shore, I got the names of
twenty islands, which lie between the N.W. and N.E., some of them in sight.
Two of them, which lie most to the west, viz. Amattafoa and Oghao, are
remarkable on account of their great height. In Amattafoa, which is the
westernmost, we judged there was a volcano, by the continual column of
smoke we saw daily ascending from the middle of it.

Both Mr Cooper and myself being on shore at noon, Mr Wales could not wind
up the watch at the usual time; and, as we did not come on board till late
in