made on Otoo, and with the usual
exchange of presents the old footing was re-established. On the return
from this visit a stop was made "at the dockyards, for such they deserve
to be called," and the canoes in construction were inspected, two of them
being the largest the Englishmen had yet seen.

The king soon after returned the visit, and requested that the big guns
should be fired, but Cook thinks it was very doubtful if the experience
was enjoyed. A display of fireworks in the evening was much more to the
native taste. Referring to the numerous robberies that had been
committed, Cook says he found it far the best to deal mildly with the
delinquents, and the regulations he made were, as a rule, well kept by
the natives. He was now better pleased with his reception, and concluded
that the island was in a more prosperous condition than at his last
visit. When the ship was ready to resume her voyage, several young
natives volunteered to accompany her, and Mr. Forster was most anxious to
take one as a servant, but as Cook could see no prospect of returning
them to their homes, he would not permit one to go.

MARRA DESERTS.

When the anchor was weighed on 14th May, Marra, the gunner's mate, whose
Journal has been quoted, quietly slipped into the water, and endeavoured
to reach a canoe which was hanging about to pick him up, but he was seen
and taken on board again. In his notes he expresses his regret that the
scientific world thus lost the chance of having the experiences of a
prolonged residence amongst these people placed before it. At the time of
leaving there was great talk of the expedition against Eimeo, and Cook
would have liked to have watched the proceedings, but he soon saw that
nothing would be done whilst he remained in the vicinity.

On their arrival at Huaheine on the 15th the ship was immediately boarded
by Cook's old friend Oree with the usual present, and he and his friends
were invited to dine on board. He was asked what he would like for the
return present, and named axes and nails, which were given him with the
request that he would distribute them amongst his people; this he at once
did, to the apparent satisfaction of all. The thieving propensities of
the natives were still as bad as ever; a shooting party was robbed of its
stock of trade goods, and the day after three officers were seized and
stripped, so Cook took an armed party ashore, captured two of the leading
chiefs and a large house, and