to appear
perfectly satisfied lest Tinah, who was naturally very indolent, should
be remiss in his endeavours to detect the offender. To guard as much as
possible against future attempts of this kind I directed a stage to be
built on the forecastle so that the cables should be more directly under
the eye of the sentinel; and I likewise gave orders that one of the
midshipman should keep watch forward.

In the afternoon Oreepyah returned from Tethuroa. He told me that Moannah
and himself had narrowly escaped being lost in the bad weather and that
Moannah had been obliged to take shelter at Eimeo. Several canoes had
been lost lately in their passage to or from Tethuroa. The oversetting of
their canoes is not the only risk they have to encounter, but is
productive of another danger more dreadful; for at such times many become
a prey to the sharks which are very numerous in these seas. I was
informed likewise that they were sometimes attacked by a fish which by
their description I imagine to be the barracoota, as they attribute to it
the same propensity.

Saturday passed without my seeing anything of Tinah the whole day.

Sunday 8.

The next morning he and Iddeah came to me and assured me that they had
made the strictest enquiries concerning the injury intended us but had
not been able to discover any circumstance which could lead them to
suspect who were concerned in it. This was not at all satisfactory and I
behaved towards them with great coolness, at which they were much
distressed, and Iddeah at length gave vent to her sorrow by tears. I
could no longer keep up the appearance of mistrusting them, but I
earnestly recommended to them, as they valued the King of England's
friendship, that they would exert their utmost endeavours to find out the
offenders, which they faithfully promised. Our reconciliation accordingly
took place and messengers were sent to acquaint Otow and Teppahoo, and to
invite them to return.

It has since occurred to me that this attempt to cut the ship adrift was
most probably the act of some of our own people; whose purpose of
remaining at Otaheite might have been effectually answered without danger
if the ship had been driven on shore. At the time I entertained not the
least thought of this kind, nor did the possibility of it enter into my
ideas, having no suspicion that so general an inclination or so strong an
attachment to these islands could prevail among my people as to induce
them to ab