A    VOYAGE    TO
1777. this cold reception. He made the Chief a prefent of a large
 oguft p|ece of re(| feathers, and about two or three yards of gold
cloth; and I gave him a fuit of fine linen, a gold-laced hat,
fome tools, and, what was of more value than all the other
articles, a quantity of fed feathers, amd one of the bonnets
in nfe at the Friendly Iflands.
After the hurry of this vifit was over, the king, and the
whole royal family, accompanied: me on board, followed
hj feveral canoes, laden with all kind of proviflons, in
quantity fufficient to have ferml the companies of both
Ihips for a week. Each of the family crwned, or pretended
to own, a part; fo that I Md a prefe&t from every one of
them; and every one of them had a feparate prefent in re-
turn from me j whieh was the great obje<5t in view. Soon
after, the king's mother, whahacf not been prefect at the
firft interview, came on board, bringing with her a quan-
tity of provifions and cloth, which fhe divided between me
aiMt OfiaaL For, altfimigh: lie was Irat fitfle Hoticedv at fkft,
by his conntryiaen, they im fooner gained the knowledge
of his rieli^, than tltey began to emirfe hm friaadfMp. I en-
couragecf this as mech as 1 ccraM; for it was my wifti to^ fix
him with Otocn As I intended to leave all my European
animals at this ifland* I thought he watrfd he able to give
fome inftruftiett abcmf tbe man^ement ef them, m%$? about
their ufe. Befides, I knew and fiw, that the farther he was
from his native ifland, he would fee the better refjpe6ied.
But, unfortunately, poor Omai reje&ed rny advice, and con-
di*£ted himfelf in £0 mprudent a manner, tibat he fooa loft
the friendfhip of €ftiyor and of every other perfon of note
ifi Otaheite. He affbciated with r^ee Imt vagabcmds and
ftrangers, whofe £6le views were tt> pkinder him. Aed, if
I had not interfered, they would? not have left him si iingle
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