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Updated: June 15, 2025
When Oree pressed so ardently Captain Cook's return, he sometimes gave such answers, as left room for hope. At these answers Oedidee would eagerly catch, take him on one side, and ask him over again. The captain declares, that he had not words to describe the anguish which appeared in this young man's breast, when he went away.
As our commander could not promise, or even then suppose, that more English ships would be sent to the southern isles, Oedidee, who for so many months had been the faithful companion of our navigators, chose to remain in his native country. But he left them with a regret fully demonstrative of his esteem and affection, nor could any thing have torn him from them, but the fear of never returning.
Oedidee, who was with me, told me that they had intelligence of the thief, and were gone in quest of him: and in less than an hour news was brought that they had taken him. Shortly after the whole party appeared with the water-cask and compass. Tinah had hold of the thief by the arm and, showing him to me, desired that I would kill him.
On May 11 a large supply of fruit arrived from all parts, some of it sent by Towha, the admiral of the fleet, with orders to his servants to receive nothing in return. However, the captain thought fit to send an equivalent present by Oedidee. That young native had come to the resolution of remaining at Otaheite, but was persuaded to go on in the ship to Ulietea, his native island.
It was, however, pruned, and cuttings were taken from it, and the natives were advised to wait till the fruit was ripe another season. The youth called Oedidee, whose real name was Heeteheete, who had been seven months with Captain Cook, was here met with. The captain gave him a chest of tools, and some clothes had been sent out for his use; but after a few days he declined wearing them.
In the interior were some images, but when Cook inquired if they were Etuas, or gods, Attago kicked them over without any ceremony, to show that he did not look upon them with reverence. Neither Omai nor Oedidee understood the language spoken by the natives of Tonga, consequently it was difficult to ascertain the exact object of the building.
I ordered the cutter to be got ready, and a little before sunset left the ship, taking Oedidee with me. By his advice I landed at some distance from the place where the deserters were but, thinking it necessary to have the boat within call, and Oedidee assuring me that there was safe landing farther on, I directed the boat to proceed along shore whilst Oedidee and I walked along the beach.
When I promised to leave with him a pair of pistols, which they prefer to muskets, he told me that Iddeah would fight with one and Oedidee with the other. Iddeah has learnt to load and fire a musket with great dexterity and Oedidee is an excellent marksman. It is not common for women in this country to go to war, but Iddeah is a very resolute woman, of a large make, and has great bodily strength.
The proofs of this fact had a most powerful influence on the mind of Oedidee, a youth of Bolabola, whom Captain Cook had brought in the Resolution from Ulietea. He was so affected, that he became perfectly motionless, and exhibited such a picture of horror, that it would have been impossible for art to describe that passion with half the force with which it appeared in his countenance.
Here Oedidee, who had been so long on board, was landed, greatly to the grief of the young islander, who, as he looked up at the ship, burst into tears, and then sank down into the canoe which was conveying him ashore.
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