Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: July 7, 2025
During the passage the great chief came on board and remained all day, but in the evening took his departure with Omai, while the ship remained under sail in a somewhat perilous position, no anchorage having been found. Several times during the day the smoke from the burning mountain of Toofoa was seen; at night the flames were observed bursting forth, but to no great height.
From these islands we set out, attended by a fleet of canoes with fighting-stages and the chiefest warriors of the islands, commanded by Omai.
Omai seemed much disappointed at discovering that the chief he had taken to be king was no king after all. Feenou was, however, a very powerful chief, generalissimo of the army, and head of the police of all the islands, so that he was held in general awe.
The European weapons of Omai consisted of a musket, bayonet, and carteuch box; a fowling-piece, two pair of pistols, and two or three swords or cutlasses. With the possession of these warlike implements, he was highly delighted; and it was only to gratify his eager desire for them that Captain Cook was induced to make him such presents.
Before the fleet could sail it was necessary that a grand human sacrifice should be offered. The unhappy victim one of the common people had already been knocked on the head for the purpose. Captain Cook, wishing to ascertain the truth of the accounts he had received, accompanied Otoo to witness the ceremony, and with him Mr Anderson and Mr Webber, followed by Omai in a canoe.
Not again to resume the subject I shall here mention, that when the captain was at Ulietea, a fortnight after this event, Omai sent two men with the satisfactory intelligence, that he remained undisturbed by the people of Huaheine, and that every thing succeeded well with him, excepting in the loss of his goat, which had died in kidding.
As the ships were to touch at Otaheite and the Society Islands, it had been determined not to omit the only opportunity which might ever offer of carrying Omai back to his native country. Accordingly, he left London, on the 24th of June, in company with Captain Cook; and it was with a mixture of regret and satisfaction that he took his departure.
Being thus established, it was hoped that with these advantages he would be able to maintain himself, and instruct the islanders in some of the arts of civilisation. He exhibited the deepest grief when he was at length landed, and would gladly have remained with his friends. How different was the conduct of Omai to that which was expected!
At length his brother-in-law, Ootee, appeared, but there was no exhibition of regard or affection till Omai took the other into the cabin and showed him the drawers in which he kept his red feathers. This instantly changed the face of affairs, and Ootee begged that they might be tayos, and change names.
As Omai refused to attempt the recovery of his property in Ulietea, except by force of arms, Captain Cook determined to leave him here, making the best terms with the chief that he could. The English were received on shore by a large concourse of people, many of whom appeared to be people of consequence; the king was, however, only a child.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking