thousands of them fell upon the decks. The orientates, though in
infinite numbers, scarcely came out but in the night, when they made
every thing in the cabins seem as if in motion, from the particular
noise in crawling about. And, besides their disagreeable appearance,
they did great mischief to our bread, which was so bespattered with
their excrement, that it would have been badly relished by delicate
feeders.

The intercourse of trade and friendly offices was carried on between
us and the natives, without being disturbed by any one accident, till
the evening of the 22d, when a man found means to get into Mr Bayly's
observatory, and to carry off a sextant unobserved. As soon as I was
made acquainted with the theft, I went ashore, and got Omai to apply
to the chiefs to procure restitution. He did so; but they took no
steps toward it, being more attentive to a _heeva_ that was then
acting, till I ordered the performers of the exhibition to desist.
They were now convinced that I was in earnest, and began to make some
enquiry after the thief, who was sitting in the midst of them, quite
unconcerned, insomuch that I was in great doubt of his being the
guilty person, especially as he denied it. Omai, however, assuring me
that he was the man, I sent him on board the ship, and there confined
him. This raised a general ferment amongst the assembled natives; and
the whole body fled in spite of all my endeavours to stop them. Having
employed Omai to examine the prisoner, with some difficulty he was
brought to confess where he had hid the sextant; but, as it was now
dark, we could not find it till day-light the next morning, when it
was brought back unhurt. After this, the natives recovered from their
fright, and began to gather about us as usual. And, as to the thief,
he appearing to be a hardened scoundrel, I punished him more severely
than I had ever done any one culprit before. Besides having his head