Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/147

Rh iiilinitciy more cxpolal than any part of the anchorage at Karaka-kooa.

I had b- this time undcrflood that the accotnit of Taviaahmaali^ raii- rion and fortifieation was intirely oid of truth ; and as there could be no hclitalion, which of the two iituations to prefer, from Mr. Whidbey'i reprefentation, we fleered immechately for Karakakooa. Tamaahmaah loon becante accjuainted with my determination. The hi^h (kgree of fatisfaction he expreffed on tl is occafion was not eafily to be defcribed, as I could not recoUect in any former inflance ever to have noticed fenfiitions hke his, in the countenance or behaviour of any person.

The breeze was too gentle, and the day was too far advanced to reach Karakakooa before night; when the general happinefs of our party re- ceivixl fbme fmall degree of check.

Notwithflanding the prefent harmony, and the j)rofpe6t of its continuance, I confidered it highly important not to relax in any of the precautions I had taken on former occafions ; but to be mofl vigilantly on our guard, and to watch with a jealous eye over tiie behaviour of tliefe ambitious chiefs. Had I permitted any of them to have flept on board, which they arc very fond of doing, our caution would naturally have leflencd, by a continuance of their then docile behaviour, and had one been admitted to this indulgence, many others could not, without giving great oflfence, have been refufed. Their numbers might thus have increafed beyond expettation, and by diflributing themfelves unobferved in different parts of the fliip, a favorable opportunity might have been feized, had they been fo inclined, when we leafl expecled danger, to carry any ambitious proje6l into execution. Having uniformly adhered to the maxim, that " prevention is better than punifliment," I deter- mined in no inflance whatever, fo far as it was in our power, to fuffer the leafl temptation to be laid in their way, either in and about the fhip, or in any of our tranfatlions with them on (hore. On this occasion however a dilficulty arofe, by Kahowmoioo having remained on board three nights fuccefTively. After explaining that this would not have happened, had not the fliip been unavoidably driven to a great diflance