Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/208

Rh integrity of the Owhyhcan chiefs ; and that if peace was again rrOorcd, the leveral chiefs who had been adt-mhled in Mowcc for their general proiedion, would retire to their refpctlivc idands; and Mowee i'nd its dependencies would be again k-ft open to the invafion of Tamanlimaah, whofc unconquerably ambitious fpirit, they faid, would not allow liim to ncgleft fo favorable an opportunity. I endeavoured to combat thefe prejudices by every argument I could make ufe of, and adiued iliom, that I firmly believed that 1 amaahmaah. and the people of Owlnhec, were as defirous of peace as they could poffibly be: that the king was fincere, and that I was convincerl he would mofl religioufly abide by fuch conditions as might be mutually approved. Our deliberations however drawing to no conclufion, it was agreed to adjourn the fubjeft until the arrival of Taio from Morotoi, who was expefted in the rourfe of the following day.

The royal party appearing to be perfcftly fatisfied f)f our friendly in- tentions, I demanded of Titeeree, what offence had been committed by the late Mr. Hergeft, and Mr. Gooch, to occafion their having Ix en put to death? To this queftion they all replied, that neither of thofe gentle- men, nor any other perfon belonging to the Dicdalus, had, to their knowledge, been guilty of any offence whatever. I then requefled to know, what was the reafon of their having been murdered without any pro- vocation on their part ; and who was the chief that gave orders for that pur- pofe, or that was by any other means the caufe of their lofnig their lives.-* This queflion was alfo anfwered by the folemn ('' elaraiion of the whole party, that there was no chief prcfcnt on that melancholy occafion ; nor was any chief in the leafl degree concerned ; but that the murder was committed by a lawlefs fet of ill-minded men ; and that the inUant Titeeree had become acquainted with the tranfadion, he had ordered all thofe who had been principally concerned to be put to death ; and in confequence of his direftions, three of the offendeis bad (ufFercd that puniflimcnt. I then defired to know if three people onl) had been concerned ? The king then replied, that many were prefent at the time, but that only three or four more were concerned in the murder; who would likewife have fuffered death, had they not found means to efcape to the moun- tain;.j 183 1703. M.irtli. . 1 1, 1 1 ' 4 ( ' » ».! ' 11 , ■■' rA'L .■,-t: h '111