palm, and then with the back part. He sent a present of two fish on board, by one of his servants; and Capt. Cook landed to pay his respects to him. Finding that this was not the Areekee whom he formerly saw at Tongataboo, but a tall thin person, about thirty years old, with features of a European cast, the Captain asked if he was the King; and Taipa answered for him, enumerating 153 islands under his sway. He accompanied the Captain on board, with five or six attendants; and having received kind entertainment and valuable presents, he sent three hogs on board in the evening. From this time he dined on board daily; and Captain Cook was glad to have his company, as none but Taipa was allowed to sit at meat with him, or eat in his presence; whereas, before his arrival, the Captain's table overflowed with natives, both men and women; the females here not being denied, as at Otaheite, the privilege of eating with the men. One day, his servants brought on board for him, a mess of fish soup prepared with cocoa-nut liquor; a dish which the Captain also tasted, and found to be very palatable.
The despotic power of the chiefs over the common people, in the Friendly Isles, was often displayed. An axe which had been stolen out of the Resolution on her arrival, was on the Captain's application to Feenou speedily recovered, his command to that effect being implicitly obeyed. An inferior chief, while Feenou was on board, ordered the people away from the tent; and some of them venturing to return, he beat them unmercifully with a large stick. One man was so cruelly abused that he was carried off for dead, though he afterwards recovered; and when the chief was told
