The Mutiny of the Bounty | Page 7

did not sink, like the 'miserrima Dido,' under her
griefs; on the contrary, we find her in full activity and animation, and
equally generous, to Lieut. Cook and his party, under the name of
Oberea, who, it now appeared, was no queen, but whose husband they
discovered was uncle to the young king, then a minor, but from whom
she was separated. She soon evinced a partiality for Mr. Banks, though
not quite so strong as that for Wallis, but it appears to have been mutual,
until an unlucky discovery took place, that she had, at her command, a

stout strong-boned _cavaliere servente_; added to which, a theft, rather
of an amusing nature, contributed for a time to create a coolness, and
somewhat to disturb the good understanding that had subsisted between
them. It happened that a party, consisting of Cook, Banks, Solander,
and three or four others, were benighted at a distance from the
anchorage. Mr. Banks, says Lieut. Cook, thought himself fortunate in
being offered a place by Oberea, in her own canoe, and wishing his
friends a good night, took his leave. He went to rest early, according to
the custom of the country; and taking off his clothes, as was his
constant practice, the nights being hot, Oberea kindly insisted upon
taking them into her own custody, for otherwise, she said, they would
certainly be stolen. Mr. Banks having, as he thought, so good a
safeguard, resigned himself to sleep with all imaginable tranquillity;
but awakening about eleven o'clock, and wanting to get up, he searched
for his clothes where he had seen them carefully deposited by Oberea,
when he lay down to sleep, and perceived to his sorrow and surprise,
that they were missing. He immediately awakened Oberea, who,
starting up and hearing his complaint, ordered lights, and prepared in
great haste to recover what had been lost. Tootahah (the regent) slept in
the next canoe, and being soon alarmed, he came to them and set out
with Oberea in search of the thief. Mr. Banks was not in a condition to
go with them, as of his apparel scarcely any thing was left him but his
breeches. In about half an hour his two noble friends returned, but
without having obtained any intelligence of his clothes or of the thief.
Where Cook and Solander had disposed of themselves he did not know;
but hearing music, which was sure to bring a crowd together, in which
there was a chance of his associates being among them, he rose, and
made the best of his way towards it, and joined his party, as Cook says,
'more than half naked, and told us his melancholy story.'
It was some consolation to find that his friends were fellow-sufferers,
Cook having lost his stockings, that had been stolen from under his
head, though he had never been asleep, and his associates their jackets.
At day-break Oberea brought to Mr. Banks some of her country clothes;
'so that when he came to us,' says Cook, 'he made a most motley
appearance, half Indian and half English.' Such an adventure must have
been highly amusing to him who was the object of it, when the

inconvenience had been removed, as every one will admit who knew
the late venerable President of the Royal Society. He never doubted,
however, that Oberea was privy to the theft, and there was strong
suspicion of her having some of the articles in her custody. Being
aware that this feeling existed, she absented herself for some time, and
when she again appeared, she said a favourite of hers had taken them
away, whom she had beaten and dismissed; 'but she seemed conscious,'
says Cook, 'that she had no right to be believed; she discovered the
strongest signs of fear, yet she surmounted it with astonishing
resolution, and was very pressing to be allowed to sleep with her
attendants in Mr. Banks's tent; in this, however, she was not gratified.'
Sir Joseph might have thought that, if he complied with her request, his
breeches might be in danger of following the other articles of his dress.
The Otaheitans cannot resist pilfering. 'I must bear my testimony,' says
Cook, 'that the people of this country, of all ranks, men and women, are
the arrantest thieves upon the face of the earth; but,' he adds, 'we must
not hastily conclude that theft is a testimony of the same depravity in
them that it is in us, in the instances in which our people were sufferers
by their dishonesty; for their temptation was such, as to surmount what
would be considered as a proof of uncommon integrity among those
who have more knowledge, better principles, and stronger motives to
resist the temptations of illicit advantage; an Indian among penny
knives and beads,