Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0357
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[Page 357]
Otahite
July 1769
this morn without leave their doing this at a time when our departure is so near makes us suspect them of an intention of staying among these people nothing however has been said about them today in hopes of their returning which they have not yet done
10. We are told by the Indians this morn that our people do not intend to return they are they say gone up into the mountains where our people cannot get at them & one is already married & become an inhabitant of Otahite after some deliberation however Tuanne matte & Patea undertook to carry our people to the place where they were they were known to have no arms so two were thought sufficient for the service a midshipman & a marine who set off without loss of time we were now quite ready for the sea so no time was to be lost in recovering the deserters the Indians gave us but little hopes of our people bringing them back one certain method remaind however in our power the seizing of some of their principal people & detaining them which was immediately resolvd upon. Oborea Potattow Polotheara Tubourai Tamio Tuarua Otheothea & Tetuahitea & Nuna were in the fort & were told that they would not be permitted to go from it till our people returnd At first they were not at all alarmd they hardly beleivd us in earnest till they saw the Pinnace come ashore & soon after go away to the westward the immediately suspected what was the case that she was gone to fetch Dootahah they were now alarmd but depending on our having usd them well on all occasions shewd but