Nearly eleven years passed before another European ship visited Tahiti, and during this interval Pomare paid dearly for the prominence his English friends had given him. When Captain Bligh arrived in the Bounty, in 1788, Tu told him¹ "that after five years from the time of Captain Cook’s departure (counting sixty-three moons)," that is, at the end of 1782, "the people of the island Eimeo joined with those of Attahooroo, and made a descent on Oparre." Many of Tu’s people had been killed; he had himself fled, with the rest, to the mountains; all the houses and property had been destroyed or carried away, and even in 1788 the people "had no other habitations than light sheds which might be taken by the four corners and removed by four men; and of the many large canoes which they then had [in 1777], not more than three remained." Ahurai and Paea seem therefore to have respected Cook’s threat for five years; and when they came to the conclusion that he would not return, they took the promised revenge.

1. Voyage of the Bounty, 72. - Duff, xxii.

Indigenous Histories