23rd June 1769

Tahiti

This morning Emanuel Parreyra, a Portugue, was Missing, and I had some reason to think that he was gone with an intent to stay here. It was not long before I was informed that he was at Apparra with Tootaha. The Man who gave us this information was one of Tootaha's Servants. He was Offer'd a Hatchet if he would go to Apparra and bring him to us. This was perhaps the very thing he came for, for he immediately set out and return'd with the Man in the Evening. The man said in his defence that as he was going to the Boat to go on board last night, he was taken away by force by 3 Men, and upon enquiring farther into this matter I found it to be so, and that Tootaha wanted to have kept him, only that he was perswaided to the contrary, or perhaps he thought that the Hatchet he would get by returning him would do him more service than the Man.

Joseph Banks Journal

Our Freinds with us as usual. One of our seamen a Portugese was last night missing; as there was no news of him this Morning we concluded that he was run away and meant to stay among the Indians. Captn Cooke therefore offerd a hatchet to any man who would bring him back, one soon offerd and returnd with him at night. He said that two Indians seizd him and stopping his mouth forcd him away, but as he was out of the fort after a woman this account apeard improbable, the man was however not punishd.

Sydney Parkinson’s Journal

In the morning, we missed one of our men, a Portugueze, whom we had taken in at Rio de Janeiro; enquiring among the Indians, we learned that he was at Opare with Tootahau; and one of them offered to go and bring him back to us, which he accordingly did the same night. The account which he gave on his return was, That three men came to him crying Tyau, which is the watch-word, amongst them, for friendship, and then carried him from the sort, and dragged him to the top of the bay, where they stripped him, forced him into a boat, and took him to Opare, where Tootahau gave him some cloaths, and persuaded him to stay with him. This account we believed to be true, for, as soon as is was known amongst the natives that he was rescued, all of them in the bell-tent moved off, and went to Opare in great haste, being apprehensive that we should reck our revenge on them.