During their final days in Tahiti, the crew of the HMS Resolution experienced a remarkable deepening of relationships with the island’s people and rulers. Trust, once fragile, began to grow. The king of Aitepieha, Aheatua, who had initially been wary, now gifted pigs to the captains and delighted in simple amusements—like chopping wood with a European axe. His earlier formality gave way to openness and childlike ease.
The HMS Resolution and HMS Adventure sailing past Point Venus, where Tahiti’s beauty and memory of past voyages meet. – Click on the image to listen to this episode on YouTube.
Meanwhile, the Resolution sailed north to Matavai Bay, where the crew met O-Tu, the powerful king of O-Tahiti-Nui. This regal figure welcomed them with dignity, surrounded by nobility in a sacred courtyard. His imposing presence and the grace of his court left a lasting impression. A highlight of the visit was the gift exchange and the respectful baring of shoulders—an honor shown to both monarch and marai.
The islanders’ generosity continued with trades of fruit and pigs for simple trinkets and tools. One noble, O-Wahau, moved the Europeans with his selfless gifts and was honored in return. As the ship sailed past Point Venus, the crew looked back on Tahiti not just as a paradise of nature, but as a place of human warmth, dignity, and shared respect.
A map of the locations of this episode
My YouTube VIDEO channel, Voyage to Go, where I visit the places from this travel narrative
More Episodes of Voyage 2 Go History:
S1-E1: England: Departure around the world
S1-E5: Cape Colony: Ocean on Fire
S1-E9: Southern Ocean: Lost in the Ice