Though Captain Clerke immediately set out in quest of them with two armed boats, and a party of marines, his expedition proved fruitless, the natives having amused him the whole day with false intelligence.

The next morning an account was brought that the deserters were at Otaha.

As they were not the only persons in the ships who wished to spend their days at these favourite islands, it became necessary for the purpose of preventing any farther desertion, to recover them at all events.

Captain Cook, therefore, in order to convince the inhabitants that he was in earnest, resolved to go after the fugitives himself; to which measure he was determined, from having observed, in repeated instances, that the natives had seldom offered to deceive him with false information.
Agreeably to this resolution, the captain set out, the next morning, with two armed boats, being accompanied by Oree, the chief of Ulietea, and proceeded immediately to Otaha.

But when he had gotten to the place where the deserters were expected to be found, he was acquainted that they were gone over to Bolabola.