1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. <401 



employed about their necessary affairs in different 

 departments ; who, probably, belonged to his house- 

 hold. 



From the prince we returned to the king. By this 

 time he had got up, and had a crowded circle be- 

 fore him, composed chiefly of old men. While a 

 large bowl of kava was preparing, a baked hog and 

 yams, smoking hot, were brought in ; the greatest 

 part of which fell to our share, and was very accept- 

 able to the boat's crew : for these people eat very 

 little in the morning ; especially the kava drinkers. 

 I afterward walked out and visited several other 

 chiefs ; and found that all of them were taking their 

 morning draught, or had already taken it. Return- 

 ing to the king, I found him asleep in a small retired 

 hut, with two women tapping on his breech. About 

 eleven o'clock he arose again ; and then some fish and 

 yams, which tasted as if they had been stewed in 

 cocoa-nut milk, were brought to him. Of these he 

 ate a large portion, and lay down once more to sleep. 

 I now left him, and carried to the prince a present of 

 cloth, beads, and other articles, which I had brought 

 with me from the ship for the purpose. There was 

 a sufficient quantity of cloth to make him a complete 

 suit ; and he was immediately decked out with it. 

 Proud of his dress, he first went to show himself to 

 his father, and then conducted me to his mother ; 

 with whom were about ten or a dozen other women 

 of a respectable appearance. Here the prince 

 changed his apparel, and made me a present of two 

 pieces of the cloth manufactured in the island. By 

 this time, it was past noon, when, by appointment, I 

 repaired to the palace to dinner. Several of our 

 gentleman had returned this morning from the ships; 

 and we were all invited to the feast, which was pre- 

 sently served up, and consisted of two pigs and yams. 

 I roused the drowsy monarch to partake of what he 

 had provided for our entertainment. In the mean 

 time, two mullets and some shell-fish were brought to 

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