110 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP. III. It had been supposed that the ambition and jealousy 

 ^"T> — ' of Kahuniana and the conflicting interests of the 

 1827. chiefs would have displayed themselves in insurrection 

 on this occasion, and that the disaffected chiefs would 

 have availed themselves of this moment to remove the 

 supreme power from the hands of the young king ; 

 but whatever results this melancholy event might have 

 produced had it occurred at an earlier date, nothing 

 was now attempted. Boki, however, thought it pru- 

 dent to assemble the troops in the fort, and the Blos- 

 som was put in readiness to preserve order, if ne- 

 cessary, and to receive the foreign residents, should 

 their safety require it. Anxious to witness the effect 

 of this occurrence upon the court, I immediately 

 paid a visit of condolence to Kahumana, who was 

 seated amidst a motley assemblage of attendants, 

 looking very sorrowful. It appeared, however, from 

 the following incident, that the sincerity of her grief 

 was questionable. Happening to cast her eye upon a 

 Bramah inkstand which I was conveying to the observa- 

 tory, she seized it with both hands, and declared, her 

 countenance brightening into a smile, how much she 

 should like to have it. As it was the only one I 

 possessed, I did not intend at first to gratify her ma- 

 jesty's wishes, but she fairly tore it from me : so that, 

 making a virtue of necessity, I presented it to her. 

 After bestowing some praise upon the invention, she 

 passed it to Kami, a female chief next in rank to her- 

 self, and then dismissing her pleasant looks, she re- 

 sumed her sorrow, and convinced every person pre- 

 sent that she was quite an adept in this barbarous 

 custom of her country. 



Many of the court seemed to consider this moment 

 one of apprehension, and every person who ap- 



