PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 279 



adjourn to the breakfast prepared in the cabin ; but c ^ Fm 

 the regent desired that every part of the present v — ^y-^ 

 should previously be set out on a particular part of jJJe/ 

 the deck, pigs and all, in order to impress us more 

 fully with an idea of her liberality ; and when the 

 whole was collected, she led me to the pile, and 

 expatiated on the superior quality of the fruit. 



Having at length assembled at breakfast, which 

 by this time was cold, a difficulty arose, I was in- 

 formed, in consequence of Aimatta, the king's sis- 

 ter, being unwilling to relinquish the distinction she 

 had enjoyed under the former custom of the island, 

 which rendered it indecorous for some of her coun- 

 trywomen, who were of the party, to presume to eat 

 in the presence of so exalted a personage. As these 

 distinctions, however, had been removed upon the 

 introduction of Christianity, there was an evident 

 apprehension of giving offence to the assembled 

 chiefs by such a display of ambition on the present 

 occasion. The inconvenience which it was suggest- 

 ed would attend the observance of the custom in 

 this instance, and the opposition afforded by the 

 precepts of the missionaries to any such mode of 

 displaying the royal prerogative, relieved us from 

 our dilemma. A cloud of discontent hung for a 

 short time on the countenance of our royal guest, 

 but it was dispelled by the first breeze of mirth, 

 and the party appeared to enjoy greatly the remain- 

 der of their visit. 



It is by no means surprising that the chiefs should 

 wish to adhere to such of their old customs as con- 

 stituted the principal if not the only distinction be- 

 tween them and their vassals. Should they be de- 

 prived of these, and should the superstitions, by 



