THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 345 



cat very little in a morning; efpecially the ka'va drinkers. i;?;- 

 I afterward walked out, and vifited feveral other Chiefs ; 

 and found, that all of them were taking their morning 

 draught, or had already taken it. Returning to the king, F 

 found him aileep in a fmall retired hut, with two women 

 tapping on his breech. About eleven o'clock he arofe again ; 

 and then fome fifli and yams, which tailed as if they had 

 been flewed in cocoa-nut milk, were brought to him. Of 

 thefe he eat a large portion, and lay down once more to 

 ilcep. I now left him, and carried to the prince a prefent of 

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

 me from the fliip for the purpofe. There was a fufficient 

 quantity of cloth to make him a complete fuit j and he 

 was immediately decked out with it. Proud of his drefs, 

 he firft went to fliew himfelf to his father; and then con- 

 du(5led me to his mother; with whom were about ten or a 

 dozen other women of a refpedlable appearance. Here the 

 prince changed his apparel, and made me a prefent of two 

 pieces of the cloth manufacftured in the ifland. By this time, 

 it was paft noon, when, by appointment, I repaired to the 

 palace to dinner. Several of our gentlemen had returned, 

 this morning, from the fliips ; and we v/ere all invited to 

 the feaft, which was prefently ferved up, and conliiled of 

 two pigs and yams. I roufed the drowfy monarch, to 

 partake of what he had provided for our entertainment. 

 In the mean time, two mullets, and fome fliell-fifli, were 

 brought to him, as I fuppofed, for his feparate portion. But 

 he joined it to our fare, fat down with us, and made a 

 hearty meal. 



When dinner was over, we v/ere told that the cere- 

 mony would foon begin ; and were xlridly enjoined not to 

 walk out. I had refolved, however, to peep no longer 



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