18 A VOYAGE TO JAN. 



As soon as I saw them approaching, I ordered out 

 our little guard to receive the king ; and Captain 

 Cook, perceiving that he was going on shore, fol- 

 lowed him, and arrived nearly at the same time. We 

 conducted them into the tent, where they had scarcely 

 been seated, when the king rose up, and in a very 

 graceful manner threw over the Captain's shoulders 

 the cloak he himself wore, put a feathered helmet on 

 his head, and a curious fan into his hand. He also 

 spread at his feet five or six other cloaks, all exceed- 

 ingly beautiful, and of the greatest value. His at- 

 tendants then brought four very large hogs, with 

 sugar-canes, cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit ; and this 

 part of the ceremony was concluded by the king's ex- 

 changing names with Captain Cook, which amongst 

 all the islanders of the Pacific Ocean, is esteemed the 

 strongest pledge of friendship. A procession of 

 priests, with a venerable old personage at their head, 

 now appeared, followed by a long train of men leading 

 large hogs, and others carrying plantains, sweet po- 

 tatoes, &c. By the looks and gestures of Kaireekeea, 

 I immediately knew the old man to be the chief of 

 the priests before mentioned, on whose bounty we 

 had so long subsisted. He had a piece of red cloth 

 in his hands, which he wrapped round Captain Cook's 

 shoulders, and afterward presented him with a small 

 pig in the usual form. A seat was then made for 

 him, next to the king, after which, Kaireekeea and 

 his followers began their ceremonies, Kaoo and the 

 chiefs joining in the responses. 



I was surprised to see, in the person of this king, 

 the same infirm and emaciated old man, that came on 

 board the Resolution when we were off the north-east 

 side of the island of Mowee ; and we soon discovered 

 amongst his attendants most of the persons who at 

 that time had remained with us all night. Of this 

 number were the two younger sons of the king, the 

 eldest of whom was sixteen years of age, and his 

 nephew Maiha-Maiha, whom at first we had some 



