186 THE ROYAL SIESTA. 
was over, and a prayer said as before, the Royal 
personages washed their hands with water, and 
their mouths with cocoa-milk, and then lay 
down altogether to sleep; the attendants re- 
tiring. I offered to her Majesty the use of my 
bed, which she condescendingly accepted ; and 
during the siesta, I returned to my plans for 
our astronomical observations. On awaking, 
the Queen expressed a wish to see my frigate; 
my time was not at my own disposal, but I 
entrusted to one of my officers the charge of 
doing the honours of the ship to our Royal 
guests, as well as circumstances would permit. 
On leaving me, the Queen pressed my hand in 
the most friendly manner, and repeated her 
sorona several times; her whole train followed 
her. 
On the strand, according to the account of 
my officer, the canoes lay in readiness for the 
excursion. The Queen, accompanied by her 
family and our officer, put off in her own Ku- 
ropean boat; the Master of the Ceremonies 
took his station in the fore-part of the boat, 
turning his compass to the company, and con- 
tinued, during the passage, his ridiculous har- 
