284: DEPARTURE OF THE CHIEF. 
who expressed their regret in a mournful part- 
ing song. 
The Higeh, perceiving that his invitations 
would not be accepted, took a friendly leave of 
us: he seized me again by my elbows, hung his 
head, repeated several times the word ‘‘ Marua,” 
and departed. The canoes did not follow him, 
but remained near us, as our vessel could make 
but little way on account of the slackness of 
the wind. 
The traffic was now over, and the attention 
of our companions therefore free to observe all 
our proceedings in the ship. Some of them 
thought to amuse us by making leaps into the 
air, and then begged for a reward. We did 
not disappoint them, and the tricks were 
reiterated, till a sudden gust of wind changed 
their merriment into consternation. The canoes 
immediately ahead of the ship could not leave 
its passage clear in time to prevent our running 
down great numbers of them. In a moment 
our majestic vessel had distanced the multitude 
of its diminutive attendants, leaving extreme 
confusion behind it. The islanders’ skill in 
navigation, however, enabled them speedily to 
