A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT. ^39 



The ooniiak followed iis for some time at a distance, 

 but Ave lost sight of it before landing on the eastern- 

 most of Jones's Islands, where we supped, and the 

 men lay down for a time, as we intended to proceed 

 during the night. A party of natives visited us here ; 

 they seemed very friendly, and pleased to see ua. 

 Among them was a tall, spare man, who, by his 

 usiu-ping the principal share in the conversation, and 

 other tokens, appeared to be a chief. He had a long 

 gun, of English manufacture : the name on the lock 

 was Barnet : it was very shaky ; but, notwithstand- 

 ing, evidently highly prized.* He obtained a little 

 poAvder upon solicitation, and a few presents, of 

 which tawacah (tobacco) was most welcome, were as 

 usual distributed to the rest of the party. He was 

 permitted to fire one of the fowling-pieces, for we 

 wanted to see how far his knowledge of the use of 

 firearms extended ; and his proceeding caused much 

 amusement : he kneeled down in the sand, shut his 

 eyes, and compressed his lips firmly ; and after a 

 slight pause, during which he was doubtless resolving 

 upon the performance of the great achievement, 

 pulled the trigger, and received a smart tap, having 

 held the gun loosely from the shoulder. Mightily 



* We have since been informed that this gun was lost from Sir G. Back's 

 boats in 1826. 



