29C FROM CALIFORNIA TO 



after the European fashion, surrounded by pahii 

 and banana trees ; the land has a barren appear- 

 ance, and is said to be httle adapted to agriculture, 

 as it consists, for the most part, of masses of lava. 

 A canoe, with six people, took advantage of the 

 calm to come on board ; and, being the king's 

 subjects, (Kanakas, a name given to the lower 

 class in the Sandwich islands,) they all recognized 

 Mr. Elliot as the Naja; one of them, who had been 

 a sailor on board an American ship in Boston, 

 spoke a little English, and was a clever fellow ; he 

 remained on board, at ElUot's request, to pilot our 

 ship. He was of opinion that the king was in Ka- 

 rakakooa, and that Young had been sent on busi- 

 ness to Woahoo ; he farther told us, that there 

 were lying at anchor two ships at Woahoo, and 

 one at Karakakooa, all with the American flag, of 

 which the latter had lost all her masts in a violent 

 storm near the Sandwich islands. When our 

 pilot learned that he was on board a Russian 

 ship, he became very uneasy ; and, on Mr. Elliot's 

 questioning him about the ground of his appre- 

 hension, he stated as follows : Five months since, 

 two Russian ships, belonging to the American 

 Company, (the Elemenia and the Discovery,) had 

 stopped here ; there had been some disputes be- 

 tween the Russians and the natives, in which the 

 latter, according to the account of the relater, ap- 

 peared in a very favourable liglit. When the ships 

 left the Sandwich islands, tliev had threatened to 



