192 FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS 



cloth, refreshing themselves with water-melons. 

 They were all three greatly rejoiced to see us 

 again. I was obliged to sit next to Kahumanna, 

 who, after having put to us some indifferent ques- 

 tions, ordered water-melons to be brought, which 

 were very cooling in the heat. Her politeness 

 went so far, tliat she ordered a Kanaka to drive 

 away the flies from me, with a tuft of red feathers ; 

 she even cut out, herself, the middle of the melon, 

 and put the piece into my mouth witli her own 

 royal hands ; in doing which the royal nails, three 

 inches long, incommoded me not a little. On this 

 occasion she had me asked, whether the favourite 

 queen in our country was as polite to strangers as 

 she. I answered that we had indeed a very con- 

 descending and good queen, but only one. At 

 this Kahumanna was greatly astonished, as she had 

 heard that our king was a great monarch, and 

 therefore, according to her notions, was entitled 

 to have many wives. Kadu was looked at with 

 much curiosity, his long ear-laps struck the queen 

 greatly, and were closely examined by her. The 

 people, who soon learnt that he came from a newly- 

 discovered island, crowded to see him; several chiefs, 

 and even the queens, made him many presents. He 

 at first behaved timidly, but he was much pleased at 

 it, and more particularly when two young girls took 

 hold of him to show him about the tent. The sun 

 had almost set, when the king returned from the 

 boneto fishing, which is carried on at a distance 



