342 INDECISION OF THE CHIEFS, [1845. 



" I regretted that either bad advice, or pusillanimity, on 

 the part of the Chiefs of Quelpart should have marred 

 the pleasure which I had anticipated, of paying my 

 respects to the Examiner, to whom, personally and indi- 

 vidually, I felt under great obligation. That notwith- 

 standing all that had occurred, and as a proof that no 

 such indecision would be found upon our part, I should 

 be happy to receive the Examiner, his Chiefs and at- 

 tendants, to any number, on board the ' Samarang ', 

 where they might be assured of a reception befitting their 

 rank, and I should wait until 3 o'clock for their reply." 

 In a short time they acknowledged " that they had lost 

 face " (were disgraced), and further communication being 

 out of the question, I retired to the ship, and quitted the 

 anchorage. I felt great disappointment at the non- 

 appearance of my friend of the two previous days, who 

 had not exhibited himself in any capacity ; and as all the 

 chiefs of the neighbouring districts were, probably, pre- 

 sent, it frequently occurred to me that he was either a 

 near connexion of the Examiner's, or had been ordered 

 to remain aloof. That he was a first-class Mandarin, or 

 Chief, we knew, from his hat and feathers, as well as 

 from his own people, who showed him greater marks of 

 respect, although unattended by Officers, than any 

 authority I had hitherto met. 



It was evident that there existed a party hostile to us 

 on the island, and I am inclined to suspect that it was 

 military. The day previous to our visit to the city, on 

 passing a fortified town at the sea shore, a gun was fired, 

 in the direction of my gig, the shot dropping short. 



As this might have been intended for a compliment, 



