1845.] INTERRUPTION OF THE PEOPLE. 9 



ensued, the guard boats, with their gaily-coloured Ian- 

 thorns, exhibiting the arms or distinguishing marks of 

 their chiefs, rapidly increasing in number; and I could 

 now perceive that some important chief was discussing 

 the authority by which I had been permitted to land, 

 and remain at night. Had I remonstrated against these 

 interruptions, I should, perhaps, have been included in 

 their animosities, I thought it prudent, therefore, to take 

 more notice of the stars, although the clamour very 

 much disturbed our proceedings. Several motions made 

 towards us, were of a suspicious nature, and one or two 

 addresses in Japanese were, doubtless, very gentlemanly 

 invitations to return to the ship, but my mind was made 

 up ; I understood not one word of these orations, and 

 pointing to the heavens, gave them to understand that 

 my attention was engaged with affairs in that direction. 

 To say that I was easy, would not be correct, and to 

 detail the various calculations, not connected with Astro- 

 nomy, which were rapidly passing through my brain, 

 would be impossible. The principal idea, however, was 

 of a dramatic character, involving the figure I should 

 assume in the event of any attempt to seize me, which 

 some coils of very gentlemanly white cord, as introduced 

 upon our stage, gave reason to suspect. Giving notice 

 to our forces to be upon the alert, and the rising of 

 our men from their state of apparent slumber, seem- 

 ing to have a decided effect upon the most noisy, 

 they saw that we were determined to maintain our 

 ground, and, probably, came to the conclusion that it 

 might be as well to remain quiet. Shortly after this, 

 the principal Officers having arranged, as I supposed, 



