1845.] SECOND VISIT OF THE CHIEFS. 11 



that where opportunity offers many obstacles may be dis- 

 sipated by a little ingenuity of thought and determination. 

 On the second visit of the Chiefs, the day following 

 they begged very hard that I would not repeat my visit to 

 the island, and as I had obtained all the observations 

 that were absolutely necessary, I consented, after consi- 

 derable intercession, to forego what was now of trifling 

 importance. But in doing so, it was not without the 

 expression of my wish, to render our stay as little irksome 

 to my friends as possible, and with the full understanding 

 that it was a concession on my part, rather than an act of 

 obedience to their mandate. After this I soon found a 

 relaxation of formal etiquette ; the ship was thronged with 

 strangers, and intercourse on all sides became unre- 

 strained. The greater part of the Chiefs begged that I 

 would write my name, with that of the ship, upon their fans, 

 and the two principal presented me with their duplicates, 

 upon which their names were written by the interpreter. 

 Upon some pretence, the three minor authorities were sent 

 to examine the ship, leaving the old Chief and the inter- 

 preter, who upon the cabin being cleared, asked many 

 indifferent questions, which probably were not considered 

 proper in the presence of others. He informed me that 

 they were perfectly aware of what had taken place between 

 us and the Chinese, but he could not conceive how they 

 had been brought to pay the money ; promises he could 

 understand, but their fulfilment was beyond his belief. 

 When assured that it was in part paid, and if not paid 

 at the time agreed on, that we should continue to hold 

 Chusan and Amoy, he exclaimed, with a deep sigh, 

 "England must be very powerful." lie then wished to 



