Waterton and his Demerara Friend. 29 



A message having been sent, Manariwau appeared, 

 in the Court, accompanied by several of his relatives, a 

 number of musicians and other attendants. Through the 

 medium of an interpreter he was questioned and made 

 sensible of the utter impossibility of his being allowed to 

 sell his prisoners in the colony. After some discussion it 

 was agreed that the Court should give him and his people 

 such articles as he had demanded, and that the same 

 kinds of presents would be distributed annually when 

 called for, also that a person should be sent with him to 

 report on the condition of his nation and the number of 

 people for whom presents should be provided. In con- 

 sideration of this the Chief solemnly pledged himself not 

 to make war upon the Indians residing in the back lands 

 or connected with this colony; that he would spare the 

 lives of his prisoners and use them as domestics ; and 

 finally that he and his people would behave themselves 

 peaceably and amicably towards the whites and those who 

 lived under their prote6lion, expe6ling in case he should 

 be molested, such redress from the Government as might 

 be justly due. 



After the Chief had left the Court a vote was passed 

 for /i 2,620 (about ;^i,05o) to buy guns, powder and shot, 

 cutlasses, knives, beads and corals, linen and salempores, 

 looking-glasses, axes, hats, salt, 2 parasols, iron pots* 

 crockery, &c. EdmoNSTONE was deputed to distribute 

 these presents, the Court being persuaded from the 

 experience they had of the public spirit of that gentle- 

 man that the matter could not be entrusted into 

 better hands. 



It appeared afterwards that the Chief had made a 

 misrepresentation of his power and importance, as the 



