182 LAKEMBA AND SAVU-SAVU. 
The Starling had sailed for Rewa with the rudder-pintles of the 
Peacock, which Lieutenant Underwood had succeeded in getting; 
and having heard that Captain Belcher was still at Rewa, I deter- 
mined to visit it, for the double purpose of seeing if we could afford 
him any further facility, and getting observations for latitude and 
meridian distance, as well as effecting a comparison with my intensity 
needles. 
Having transferred Lieutenant Case to the Vincennes, Assistant- 
Surgeon Fox and Midshipman Henry joined the tender, and at noon 
we were again under way for Rewa, where we anchored at 9 p. m. 
I had the pleasure of finding Captain Belcher there. He was on the 
eve of sailing, having nearly completed the repairs of his ship, and 
was making his last series of observations. We had many agreeable 
topics to converse upon. 
The Starling had sailed for Mbenga a few days before, whither the 
Sulphur was to go to join her. Captain Belcher sailed the next. 
evening; and the following day the tender was hauled in close to the 
beach of the island of Nukalau, in order to protect the spot where we 
were observing throughout the day, and guard against surprise upon 
us by the chiefs of Rewa, which place was but a few miles from us. 
The Rev. Mr. Hunt went to Rewa, and I had the pleasure of a visit 
from the Rev. Messrs. Cargill and Jagger, the missionaries. 
I was not a little amused at Captain Belcher’s account of the effect 
of the regulations as operating upon his vessel. The chiefs required 
him to pay port-charges, and in default thereof refused to give him 
any supplies. In drawing up the Rules and Regulations for the trade, 
it had never occurred to me to mention men-of-war as being free, 
feeling assured that they would all very readily give five times the 
amount of the articles required in presents. But it appears that 
Captain Belcher did not think proper to make the customary present, 
and the chiefs refused to allow any supplies to go to his vessel until he 
should comply with the rules. This incensed the captain, and caused 
him to take offence at the missionaries, who he supposed prevented the 
supplies from being sent. I well knew, however, that they were guilt- 
less. He likewise broke out into strong invectives against the chiefs, 
declaring that it was impossible they could understand the rules, &c., 
although the whole proceeding showed they were not only conversant 
with their meaning, but also with the power they had in their hands of 
compelling the visiter to pay. The following native letter to the 
missionary, received a few days before from Tui Ndraketi, king of 
Rewa, by the Rev. Mr. Cargill, will show the character of this people, 
and the light in which they viewed the visit of H. B. M. ship Sulphur. 
