228 MBUA BAY AND MUTHUATA. 
The third wife is a Feejee woman, who is not regarded by the king é 
with as much favour as the others. 
Each of these wives has a separate house, and the king spends his 
time in lounging alternately in them during the greater part of the day. 
These visits constitute the great business of his life. 
a 
Yy 
Wf a Mii ia) \ x 
Yi) | Pn iN 
HENRIETTA’S HOUSE, 
Of these three royal ladies, Yandi Muthuata was the favourite with 
the officers of the squadron. She always received them courteously, 
and would, on their entrance, immediately lay aside such household 
occupations as she and her women were generally found engaged in, 
for the purpose of attending to and conversing with them. 
Henrietta, on the other hand, was occasionally found in ill-humour, 
which, however, is not to be wondered at, when we consider her 
history. 
On the beach at Muthuata were two fine and large canoes, one of 
which belonged to the king, the other to his son. 
Tui Muthuata has from eighty to one hundred towns under his 
control; and his territory extends from Unda Point to the island of 
Tavea, in Naloa Bay. Many of these towns are of small extent, and 
contain but few inhabitants; and I found that to estimate the population 
by the report of the chiefs themselves, would give erroneous results. 
Feejee men lie with great plausibility, and particularly if it is to swell 
their own importance. 
After receiving the king’s present, Captain Hudson, understanding 
that they were still under alarm on shore, sent word again to the king 
that he had nothing to fear, that they were friends, and again invited 
him to come on board. This message had a good effect, although he 
refused to come, on account of his sickness from his leg. Whether 
this sickness was brought on by his fears, was not determined ; but he 
despatched his son, Ko-Mbiti, and several chiefs; an officer—Passed 
Midshipman Davis—remaining on shore to satisfy them that no advan- 
