300 Klngsmlll Group. CRUISE OF THE PEACOCK. KiDgiiDlll Group. 



took place in consequence. On his reaching the 

 deck, he first inquired if he would he permitted to 

 go on Bhnre again ; and then, who wan king of 

 England ; if there was pitace with America ; for 

 lie had thought there must be a wmr. Ho had 

 seen no white men since he landed, and said that 

 lie had become old and grayhcaded. To prove the 

 latter assertion he pulled ofT his apology for a hat, 

 and displayed a most luxuriant growth of jet-black 

 hair. 



He had not been on board long before he asked 

 for a passage to some civilised land ; and when he 

 was informed that his wishes would bo gratified, 

 li... heeim-il for a time beside himself from excess of 

 joy. His feelings were evinced in his endeavours 

 to interpret the questions to the natives ; he 

 almost invariably n-peated in ihent what, w;ts said 

 to him in English, in the same language; am! gave 

 back their answers or expreesioua in the island 

 dialect. This had a droll effect, and he had fre- 

 quently to he reminded that he was an iuterpreter. 



Wood says, that the natives had always treated 

 him kindly ; and for the first few months after his 

 arrival among them, they carried him about on 

 their shoulders (he was the first while man that 

 many of them had ever seen), and almost deified 

 him. They have no wars, and very few arms, and 

 seldom quarrel, except about their women. The 

 punishment of death is inflicted on those who 

 infringe the seraglio of the chiefs. 



When the vessels bad made sail, in order to 

 leave the Island, and it was supposed that all the 

 natives had left the Bhip, one was found hanging 

 to the man-ropes near the water. Wood, on ques- 

 tioning the native, found that he was a petty chief, 

 who wished to accompany the ship, and had taken 

 this means of doing it, hoping not to be perceived 

 tintil he was out of sight of his island. He said he 

 was too poor a chief to have any wives, and there- 

 fore wished to leave his island, aud be landed on 

 some other, where he could obtain some. Captain 

 Hudson had a boat lowered at once, by which ho 

 was put ou board a canoe, that took him to the 

 : hore. 



The Kiugsmill Group consists of fifteen islnmls, 

 of which the geographical positions have been 

 al reaily given m speaking of them separately. 



They are as follow, vLs. ; 



MATITX V AH EI. SAME OS CHART*. 



Marakl Matthew'* Island. 



Matin and TarUari .... Pltf* 



Apia Charlotte'* " 



Tarawa K inn's " 



Haifa 



KATIVR KAMKf. KAMI OK CMA*Tt. 



Apanuma Hopper** laland. 



Kuril WoodJe'i 



Naiioukl - • Hondervlllt"! " 



Kitioutl Sydenham 



Taputeouea ....... Drummond'* " 



The above are all those that were visited by the 

 Peacock : the uatives, however, gave the uames of 

 others, which ore said to be in the neighbourhood, 

 to the number of six. 



Peru Francis Iilaad. 



Nukunau Byron** " 



A rural Hurd'j " 



Tamana Phosbe M 



Otioutu Rolchcr 1 * " 



The first of these five are known on the maps, 

 but the two last are not There is one which the 

 natives of Apia designated by Torawaui-Makin, 

 but I am inclined to believe it was intended for 

 Pitt's Island. 



The population of the group, from tho best data 

 which was obtaiucd, is about sixty thousand souls. 

 At Drummond's Island, where there was the best 

 opportunity of a personal examination, the estimates 

 wire above ten thousand : this is considered the 

 most poputous island of the whole group. On 

 Apamama, Kirby saw collected from six to seven 

 thousand warrioi's, belonging to it, Nanouki, and 

 Kuria : tho joiut populatiou of these three islands 

 may therefore be reckoned at twenty-eight thou- 

 sand ; it would seem reasonable to estimate the 

 remaining twelve islands, which have been ob- 

 served to be thickly inhabited, at the same num- 

 ber. 



On completing the survey of the Kingsmill 

 Group, Captain Hudson found it necessary to place 

 his crew, and that of the tender, upon a reduced 

 allowance of provisions and water. He then 

 steered away to the northward, tlirough the Mul- 

 grave Islands ; aud on the morning of the 3rd of 

 May, they made Pedder Island of Arrowsmith, 

 The vessels passed along its west side, and through 

 the Fordycc Passage, between it and Arrowsmilh's 

 Island. Daniel Island was also seen from aloft to 

 tho eastward. These islands are all of coral forma- 

 tion, with lagoons, and are inhabited. The south- 

 east end of Arrowsmith's Island was found to be 

 in latitude 7° 5' N., longitude 17P 23' 64" E. It 

 is twenty miles long. 



On the 17th of duly, the Peacock and Flying- 

 Fish arrived at the bar of the Columbia River. I 

 have already detailed of the former vessel. 



