1832.] 
SANDWICH ISLANDS. 
407 
of the white and black whalebone, combined alternately ; and for 
a native piece of work, is unusually neat. 
The missionaries soon after arrived, and the party being col" 
lected, they were conducted to every part of the vessel. The 
king was "observant, as were also many of the chiefs, some of 
whom spoke very good English, and most of them sufficiently to 
make themselves understood. These courtly personages were, 
of course, treated with all the respect that could be desired by 
them ; but they did not look for any unusual degree, and com- 
ported themselves in a very friendly and agreeable manner. 
After having been shown every part of the ship, which is by 
far the largest that had ever appeared in these waters, they sat 
down to a very splendid dinner-table, spread on the gundeck. A 
blessing was invoked on the repast by Mr. Bingham, the principal 
of the missionary estabUshment among these islands. In seating 
them at table, the great difficulty was to ascertain the ranks of the 
different chiefs forming the king's suite. It seems that this dis- 
tinction of rank and claims of precedence are carefully respected, 
not so much by the individuals themselves as by their sovereign. 
But no sooner was this important matter amicably arranged, and 
a blessing invoked, than a brisk operation commenced with the 
knives and forks, in which every one appeared to contend for 
precedence. 
■ At the first suitable cessation of this amicable contention, the 
commodore drank the king's health and that of the ladies. After 
this, every one eagerly aspired to the same honour, of drinking 
the heailth of his royal highness ; and the cry of " King, a glass 
of wine with you, if you please," resounding from all quarters, 
was really amusing. This is the manner in which he is always 
addressed. 
While the party were yet at dinner, a large ship, commanded 
by an English half-pay lieutenant, came under the Potomac's 
stern, and letting fly his " topgallant-halliards," fired a salute of 
thirteen guns in a very handsome style, which was of course re- 
turned by the frigate. This was an act of courtesy so handsomely 
performed, that it drew every one from the table. The Enghsh 
ship then filled away, and stood to sea. 
Upon the whole, the day was one of great interest, novelty, 
merriment, and excitement. The missionaries, of course, par- 
