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of it for another person, who had deputed him to apply. 
He stated that he was a missionary himself, and conse- 
quently could not he suspected of selfish motives in 
making this request, hut he had made the application to 
oblige a particular friend, who had such a vehement 
longing for a little, that he had felt it impossible to 
refuse the request. Perceiving a certain air of secresy 
and whimsical slyness about the old man, I could not 
suppress my curiosity to know who it was that desired 
so urgently to taste the forbidden ; but it was a consi- 
derable time before I could learn the truth, and not until 
I had positively refused to grant the supply on other 
terms, that the old chief reluctantly informed me that 
it was his sister who so longed for some of our old 
Jamaica, and who, as I was afterwards informed was no 
less than the queen herself, or some principal chieftainess* 
Wishing to clear up the mystery still further, I 
inquired what she was inclined to give me in exchange 
were I to procure for her the much coveted ram : he 
answered immediately, that his sister possessed some 
very fine mats, which she would present me with in 
exchange ; but just as the old gentleman was chuckling 
with delight in thinking that he had succeeded in his 
mission, I suddenly turned upon him and told him that 
I could not deal with any one but the principal in such 
an important matter, and I therefore desired him to go 
and inform his sister of my determination, being well 
aware that had he obtained possession of the spirit, very 
little in its genuine state would have reached its destina- 
tion, and suspecting his duplicity, I wished to torment 
the old fellow a little. 
