WHALING VOYAGE. 
371 
some, with boisterous mirth, reeling towards us to wel- 
come us to the island. 
The captain not liking the unruly appearance of 
things soon went on board the ship, while I remained at 
the king’s house, which in a short time became filled with 
the natives of the place, nearly all of whom were much 
excited from drinking a spirit that they have been 
taught to procure from the “ Ti 99 root, which grows 
spontaneously in Bolabola. 
While I was sitting near the king, upon a kind of 
three-legged stool, cut out of a solid block of wood re- 
sembling mahogany, and the top of it being hollowed 
out to form the seat, an old but enormous chief came 
reeling towards me, hiccoughing and making so many 
grotesque faces at the time of his approach, that I could 
not forbear laughing full in his face. He however did not 
appear to notice my laughter, but taking another of the 
seats I have described, placed himself directly before 
me, squatting his huge frame, which was nearly naked, 
upon the low seat, with his elbows resting on his knees 
and his head upon his hands ; in this situation he set 
his eyes directly upon me, much to the amusement of 
the company, who seemed to enjoy his drunken frolick- 
ings. After he had well observed every feature in my 
face, I soon changed the gay motions of his huge features 
by making him understand that he would not live long, 
now that he had commenced to drink spirit in such 
excess. I told him that I was going to “ Brigatana,” 
(England) and that if I returned again to Bolabola, I 
should not find him alive; he would be in the “rapo,” 
