OBI S VISIT. 
205 
when the royal wardrobe had furnished so scanty a 
display. 
He remained during the morning prayers, which were 
read by Mr. Schon, our respected missionary, and 
behaved with great decorum. After having executed 
his father’s commands and partaken of a breakfast, to 
which he did ample justice, he returned to the town 
to report favourably of us, judging by the satisfaction 
he evinced, especially on the receipt of a few presents. 
We were now anxiously looking for the King kimself, 
but nearly three hours elapsed before the royal cortege 
made its appearance, consisting of a large canoe, in 
which was hoisted a white flag, with a rude attempt at 
the Union Jack in the corner. The King was embarked 
in this, attended by several other canoes of various 
sizes ; that belonging to our friend the Prince, carried 
an English flag given him by the former visitors. 
They came slowly down the creek, as if in doubt whether 
to trust the sacred person of the Chief of Ibu within the 
power of a canoe so formidable as the ‘ Wilberforce ’ 
must have appeared ; though Obi was somewhat fami- 
liarized to the sight by the visit of the steamers under 
Lander and Laird. The King’s canoe was very large, 
hewn in one piece out of the Cotton-tree. It was 
broad and capacious at the middle and after-part 
espeeially ; but tapered to a sharp bow. On a flat 
piece extending from the stern stood the steersman, 
holding vertically a long paddle, and with a bamboo 
he occasionally admonished with a tap, not very lightly, 
