426 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, return to their vessel. It has been asserted of Pitt that he was extremely 
ambitious ; but his ambition seems to have had no other object than 
the welfare of his country : had he aspired to the crown, there were 
many favourable opportunities of which he might have availed himself 
without much risk of failure, of which the death of Tamehameha, the 
revolt of Kekoakalane, the insurrection of Atooi and others are suf- 
ficient instances. He left one son, whom he was very anxious to have 
educated in England, and pressed his request so earnestly that I had con- 
sented to take him on board the Blossom, but the vessel which was 
sent to bring him from Owyhee returned hastily with the news of the 
death of the chief, which frustrated the plan. Immediately this event 
was known the flags of the forts and the shipping were lowered half- 
mast, and the shores of the bay resounded with the wailings of the 
inhabitants. 
It had been supposed that the ambition and jealousy of Kahu- 
mana and the conflicting interests of the chiefs would have displayed 
themselves in insurrection on this occasion, and that the disaffected chiefs 
would have availed themselves of this moment to remove the supreme 
power from the hands of the young king ; but whatever rusults this me- 
lancholy event might have produced had it occurred at an earher date, 
nothing was now attempted. Boki, however, thought it prudent to 
assemble the troops in the fort, and the Blossom was put in readiness to 
preserve order, if necessary, and to receive the foreign residents, should 
their safety require it. Anxious to witness the effect of this occurrence 
upon the court, I immediately paid a visit of condolence to Kahumana, 
who was seated amidst a motley assemblage of attendants, looking very 
sorrowful. It appeared, however, from the following incident, that 
the sincerity of her grief was questionable, Plappening to cast her eye 
upon a Bramah inkstand I was conveying to the observatory, she seized 
it with both hands, and she exclaimed, her countenance brightening into 
a smile, how much she should like to have it. As it was the only one I 
possessed, I did not intend at first to gratify her majesty’s wishes, but 
she fairly tore it from me : making therefore a virtue of necessity, 
I presented it to her. After bestowing some praise upon the invention, 
she passed it to Kami, a female chief next in rank to herself, and then 
