428 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAPTEE XVI. 
Further Remarks on the Inhabitants — Treaty of Alliance — Climate — Medicinal Properties 
of the Ava — Supplies — Departure — Passage to China — Ladrone and Bashee Islands — 
Arrival at Macao — Transactions there — Departure — Botel Tobago Xima — Arrival at 
the Great Loo Choo. 
CHAP. 
XVI. 
Feb. 
1827. 
On the return of the ship to the Sandwich Islands the chiefs were 
very anxious to learn where she had been, and to be informed whether 
in some of the countries she had visited the produce of their dominions 
might not find a favourable market. Kahuraana, in particular, was so 
much interested in these inquiries that she condescended to direct her 
attention to them, and laid aside a missionary book with which she had 
been instructing her mind while the back part of her body was under- 
going the soothing operation of beingpinched by one of her female attend- 
ants. The conversation happening to turn upon Bird Island, Boki on hear- 
ing it was so near to the Sandwich group, meditated its addition to the 
dominions of the king, no doubt under the impression of its being similar 
to one of the Sandwich Islands, and was greatly disappointed when in- 
formed that the island was not worth his possession. The account of 
the high price of sugar in California quite put him in good humour 
with his sugar-mills, which for some time past had been a subject of 
annoyance to him, in consequence of the expense incurred by their 
continually breaking. All parties were evidently desirous to extend 
their commerce, and a spirit of enterprise appeared to have diffused 
itself amongst them, which it is to be hoped may continue. 
During our absence two important political events had occurred — 
