25 
THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
told them, was a very good man, and that his people alio 
were courteous. 
He further acquainted them, that a canoe having been 
out hilling, had feen the blip’s mall lying down; and that 
the king being informed of it, fent off thefe two canoes, at 
four o’clock that morning, to enquire what was become of 
the people; that they knowing well this harbour, had come 
to it hrft, being a place where the canoes, when hfhing, 
often fhelter themfelves in hard weather.—They fat. about 
ail hour with Captain Wilson, tailed the tea, but feemed 
to like better the bifcuits, and appeared now to feel them¬ 
felves relieved from every apprehenhon. They wifhed that 
one of our people might be fent in their canoes to the 
Rupack, or King, that he might fee what fort of people 
they were; which was agreed to by Captain Wilson, who, 
after breakfaft was ended, introduced to them feveral of 
his officers ; thefe, as they came up, ffiook hands with 
the natives, who being informed by the Malay that this 
was the mode of habitation amongif the Englijb , they went 
to every man prefent, and took him by the hand, nor ever 
after omitted this token of regard, as often as they met our 
countrymen. 
It often pleafes Providence, in the moil trying hours of 
difficulty and diflrefs, to throw open fome unlooked-for 
fource of confolation to the fpirits of the unfortunate !—It 
was a lingular accident, that Captain Rees of the Nor- 
E THUMBERLANB 
i7 s 3- 
AUGUST. 
■i 
