THE P BLEW ISLANDS. 
47 
« mer they cultivate with great care in large plantations, in 
u fwampy watery ground, like the rice in India. The 
“ cocoa-nut trees grow very near to their houfes, as does alfo 
“ the beetle-nut, which they chew as tobacco.” The favour¬ 
able account brought by Mr. M. Wilson, and the meffage 
which the King had fo gracioufly fent to Captain Wilson 
by his fon, could not fail of giving fpirits to all our people. 
Captain Wilson dreffed the King’s fon in a ftlk coat and 
a pair of blue trowfers; he was a young man extremely well 
made, but had loft his nofe. This might accidentally have 
been torn off by a fpear in battle, or it might have been the 
effect of a fcrophulous habit, which Mr. Sharp the furgeon 
found'afterwards prevailed much among the natives. 
Before noon the two boats were fent off to the wreck., 
but the bad weather compelled Mr. Barker to come back 
with the jolly-boat. The pinnace returned before evening* 
with fome iron, one bag of rice, and fundry other ftores 
our people brought intelligence that they found upwards of 
twenty canoes bulled about the veffel, and that fome of the 
natives had been very angry at having fome iron and a cut- 
lafs, which they had got out of her, taken from them. Raa 
Kook immediately fent his brother and nephew off in a ca¬ 
noe, who returned at night with the information that they 
had been totally driven away; fo affured were our people now 
of Raa Kook’s friendfhip and protection, though but three 
days acquainted with him, that even when feparated from the 
i reft* 
