58 
AN ACCOUNT OF 
1783. men were introduced in their turns, alfo. After prefent- 
AUGUST. 
ing the officers, 8cc. the King enquired for the mark of 
Captain Wilson’s rank or dignity as Chief, who was at a 
lofs how to anfwer ; but recollecting that a ring was an or¬ 
namental mark of diftinction, told him fo, and Mr. Benger, 
the Firft Mate, having faved his, gave it to Captain Wilson, 
who put it on ; they appeared pleafed with the idea that it 
was a kind of ornament which had a fimilarity of meaning 
to their own. 
During the time that this bulinefs was tranfacfting, Raa 
Kook was converiing with the King upon every thing he 
had feen and obferved during his ftay with our people ; 
this his countenance and geftures fully demonftrated, and 
they plainly noticed his defcription of their fire-arms, and 
exercife, which the King feemed eagerly to attend to, and 
then expreifed a wiffi to fee them himfelf; which Cap¬ 
tain Wilson faid fhould be done immediately. 
He ordered every man to be under arms, and drawn up 
on the beach (the tide then being low) before the King, who 
was placed with all his retinue juft above the flow of the 
water, and that they fhould be exercifed by the Chief 
Mate, that he might not abfent himfelf from the King; 
they, without lofs of time, prepared themfelves, marched 
on the fhore in the King’s prefence, and fired three vollies 
in different pofitions.—The furprize of the natives, their 
hooting, hallooing, jumping, and chattering, produced a 
noife 
