6o 
AN ACCOUNT OF 
1783. 
AUGUST, 
was placed behind one of the tents, and fixed on a block. 
He put it in motion, which (having been fhewn the 
method), he had frequently done before ; the King re¬ 
mained fixed in aftonifhment at the rapidity of its motion* 
and at the explanation of the General, that it would imme¬ 
diately fharpen and polifii iron. Captain Wilson ordered 
a hatchet to be brought, and ground, that they might more 
readily perceive its operation. PvAA Kook eagerly laid hold 
of the handle of the ftone, and began turning it, appearing, 
highly delighted himfelf to let his brother fee how well 
he underftood it; he having the preceding day amufed 
himfelf for fome hours with this novelty, and had fharp- 
ened feveral pieces of iron, which he had picked up about 
the tents. The circumftances which molt in this fight be¬ 
wildered all their ideas, were, how the fparks of fire could 
come, and how a ftone, fo well wetted, became fo foon 
dry. 
The King then vifited the different tents, and en¬ 
quired about every thing he faw; all was novelty, and 
of courfe interefted his attention. When he got to the 
tent where the Chinefe men were, Raa Kook, whofe 
retentive mind never loft a fingle trace of any thing he 
had been informed of during his ftay among them, ac¬ 
quainted the King, that thefe were a people quite differ¬ 
ent from the Engli/h , and that they were China-men , a 
word he had readily caught. — He begged one of them 
would 
