7 ° 
AN ACCOUNT OF 
*783- fecrete them from the public view; a convenient place was 
AUGUST.. 
found in a rock, and the tools concealed; and it was hap¬ 
pily effected before the King arrived, by which our people 
were relieved from thofe difficulties they would otherwife 
have been under. 
The morning being fine and calm, our people launched 
their boats, in order to go off to the ffiip, but miffed the 
jolly-boat’s rudder, which had been ftolen for the fake of 
the iron. Thofe on fhore were employed in getting ready 
the blocks and ways, in order to lay down the intended 
veffel. They had already got a piece of -wood for a item, 
and another for a ftern-poft. About ten o’clock the Chief 
Mlnijier came over land, from the back of the ifland, which 
did not exceed the diftance of half a mile from the cove, 
and after looking for fome time at the operations then be¬ 
ginning, he took Captain Wilson by the hand, and led 
him to the tent where the arms were kept; after viewing 
wifhfully a cutlafs, he afked him for it. In the particular 
fituation in which our people flood, Captain Wilson 
thought a refufal might be imprudent, particularly to a 
Chief of his rank, and therefore judged it wifer to make 
a virtue of neceffity. But, on coming out of the tent, 
Raa Kook faw it in his hand, feemed difpleafed, and made 
him return it. 
The Malay fome time after coming on fhore from a canoe, 
faid there was bad news; that he had heard “ that a cutlafs 
<£ had 
