124 
AN ACCOUNT OF 
1783- 
SEPTEMBER 
The King, who now for the firft time had feen the pro- 
grefs made in the new veflel, appeared perfectly amazed at 
perceiving how much had been done, nor lefs fo at the 
magnitude of the objecft. He minutely examined every 
thing with the molt eager attention, and impatiently called 
for his C tackalbys, ) or artificers, to notice what had fo much 
excited his own aftonilhment. The Tackalbys , feized with a 
furprize equal to that of their Prince, after deliberately po¬ 
ring over its parts, pointed out to him the very lingular 
manner in which every thing was w'edged and bolted to¬ 
gether.—They were quite loft in wonder at the ufe and 
power of the iron-work; and the whole together feemed 
to have engaged their minds as fomewhat beyond their 
comprehenfion.—The King crofted frequently between the 
ribs of the veflel, and faid he was at a lofs to conceive how 
they could ever be made fo as to keep out the water, having 
no idea that they were to be planked. 
As moft of the frame-work of the veflel on the flocks 
had been made out of trees which our people had cut down 
in the ifland, the King pointed out to them a fpecies of 
wood which they had ufed in fome parts of the veflel, and 
which he exprefled a concern at feeing; faying, he deemed 
it an unlucky wood, and that it might prove the caufe 
of their meeting with fome accident; earneftly prefling 
them to take it out, and not fuffer any of it to remain. 
jThey 
