128 
AN ACCOUNT OF 
* 783 * 
SEPTEMBER*’ 
Tuefday 9. 
them to this place, acrofs the cove, when their eyes 
caught the carpenters, who were bulled, fome in fa wing, 
others in dubbing, &:c.; this was again frelh matter to de¬ 
tain them: the faw and its operations were marvellous; 
and it was not without great difficulty that they were at laft 
feduced to the canvafs, where ffierbet was prepared for 
them. Captain Wilson made the King a prefent of a 
China mat, which he appeared to admire, being different 
from any they made at Pelew, and which he wifhed as a 
pattern for his people to endeavour to imitate. 
When redemption is the object, minutes appear as hours, 
and our men, with fuch a point in view, could ill afford the lofs 
of half a day; yet no fooner were their guefts retired, but 
all their common attendants fwarmed in every part, fo that 
it was impoffible to continue work; Ra a Kook was therefore 
petitioned to difperfe them, who, by ordering them'down to 
the beach, gave the different artificers elbow-room to proceed 
in their bulinefs.—The King, after this, took his leave with 
much good-humour, and, accompanied by all his retinue, 
went to fleep at the back of the ifland. 
In confequence of what had the preceding day been ex¬ 
plained relative to the fwivel-guns, the King’s imagination 
had amply worked on the fubje£t; he came over land with 
his train, and expreffed a wiffi to have one of them to take 
with, him on the next expedition; this the Captain endea- 
voured 
