THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
129 
Toured to convince him would be impoflible, as they had 
SEPTEMBER 
no boats conftru6ted in a manner proper to receive it.—The 
King then requefted to have the fix-pounder fired.—If they 
were furprized (as we have already noticed) at the difi- 
charge of a mufquet, it may eafily be imagined in how 
great a proportion the report of this piece muft have af¬ 
fected them.—During the time the gunner was loading it, 
not a circumftance of the whole procefs efcaped their no¬ 
tice ; and when the lighted match was brought and put to 
the train, they perceived an inftantaneous blaze, which was 
fucceeded by a molt violent noife; this they were puzzled 
in the extreme to comprehend, and the more fo, as in the 
difcharge of a mufquet they had fieen no appearance of 
fire applied.—The report of the fix-pounder feemed to ftun 
them all, as every one of the natives, for more than a quar¬ 
ter of an hour, kept his fingers in his ears, calling out 
Magull! Magull! that is to fay. Very bad.—Pleafed and 
furprized as they were at the noife, it was evidently too vio¬ 
lent for their organs; for whenever founds uncommonly 
loud ftrike unexpectedly on the drum of the ear, it is well 
known they will occafion temporary deafnefs, though the 
fame degree of found, when applied to thofe w'ho are ac- 
cuftomed to it, or prepared to receive it, will not vibrate on 
the fenfe with any particular inconvenience.—The hooting 
and fhouting of the natives, on hearing the explofion, was 
S hardly 
