AN,ACCOUNT OF 
242 
1783. was not concealed under this requeft; fearing alfo, that the 
NOVEMBER. 
eagernefs of the natives to come on board and view her inte¬ 
rior, as well as her exterior form, might caufe confulion and 
delay, oppofed the King’s propofal, by fuggeiting fuch -well- 
conceived objections to it, that he acquiefced, and nothing 
more was ever faid on the fubject. 
It may not be improper in this place to notice, that from 
the time Raa Kook was bulled with the King in painting the 
veifel, it was obferved, that there was a penlive gloom about 
him, which they had never before feen cloud his countenance, 
naturally open and cheerful.—-The Captain found it had been 
occalioned by a difappointment he had met with.—His great 
attachment to the TLngUJh had induced him to afk. his bro¬ 
ther’s permiffion to accompany them to England, to which 
the King had refufed his confent; affigning the neceffity he 
was under to object to it, from the circumftance of his being 
the next heir, and the inconvenience that would arife in 
cafe of his own death when he fhould be abfent; the fuc- 
ceffion of the fovereignty of Pelew firfh devolving to the 
brothers of the King, in fucceffion, and after their deaths re¬ 
verting to the eldelt fon of the firft branch of the family ; the 
fecond fon becoming, of courfe, hereditary General of the 
forces. And though the good underftanding which Raa Kook 
pofTefTed, fliewed him the impropriety of what he had deli red, 
and the prudent ground of his brother’s refufal, yet it was / 
5 evident 
1 
