THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
263 
ideas, which the intercourfe he had had with the .TLnglifb 
mult have folely excited.—In fhort, had his lot been thrown 
to rule over a great nation, connected with mankind, one is 
at liberty to conjecture, that his talents and natural difpofition 
might have made him the Peter of the fouthern world ! 
Placed as he was by Providence in its obfcurer fcenes, he 
lived beloved by his Chiefs , and revered by his people ; over 
whom, whilft he preferved a dignity that diftinguifhed his 
fuperior ftation, he reigned more as the father than the fo- 
vereign.—The eyes of his fubjeCts beheld their naked prince 
with as much awe and refpeCt, as thofe are viewed with who 
govern polifhed nations, and are decorated with all the daz¬ 
zling parade and ornaments of royalty; nor was the purple 
robe, or the fplendid diadem neceffary to point out a cha¬ 
racter, which the malterly hand of Nature had rendered 
fo perfect! 
Having paffed the reef, and being clear of prefent dan¬ 
ger, every one would have been in great fpirits, had not 
the pain of quitting thefe friendly people overfhadowed 
their joy.— Raa Kook remained very penfive, and fuffered 
the veflel to proceed a conliderable way from the reef before 
he recollected himfelf, and fummoned his canoes to return 
back.—-As this Chief had been their firft and truly valuable 
friend, they prefented him with a brace of piltols, and a car- 
touch-box loaded with the proper cartridges.—The pinnace 
being now at the lide of the veffel, the Captain and officers 
1783. 
NOVEMBER* 
were 
