THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
265 
Kooker fo ftrongly poffeffed ; but he was always pleafant and *7 8 3- 
NOVEMBER. 
lively, had abundant good-humour, and well-difpofed to 
laughter, when it was occaiionally excited. He had an eager 
fpirit of inquiry, and a delire to examine the caufes and rea- 
fons of every effecft which he faw produced, and was wonder¬ 
fully quick in comprehending whatever was defcribed to him; 
his mind was ftrong and aftive, his behaviour manly and cour¬ 
teous, and accompanied with fo nice a fenfe of honour, that he 
felt it wounded whenever any of the natives had, by their lit¬ 
tle trifling thefts, violated, as he judged, the laws of hofpita- 
lity, which he held moil facred, and always difcovered an 
impatience till he could make them reftore what they had 
taken away. This he carried fo far as even to fliew his 
difpleafure at the Chief minifter , for requefting a cutlafs of 
Captain Wilson (at the firft interview) thinking it a breach 
of this virtue, to folicit a favour of thofe who were fo fltu- 
ated, as not to be at liberty to refufe the requeft, though the 
granting it might be inconvenient. He was much amufed 
by the peculiar manner of the Cbinefe , and their way of 
talking; would frequently fit down to pick oakum with 
them, on purpofe to fee more of them, without feeming to 
intrude. Our people were probably partly indebted to his 
good offices for the fteady friendlhip the King had for them ; 
at leaft, on their firft coming, he certainly interefted his bro¬ 
ther in their favour. He beheld all duplicity with indigna¬ 
tion, and publicly, before the King, fhewed his contempt of 
M m Soogle, 
