THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
it would have reverted to the eldeft fon of Abba Thulle ; 
on which contingency, Qui Bill being the prefumptive heir, 
would, during the reign of his laft furviving uncle, have be¬ 
come of courfe the hereditary General; as Lee Boo would 
when the fovereignty had fallen to his elder brother. 
THE MINISTER. 
The King was always attended by a particular Chief, or 
Rupack , who did not appear to polTefs any hereditary office, 
but only a delegated authority.—He was always near the 
King’s perfon, and the Chief who was firft confulted: but 
whether his office was religious or civil, or both, our people 
could not learn with any certainty.—He was not confidered 
as a warrior, nor ever bore arms; and had only one wife, 
whereas the other Rupacks had two.—-The Englifh were never 
invited to his houfe, or introduced into it, although they 
were conducted to almoft all thofe of the other Chiefs. 
THE RUPACKS. 
This clafs, though conliderable in number, could only be 
regarded as Chiefs, or, to defcribe them by European no¬ 
tions, might be denominated the nobles : they were not 
all of the fame degree, as was diftinguifhable by a dif¬ 
ference in the Bone they wore; fome were created whilft 
our 
