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each is armed with a sharp shell, or, if he can
possibly obtain so valuable a prize, a piece of a
broken glass bottle. All were streaming with
tears and blood, while Shunghie and his
friends embarked in their large and richly
ornamented canoes, and sailed from our beach.
After his departure, I soon discovered that,
notwithstanding their apparent affection, King
George and his friends were most happy their
visiters had left them ; and that it was more
the dread of Shunghie’s power, than love for
him, that induced them to treat him with such
respect and homage.
I made several excursions into the interior,
and each confirmed me in the good opinion I
had formed of the natives. I felt myself quite
safe amongst them. There is a great peculiarity
in rambling through this country;
namely, the total absence of quadrupeds.
There are abundance of birds, which are so
numerous at times as almost to darken the air,
— many of them possessing very sweet notes j
and wild ducks, teal, &c. cover the various
streams. Wherever I went I did not discover
any grass ; almost every part being covered
f 4