6 A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
.'194- whole affiftance, proteftion, and authority, would on all occafions be
■ readily afforded.
Tamaahmaah had always beeii accuftomed to attend our meals, and
breakfaft , in particular he was extremely fond o f partaking with us;
but under the reproach he had juft received, of a want of friendfhip, no
felicitation could prevail on him to accept of any thing at table ; he fat
in a lilent thoughtful mood, his fenfibility was probed to the quick, and
his generous heart, which continued to entertain the warmeft friendfhip
and regard, not only for me but for every one in our little community,
yielded to our wifhes:; though at the rifle of incurring the difpleafure of
the priefts, by an unprecedented breach of their religious rites. At
length he determined, that his half brother Crymamahoo fhould be fent to
the priefts,.to communicate his intentions of accompanying us. On my
faying, that this refolution made me very happy, and met my hearty
concurrence; he replied,, that I had treated him unkindly in fufpecling
that his friendfhip was abated, for that it remained unfhaken, as his future
conduct would demonftrate; but that he confidered himfelf to be
the laft perfon in his dominions who ought to violate the eftablifhed
laws, and the regulations of the country which he governed.
Our little difference being thus amicably adjufted, he ate a hearty breakfaft
; and having given his brother the neceffary inftruftions for governing
this part of the ifland during his abfence, in which bufinefs they were
occupied an hour, Crymamahoo was difmiffed, and directed to return with
all convenient fpeed to communicate the anfwer o f the priefts.
Thoroughly convinced of the purity of Tamaahmaah's friendly intentions,
I had receded from my former determination with refpeft to him,
or any other of the chiefs, fleeping on board the fhip. Our party now confided
of feven chiefs, three of whom were accompanied by their favorite
females; but Tahow-man-noo, the king’s confort, was not of the number.
As fhe had never failed in hCr attendance on him, the caufe of her abfence
became a fubjefl of inquiry, and I had the mortification of under-
ftanding that a reparation had taken place, in confequence of its having
been
been reported, that too great an intimacy had fubfifted between her and ‘ 794*^
Tianna. I'—~'—
I underftood from the king’s attendants, that the infidelity of the queen
was by no means certain; and as I well knew the reciprocal affe&ion of
this royal pair, and as fhe was then refiding with her father at, or in the
neighbourhood of Karakakooa, I thought it a charitable office, to make
a tender of my endeavours for the purpofe of bringing about a reconciliation.
In reply to this obtrufion of my ffervices, Tamaahmaah expreffed
his thanks; and affured me, that he fhould be always happy to receive
any advice on ftate affairs, or any public matters, efpecially where
peace or war might be concerned; but that fiich differences as might
occur in, or refpeft, his domeftic happinefs, he confidered to be totally out
of my province. This rebuff I filently fuftained; cherifhing tire hope that
the period would arrive; when I fhould be able to prevail on him to en-
.tertain a different opinion.
The wind from the northward, attended with a very heavy fea, reduced
us to .our clofe-reefed topfails, and as we flood in fhore in the afternoon
ai very ftrong current evidently preffed us to leeward- The appearance
ofirthe weather indicating no favorable or early change, there was
little probability of . our foon feeing Crymamahoo, or any of the inhabitants
o f Aheedoo; this induced the king to call his whole retinue toge--
ther, both male and female, in- order to take their advice as to his pro-
.ceeding, without firft receiving the religious affent he had difpatched
Crymamahoo to obtain. The refult of their deliberations was, a unanimous
opinion that the priefts would, on a certainty, accede to his wifhes.
This had been undoubtedly the previous fentiment of the king, or he would
not have inftrufted his brother, in the manner he had done, how to conduit,
himfelf during his abfence.; -f '1 ' ; ;
Although I earneftly wifhed to avoid being the caufe of endangering
his popularity, yet I was fo anxioufly defirous of his company, that I
did not hefitate a moment in giving my hearty concurrence to this determination,
in order that we might, make the beft of our way to Karaka-
kooa. .
Our