February PerfQns coming from England, unlefs fome of the officers then prefent,
' '1 or fome of thofe on board the veflcls with whom they were acquainted,
and who they were convinced did belong to King George, fhould
return to Owhyhee with the fuccours required. This appeared to him
a meafure of fo much confequence that it could not be difpenfed with, for
otherways, any of the diftant nations, knowing they had ceded the ifland
to the Englifh government, might fend to them fhips and men whom
they had never before feen, and who, by afferting they had come from
England and belonged to King George, would deceive them into the
obedience of a people againft whom they fhould afterwards nioft probably
revolt.
Thefewere die prominent features in the fëveral fpeeches made on the
óccafion ; in every one of which their religion, government, and domef-
tic oeconomy was noticed; and it was clearly underftood, that no interference
was to take-place in either; that Tamaahmmh, the chiefs and
priefts; were to continue as ufual to officiate with the fame authority as
before in their refpeftive ftations, and that no alteration in thofe particulars
was in any degree thought of or intendêd.
Thefe preliminaries being fully difcuffed, and thoroughly underftood
on both fides, the king repeated his former propofition, which was
now unanimoufly approved of, and the whole party declared their
confent by faying, that they were no longer Tancila, no Owhyhee, (i. e.)
the people o f Owhyhee; but Tanata no Britannee, (i. e.) the people of
Britain. This was inftantly made known to the furrounding crowd in
their numerous canoes about the veffels, and the fame^ èxpreffions
were cheerfully repeated throughout the attending multitude.
Mr. Puget, accompanied by fome o f the officers, immediately went on
fhore; there difplayed theBritifh colours, and took pofieffion Of the ifland
in His Majefty’s name, in conformity to the inclinations and defire of
Tamaahmmh and his fubjefls. On this ceremony being fimfhed, a fa-
lute was fired from the veffels, after which the following infcnption on
copper was depofitedin a very confpicuous place at the royal réfidence.
“ On the 25th of february, 1794, Tamaahmaah, king of Owhyhee, in
“ council with the principal chiefs of the ifland affembled on board His
“ Britannic Majefty’s floop Difcovery in Karakakooa bay, and in the
“ prefence
“ prefence of George Vancouver, commander of the faid floop; Lieu-
“ tenant Peter Puget, commander of his faid Majefty’s armed tender the c— J
“ Chatham; and the other officers of the Difcovery; after due confide-
“ ration, unanimoufly ceded the faid ifland of Owhyhee to His Britannic
“ Majefty, and acknowledged themfelves to be fubjefts of Great
“ Britain.”
Such a diftribution.of ufeful or ornamental.articles was now made to
the principal chiefs, ..their favorite women, and other attendants, as
Tamaahmaah and myfelf efteemed to be fuitable to their refpective ranks
and ftations on this memorable occafion.
Thus concluded the ceremonies of ceding the ifland of Owhyhee to
the Britifh crown; but whether this addition to the empire will ever
be of any importance to Great Britain, or whether the furrender of the
ifland will ever be attended with any additional happinefs to its people,
time alone mull determine. It was however a matter of great fatisfac-
tion to me, that this conceffion had not only been voluntary, but general
; that it had not been fuggefted by a party, nor been the wifh of a
few, but the defire of every inhabitant with whom we had any conver-
fation on the fubjeft; moft of thefe having attended the external ceremonies,
without (hewing any other figns than thofe of perfefi approbation
-, | and the whole bufinefs having been conduced by the king and his
advifers with great fteadinefs, and in the moft ferious manner, left me no
doubt of the Sincerity of their intentions to abide ftrictly by their engagement.
This tranfaclion mull ever be confidered, under all the attendant eir-
cumftances, as of a peculiar nature; and will ferve to fhew that man,
even in this rude uncultivated ftate, will not, except from apprehenfion
or the moft preffing neceffity, voluntarily deliver up to another his legitimate
rights of territorial jurifdiction.
With refpeft to aftronomical obfervations whilft at Karakakooa, our
attention had been principally direfted to the rates and errors of the
chronometers; thefe on being landed the 21ft of January, 1794, fhewed
V ol, III. I the