Next morning we found the tiller fprung in the rudde
head, arid, by fome ftrarige neglect, we had not a fpare one
on board, which we were ignorant of till now it was wanting.
I knew but of one tree in the neighbourhood' fit for
this purpofe, which I ferit the carpenter on fliore to look at,
arid an officer, with a party Of men, to cut it down, provided
he could obtain leave of the natives ; if not, he was ordered
to acquaint me. He underftood that no one had any ob-
jeftion, and fet the people to work accordingly. But as
the tree was large, this required fome time; and, before it
was down, word was brought me that our friend Paowang
was not pleafed. Upon this I gave orders to defift, as we
found that, by fcarfing a piece to the inner end of the tiller
and letting it farther into the rudder head, it would ftill perform
its office. But, as it was neceffary to have a fpare one
on board, I went on fhore, fent for Paowang, made him a
prefent of a dog and a piece of cloth, arid then explained to
him that our great fleering paddle Was broken, and that I
wanted that tree to make a new one. It was eafy to fee how
well pleafed every one prefent was, with the means I took to
obtain it. With one voice they gave their confent, Paowang
joining his alfo, which' he perhaps could not have done
without the others ; for I do not know that he had either
more property, or more authority than the reft. This point being
obtained, I took our friend on board to dinner, and after it
was over, Went with him afhore, to pay a vifit to an old chief
Who was faid to be king of the ifland; whicj* was a doubt
With me. Paowang took little or no notice o f him. I made
him a prefent, after which he immediately Went away, as i f
he had got all he came for. His name was Geogy, and they
gave him the title of Areeke. He was very old, but had a
merry open countenance. He wore round his waift a broad
red
red and white checquered belt, the materials and manu-
failure of which feemed the fame as that of Otaheite doth;
but ;this was hardly a mark of diftindtion. He had with
him a fon, not lefs than forty-five or fifty years of age. A „ |
great number of people were at this time at the landingplace
; moft of them from diftant parts.; The behaviour of
many was friendly ; while others were daring and infolenr,
which I thought proper -to put up with,-as our flay was
nearly at,an end.
On the 1-7th, about ten o’clock, 1 went afhore, .and found w«fccC«7.
in the crowd old Geogy and his Ton, who loon made me
underhand that they wanted-to dine .with ,me; and accordingly
I brought them, and two more, on board. They all
called them Areekees (or kings.); but I doubt i f .any o f them
had the le.aft pretenfions to that title ov.er the wltol.eddarid'-
It had been remarked, that , one of thefe ..kings had not
authority enough to .order one of the people up into-a- cocoa-
nut tree, to bring him down fome nuts. Although he (poke to
feveral, he was at laft obliged to go himfelf, and; by. way of
revenge, as it was thought, left not a nut on the tree, taking
•what he wanted himfelf, .and giving the -reft to fome of our
people.
When I got them on board, I went with them all over
the fliip, which they viewed with uncommon furprife and
attention. We happened to have for their entertainment a
kind of pie or pudding made of plantains', and fome fort of
greens which we had got from one of the natives. On this,
and on yams, they made a hearty dinner; for, as to the fait
beef and pork, they would hardly tafte them. In the afternoon,
having made each of them a prefent of a hatchet, a
fpike-nail, and fome medals, I conducted them afhore.
7 Mr;