respect shown by the subjects to their chiefs offered a similar contrast.
In every way this country seemed far to surpass the other in civilization—
but there were strong indications of a close connexion between
the natives of both. It was not long since Lord Byron in the Blonde
had quitted these islands; the appearance of a man-of-war was, therefore,
no novelty; but the beach was thronged to excess with people of
all distinctions, who behaved in a very orderly manner, helped us out
of the boats, and made a passage as we advanced.
In our way nothing more strikingly marked the superiority of this
country over that we had recently quitted than the number of wooden
houses, the regularity of the town laid out in squares, intersected by
streets properly fenced in, and the many notices which appeared right
and left, on pieces of board on which we read “ an Ordinary at one
o’clock. Billiards, the Britannia, the Jolly Tar, the Good Woman,” &c.
After a short tvalk we came to a neatly built w'ooden house with glass
windows, the residence of Krimakoo, or, as he was commonly called,
Pitt, whom I found extended upon the floor of his apartment, suffering
under a dropsical complaint, under which he ultimately sunk.
This disease had so increased upon him of late that he had undergone
five operations for it since the departure of the Blonde. Though
unable to rise from his bed, his mind w'as active and unimpaired; and
when the conversation turned upon the affairs of the island he was
quite energetic, regretting that his confinement prevented his looking
more into them, and his greatest annoyance seemed to be his inability
to see every thing executed himself. He expressed his attachment
strongly to the British government, and his gratitude for the respect
that had been shown the descendant of his illustrious patron, and his
queen, by sending their bodies to the Sandwich Islands in so handsome
a manner, and for the footing upon which the affairs of the state
had been placed by Lord Byron in command of the Blonde. He was
anxious to requite these favours, and pressed his desire to be allowed
to supply all the demands of the ship himself, in requital for the liberality
with which his countrymen were treated in England. I could
not accede to this effusion of the chief’s gratitude, as the expense
attending it would have been considerably felt by him, and more particularly
as Lord Byron had previously declined the same offer.
The young king, who had been taking an airing, arrived at this
moment, and repeated the sentiments of his protector ; making at the
same time many inquiries for his friends in the Blonde. Boki was
absent at Owyhee attending his sister, wlio was dangerously ill. Madam
Boki, Kuanoa, Manuia, and the other chiefs, who were of the party in
England, were all anxious to show us civility ; and spoke of England
in such high terms, that they will apparently never forget the kind
treatment they experienced there : but they had a great dread of the
diseases of our country, and many of them considered it very unhealthy.
My impression was, that those who had visited it had their
curiosity satisfied so fully as not to feel disposed to risk another visit.
The w'ant of their favourite dish Poe was, besides, so serious an inconvenience
that when allusion was made to England, this privation was
always mentioned.
Our reception was friendly in the extreme ; all our wants, as far as
possible, were supplied, but unfortunately there was this year a scarcity
of almost every kind of production ; the protracted rainy season and
other circumstances having conspired to destroy or lessen the crops,
and the whole population was in consequence suffering from its effects.
There was also a scarcity of dried provision, our visit having preceded
the usual time of the arrival of the whalers, who discharge all they can
spare at this place previous to their return home, and our expectation
of replenishing the ship’s provisions w'as consequently disappointed ; it
therefore became necessary to reduce the daily allowance of the ship’s
company, and to pursue the same economical system here, with regard
to taro and yams, as was done at Otaheite with the bread-fruit.
The few days I had to remain here were devoted to astronomical
and other observations, and 1 had but little opportunity of judging of
the state of the island ; but from a letter which I received from Boki, it
was evident that he did not approve of the system of religious restraint
that had been forced into operation, which was alike obnoxious to the
foreigners residing upon the island and to the natives.
At the time of our departure the health of Mr. Lay was by no
II H
III
A