wait upon Captain Maxwell for the last time, in his ordinary
dress; particularly as all the others were in full array.
M&dera, who, poor fellow, had been too much concerned
about other matters to think of dress, was shocked at this
apparent want of politeness, and went immediately to
apologize to Captain Maxwell, who took him by the hand,
and gave him a present, telling him, at the same time, that
he was always too happy to see him, to notice what dress he
had on.
On going into the cabin, I found the chiefs seated in a
row, all very disconsolate, and apparently trying to conceal
emotions different, in all probability, from any which they
had ever before experienced. Captain Maxwell had made
them his parting present, and I therefore gave to each
chief some trifle, receiving from them in return, their
knives, pipes, pouches, and fans. In the mean time the
anchor was hove up, and every thing being ready for
making sail, the chiefs rose to take leave. Ookooma wished
to say something, but was too much affected to speak, and
before they reached their boats they were all in tears.
M4dera cried bitterly as he shook hands with his
numerous friends, who were loading him with presents.
The chiefs, as well as the people in the numerous canoes
which had assembled round the ships, stood up, and eontmued
waving their fans and handkerchiefs till we were
beyond the reefs, and could see them no longer.
A lm o s t every thing respecting the manners and customs
of Loo-choo, with which we have had an opportunity of
becoming acquainted, has been laid before the reader in the
foregoing narrative. I t is proposed to insert here a few particulars
which in the hurry of the moment were noted down
without date. They might easily have been embodied'
with the narrative, b u t it has been considered of less consequence
to sacrifice arrangement, than to interfere in any
way with the integrity of the Journal, in which nothing has
been inserted out of the exact order in which i t is known to
have happened.
The religion of Loo-choo appears to be that of Fo, said
to be introduced by the bodzes one thousand years ago*.
We found great difficulty in discovering any thing precise on
this subject from the natives; bu t from all that we could
gather, religion does not appear to be made a matter of
general instruction as in Europe, being left, as in China, to
the priests. This we infer from the careless way in which
the subject was a t all times treated by the natives, and the
* See Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, vol. 83.