similarity in manners. At all events, it was evidently much
easier a t any future time to be free and cordial with them,
after having assumed a distance and reserve in the first
instance, than it would be to repress insolence, if a t first
encouraged by too hasty familiarity.
Before this man went on shore, he requested to know
the reason of our coming into this p o rt; the interpreter was
instructed to acquaint him that the ships had experienced
very bad weather, and had been a long time a t sea; that
the large ship had sprung a leak, and required repairs
which could only be done in a secure harbour; further
explanations, it was observed, would be given to the
superior chiefs when they came on board. We had been
prepared for these inquiries, not only from the reception
we had met with a t Corea, but from the well-known
character of the nations in this quarter of the globe; and
it was so far fortunate, that the Alceste was actually in want
of repairs; because to have assigned curiosity, and a desire
of gaining information as our object, to people wholly
unconscious of such feelings, would naturally have led them
to ascribe our actions to some more interested, and consequently
more dangerous motive.
The canoes which we have seen to-day are mostly made
of one piece of w ood; they have two sails, and are moved
with considerable velocity, by two or more paddles, assisted
by an oar over the stern, which acts both as a scull and a
rudder. There is a neat low seat, made of rattans, for each
person in the canoe. As the day closed, the fishing canoes
came in great numbers from sea, and all came on board the
ships on their way; some of the fishermen pulled up our
lines and baited the hooks. The whole shore abreast of the
ships was covered with people, but the crowd was greatest
on two pier-heads, forming the entrance to the harbour; and
the variety of colour in their dresses made this a very lively
exhibition. In the evening, Captain Maxwell and I rowed
round to examine the anchorage, which we found tolerably
clear of rocks. An officer was a t the same time sent to
examine the inner harbour, but he did not go far within
the entrance, which was much too shallow for the frigate.
On returning to the' Lyra, I found that Mr. Clifford
had been entertaining several respectable looking natives
who had paid him a visit. As they readily comprehended
his desire to know their words for various things, he has
succeeded in collecting a considerable number, among which
we are surprised to find their name for tobacco the same as
ours; all the others are quite new to us.
17th of September.— I carried the interpreter to the
Alceste, after breakfast, where I found two chiefs^ who had