A N . A G G O U N T O F
' T h e Y had ^Ifqian idea o f an evil Spirit, that often counteracted
human affairs; a very particular inftance of this
Was feen when Mr. Barker . (& ®oft valuable member in
the Engli/h faciety) fe ll backward from the fide:of the veffel,
then’ ©a the ffodfcsP| B aa Kook, who happened to be pre-
fent, obferved thereupon,- that it was owing to the unlucky.
wood our people had differed to remain in .the veflel,
that the evil fpirit had occaEdned this mifchief *0 Mr. Bark
e r . - :: p
In the paffage from Pe-lew to China, fomewhat was di£-
covered an Prince L ee Boo^ pretty Iffnilar to what is, commonly
called fecond fig b t;—at the time when he -was ;(as
before mentioned) very fea-fick, He faid how much -he was
concerned at the diftrefs his father and friends were feeling,
who knew what he was then fuffering.— The fame anxiety
operated on him, on their account, when he perceived his
difiblution drawing near, as we lhall have occafion to mention
hereafter.
They certainly entertained fb llrong-an idea of Divination,
that whenever any matter of moment was going to be undertaken,
they conceived they could, by fplitting the leaves
of a particular plant that was not unlike our bull-rufh, and
meafuring the ftrips of this long narrow leaf on the back
of their middle finger, form a judgment whether it would
or would not turn out profperous: this was obferved by Mr.
M. Wilson, in his firll vifit to the King at Pelew ; and
on
TH E P E L EW INLANDS. 327
on inquiry, was afterwards explained to the Engli/h, by the
lingiaiff, as being done, to difcover if their arrival foreboded
good or ill fortune.— It was noticed by feveral of our people^
that, the King recurred to this 'ftippofed oracle Ort different
©GC^fiaüs, particularly 'atf the time,; they went on the fécond
expedition againft A r t in g a l l , when he appeared to be very
unwilling to go- aboard his canoes and kept all his attendants
waiting,: til he had tumbled and twifted his leaves into
a forâl that Satisfied his mind, and predicted foccefs.— Our
people never obferved any pcrfim but the King apply to this
Divination. . •
v It is hardly probable but: the fond anxiety o f a parent, on
giving up a Ion into the hand® o f {{rangers, who Were to
cpmvey him - to remote regions, of which he could form to
himfeif but v e r y , imperfect notions, would, on fo intereft-
ingi.a point, induce him to examine his oracle with uncommon
attention ; and it is as little, to be. doubted but
-that every thing; wore, to bis imagination, a: profperous appearance.—
Yet, to- evince the fallacy o f his prophétie leaves,-
they certainly augured not the truth, nor prefented to the
father’s mind even a fufpicion, that the fon he parted with
he fhould: fee n o more !•
On this fubjeft,. I would further Wifii to bring back to the
reader’s recollection a few occurrences already noticed..:— —
As Raa Kook,, and others of. the natives, were two or three-
times. prefent when Captain Wilson, on..a.Sunday■ evenings
affembled his people to read prayers, to them, they exprefled