1783. T h e King’s , fon and Raa K ook flayed with the Englij%
T GU S T . !
having five canoes and about twenty people remaining with
th em ; they ilept in two tents by themfelves,' our people
lying in the tent where their arms and ftores were, two tents
having been eredted, for the accommodation o f the King
and his retinue. One was prepared for the King before he
came, and the other raifed clofe. to it, forT his attendants,
after his arrival, when they faw the number o f them. In
the tent intended for the King,_ was R a a K ook, the King’s
fon, and feveral Chiefs; Captain W ilson remained with
them after the guard was fet, and centinels placed, to fhew
them refpect, as well :as to teftify the confidence he placed
in them. Soon after which the following circumftance hap-
, pened, which occafioned much alarm.
After the guard was fet, and . the centinels placed, our
people were go ing. to reft, when, on a fudden, the natives
began a long, the fhrillnefs. and manner o f which
made them think it was their war-hoop, or the fignal for
the King, and his party from the back o f the ifland to
come upon them ; the Englijb inftantly took to their arms,
and Meflrs. Barker and Sharp ran to jthe tent where
Captain W ilson was, to fee i f he was fafe ; judging, that
i f any harm was intended, the natives would fecure him,
who was alone w ith them.— Seeing him fafe and quiet, they
informed him o f the apprehenfions o f our people, who
were all under arms; he requefted Mr. Barker to return
<1 immediately
imtaSÖftifÖy’ftb' M ü 'déftfe fthète t^thakd hè meiir
<$f m k ë aïftfedfhWt to fceépti$óhëï(Aï gü'dfd-ühtil they
ïhoiïM'-fifitï ‘wiijffe the rnekhtHg' of this' might -hè’; adding-,
that hè’ wóuïd'écfafe1 to fhèm'ds fobhlW’bë cbuld do ft
witKoflt bèhlg nèticédtié requefted Mf. S tik te to fit ó im
^y'the King’s fon; and éfttef iittb forhe cbtlverfation with,
him, hy- flghs, ^hilft h t Wfcrit himfeif to thëih-tfent, where
he found the people under arms,| after a little dëlibéfa-
tidh on what'this poife, might, paean, it was thought beft
,f|. difeo%f no' ’appêaranféj.óf' uaeafiHefig but to, -remain
quiet in the tent, with arms reatfy by them, and that lie
add wait the event. He was
foèu' reMëyed'from e^êty anxiety, by-finding thatthdy Wefe
;hnly tuping‘ their voffids, in order to bbgm a fong; which
jas foon kfthey had in' their manner properly pitched, Raa
Kook -g^vë out a line, or ftave, which was taken up by
/another Rupack, feated at a little diftance, who fang a
veffe, accompanied by the reft o f the natives prefent,- except
himfelf and the Prince. T he laft line they fung twice
over, which was taken up by the natives in the next
tent, in chorus; Ra a . K ook then gave out another line,
which was fung in the fame manner; and this continued
.for ten or twelve verfes. They talked at times between
the verfes, as i f fetting fome o f the fingers right who had
not been properly in tune. Their fong ended, they requefted
to hear fome Englijb fongs, which was readily com-
K 1 plied
*783-
U .G U 8 T „