In the afternoon, I went to pay this great man a visit, having first received a present of two fish from him, brought on board by one of his servants.  As soon as I landed, he came up to me.  He appeared to be about thirty years of age, tall, but thin, and had more of the European features, than any I had yet seen here.  When the first salutation was over, I asked if he was the king.  For, notwithstanding what I had been told, finding he was not the man whom I remembered to have seen under that character during my former voyage, I began to entertain doubts.  Taipa officially answered for him, and enumerated no less than one hundred and fifty-three islands, of which, he said, Feenou was the sovereign.  After a short stay, our new visitor, and five, or six of his attendants, accompanied me on board.  I gave suitable presents to them all, and entertained them in such a manner, as I thought would be most agreeable.

In the evening, I attended them on shore in my boat, into which the chief ordered three hogs to be put, as a return for the presents he had received from me.  I was now informed of an accident which had just happened, the relation of which will convey some idea of the extent of the authority exercised here over the common people.  While Feenou was on board my ship, an inferior chief, for what reason our people on shore did not know, ordered all the natives to retire from the post we occupied.  Some of them having ventured to return, he took up a large stick, and beat them most unmercifully.  He struck one man on the side of the face, with so much violence, that the blood gushed out of his mouth and nostrils; and, after lying some time motionless, he was, at last, removed from the place, in convulsions.  The person who had inflicted the blow, being told that he had killed the man, only laughed at it; and, it was evident, that he was not in the least sorry for what had happened.  We heard, afterward, that the poor sufferer recovered.

The Discovery having found again her small bower anchor, shifted her birth on the 7th; but not before her best bower cable had shared the fate of the other.  This day I had the company of Feenou at dinner; and also the next day, when he was attended by Taipa, Toubou, and some other chiefs.  It was remarkable, that none but Taipa was allowed to sit at table with him, or even to eat in his presence.  I own that I considered Feenou as a very convenient guest, on account of this etiquette.  For, before his arrival, I had, generally, a larger company than I could well find room for, and my table overflowed with crowds of both sexes.  For it is not the custom at the Friendly Islands, as it is at Otaheite, to deny to their females the privilege of eating in company with the men.