From the prince we returned to the king.  By this time he had got up, and had a crowded circle before him, composed chiefly of old men.  While a large bowl of kava was preparing, a baked hog and yarns, smoking hot, were brought in; the greatest part of which fell to our share, and was very acceptable to the boat’s crew; for these people eat very little in a morning, especially the kava-drinkers.  I afterward walked out, and visited several other chiefs, and found that all of them were taking their morning draught, or had already taken it.  Returning to the king, I found him asleep in a small retired hut, with two women tapping on his breech.  About eleven o’clock he arose again, and then some fish and yams, which tasted as if they had been stewed in cocoa-nut milk, were brought to him.  Of these he eat a large portion, and lay down once more to sleep.  I now left him, and carried to the prince a present of cloth, beads, and other articles, which I had brought with me from the ship for the purpose.  There was a sufficient quantity of cloth to make him a complete suit, and he was immediately decked out with it.  Proud of his dress, he first went to shew himself to his father, and then conducted me to his mother, with whom were about ten or a dozen other women of a respectable appearance.  Here the prince changed his apparel, and made me a present of two pieces of the cloth manufactured in the island.  By this time it was past noon, when, by appointment, I repaired to the palace to dinner.  Several of our gentlemen had returned this morning from the ships, and we were all invited to the feast, which was presently served up, and consisted of two pigs and yams.  I roused the drowsy monarch to partake of what he had provided for our entertainment.  In the mean time, two mullets, and some shellfish, were brought to him, as I supposed, for his separate portion.  But he joined it to our fare, sat down with us, and made a hearty meal.

When dinner was over, we were told that the ceremony would soon begin, and were strictly enjoined not to walk out.  I had resolved, however, to peep no longer from behind the curtain, but to mix with the actors themselves, if possible.  With this view, I stole out from the plantation, and walked toward the morai, the scene of the solemnity.  I was several times desired to go back by people whom I met, but I paid no regard to them, and they suffered me to pass on.  When I arrived at the morai, I found a number of men seated on the side of the area, on each side of the road that leads up to it.  A few were sitting on the opposite side of the area, and two men in the middle of it, with their, faces turned to the morai.  When I got into the midst of the first company, I was desired to sit down, which I accordingly did.  Where I sat, there were lying a number of small bundles or parcels, composed of cocoa-nut leaves, and tied to sticks made into the form of hand-barrows.  All the information