Early in the morning of the 7th, while the ships were unmooring, I went ashore with Captain Furneaux and Mr Forster, in order to make some return to the king, for his last night’s present.  We no sooner landed than we found Attago, of whom we enquired for the king, whose name was Kohaghee-too-Fallangou.  He accordingly undertook to conduct us to him; but, whether he mistook the man we wanted, or was ignorant where he was, I know not.  Certain it is, that he took us a wrong road, in which he had not gone far before he stopped, and after some little conversation between him and another man, we returned back, and presently after the king appeared, with very few attendants.  As soon as Attago saw him coming, he sat down under a tree, and desired us to do the same.  The king seated himself on a rising ground, about twelve or fifteen yards from us:  Here we sat facing one another for some minutes.  I waited for Attago to shew us the way; but seeing he did not rise, Captain Furneaux and I got up, went and saluted the king, and sat down by him.  We then presented him with a white shirt, (which we put on his back) a few yards of red cloth, a brass kettle, a saw, two large spikes, three looking-glasses, a dozen of medals, and some strings of beads.  All this time he sat with the same sullen stupid gravity as the day before; he even did not seem to see or know what we were about; his arms appeared immoveable at his sides; he did not so much as raise them when we put on the shirt.  I told him, both by words and signs, that we were going to leave his island; he scarcely made the least answer to this, or any other thing we either said or did.  We, therefore, got up and took leave; but I yet remained near him, to observe his actions.  Soon after, he entered into conversation with Attago and an old woman, whom we took to be his mother.  I did not understand any part of the conversation; it however made him laugh, in spite of his assumed gravity.  I say assumed, because it exceeded every thing of the kind I ever saw; and therefore think it could not be his real disposition, unless he was an idiot indeed, as these islanders, like all the others we had lately visited, have a great deal of levity, and he was in the prime of life.  At last he rose up, and retired with his mother and two or three more.

Attago conducted us to another circle, where were seated the aged chief and several respectable old persons of both sexes; among whom was the priest, who was generally in company with this chief.  We observed, that this reverend father could walk very well in a morning, but in the evening was obliged to be led home by two people.  By this we concluded, that the juice of the pepper-root had the same effect upon him, that wine and other strong liquors have on Europeans who drink a large portion of them.  It is very certain, that these old people seldom sat down without preparing a bowl of this liquor, which is done in the same manner as at Ulietea.  We however