1793.
February
they afterwards proved to be) highly acceptable to the whole party.
Permission was now requested for the friends and relations, who were
alongside in their canoes, to be suffered to visit the ship. I easily comprehended what was the real object of the request, which soon became evident by the behaviour of these new visitors, who, of both sexes, and
different ages, instantly found their way aft, and nearly filled the cabin:
until Tamaahmaah desired that no more should be admitted into the ship;
and then demanded of me, if it were my intention to make those now on
board any presents? On his being answered in the affirmative, he undertook the distribution himself, and was so œconomical as to give me several opportunities to make some addition to his dispensations, which
were more bountifully bestowed on some of the men, than on the generality of the women. The ladies however were no losers on this occasion. The deficiency of Tamaahmaah's attention being otherways amply
supplied, produced no small degree of mirth, in which Tamaahmaah bore
a very considerable part. This distribution being finished, and the
whole party made very happy, the king, in addition to what he had before received, was presented with a scarlet cloak, that reached from his
neck to the ground, adorned with tinsel lace, trimmed with various coloured gartering tape, with blue ribbons to tie it down the front. The
looking glasses being placed opposite to each other displayed at once
the whole of his royal person; this filled him with rapture, and so
delighted him that the cabin could scarcely contain him. His extasy
produced capering, and he soon cleared the cabin of many of our visitors, whose numbers had rendered it very hot and unpleasant. He himself soon followed, and after strutting some little time upon deck, he exposed himself in the most conspicuous places, seemingly with the greatest
indifference, though in reality for the sole purpose of attracting the admiration and applause of his subjects. The acclamations that his appearance produced from the surrounding multitude were evidently gratifying to his vanity; yet his joy and satisfaction were incomplete until
two in the afternoon, when Mr. Whidbey returned, and reported, that
although the anchorage at Tyahtatooa seemed convenient, yet it wasinfinitely
