fire-arms give, may be said to constitute our chief
compensation for deficiency of numbers, and thus enable us to preserve
that vast pre-eminence which we possess over the uncivilised
inhabitants of newly-discovered countries. If the policy of our
Government requires an intercourse with savage nations, both prudence
and humanity justify our retaining the means of commanding that
intercourse, by the superiority of our modes of defence; for, in the
event of hostile collision, the numbers of the savages, possessed as
they are, individually, of physical strength and bodily activity, at
least equal to our own, could scarcely fail to be overwhelming. This
also agrees with Vaillant's opinion, for he remarks, that, "when you
travel among savages, you ought never to employ your arms, or shew the
use of them, except to render them a service, either by procuring them
game, or destroying such ferocious animals as are obnoxious to
them."--_Vaillant_, vol. ii. p. 127.

About ten o'clock this evening, a great noise from persons talking
commenced in the village, accompanied, at times, by loud hallooing, and
a clattering of a kind of rattle-boxes, which many of the natives wear
around the neck, and which somewhat resembles the upper half of the
leathern-case of a spirituous-liquor bottle, within which is appended a
clapper made generally of a sheep's jawbone. This noise, the meaning of
which I could not comprehend, continued, with little interruption,
throughout the night.

_Thursday, Nov. 22_.--Soon after breakfast, the King sent for us to his
hut, and regaled us with palm-wine, poured out by the fair hand of a
young female, whom my companions pronounced the most beautiful they had
seen in this island, and whom we supposed to be his Majesty's favourite
wife. On this occasion, he took the opportunity of reminding us of the
presents he expected to receive from Captain Owen, and directed some of
his chiefs to shew us those which he intended to offer in return,
consisting of sheep, fowls, &c. &c. We were then conducted to our hut,
and given to understand, by signs, that it was his Majesty's pleasure
we should forthwith pack up our luggage, and return to our settlement.
We thought, however, it would be more pleasant to take an early dinner
first, and with this intention commenced the preparation of a kind of
Irish stew, consisting of mutton and yams: being defective in the
latter article, we requested a further supply; but this did not pl