ease
our hosts, and it was intimated that we should find plenty at the end
of our journey. We still, however, urged our wishes, when, at length,
they brought us a couple of pieces. We could not avoid expressing
dissatisfaction at this scanty supply, when they began to assume a very
savage and sulky appearance; even our friend Canning arose with a
menacing countenance, and laying hold of his spears, threatened to
compel our immediate departure. It would have been imprudent to
continue to irritate them at this juncture, and at best have only
exposed our own weakness: we therefore thought we should most preserve
our dignity, and, at the same time, retain a just ground of complaint
of their want of hospitality, by giving way to their wishes, yet not
without evident signs of our high dissatisfaction. I believe they had,
subsequently, reason to repent of their conduct, as Capt. Owen
afterwards treated them with apparent coldness, and probably abridged
his intended presents: not but that they were amply remunerated,
although the measure of it fell short of their own expectations. We
took our dinner deliberately, notwithstanding this urgency, and then
commenced our journey, accompanied by Canning and another chief;
besides an old man, who had resided in the hut with us, carrying our
luggage. We were soon joined by the persons who carried the presents
intended for Captain Owen. We also met the King, but he, instead of
accompanying us, as we had expected, went off immediately to his own
residence, bearing on his shoulders a quantity of wood, for the use, as
we supposed, of the royal household; we shook hands with his Majesty on
taking our final leave.

As on the journey up the country, we had, on our return, great numbers
of idle people following us, either from motives of curiosity or
interest, and teazing us to give them palm-wine, iron, &c. The road, in
various places, was extremely rugged and narrow, with steep declivities
from the sides to the centre, and very slippery from the rain that had
fallen in the morning. We again crossed two streams, the chief of
which, although broad and rapid, was not sufficiently deep to be
dignified with the title of a river. Towards evening, we arrived at
King Cove, where, proceeding to the beach, we washed the clay from our
trowsers, and then went to our quarters for the night.

The hut in which we took up our residence, consisted of a wooden roof,
thatched with palm-leaves, and supported o