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 please 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.