Romata had never seen this gun before, as it had not been uncovered on previous visits, and the astonishment with which he viewed it was very amusing.

Being desirous of knowing its power, he begged that the captain would fire it.

So a shot was put into it.

The chiefs were then directed to look at a rock about two miles out at sea, and the gun was fired.

In a second the top of the rock was seen to burst asunder, and to fall in fragments into the sea.
Romata was so delighted with the success of this shot, that he pointed to a man who was walking on the shore, and begged the captain to fire at him, evidently supposing that his permission was quite sufficient to justify the captain in such an act.