He was therefore surprised, and not a little annoyed, when the captain refused to fire at the native, and ordered the gun to be housed.
Of all the things, however, that afforded matter of amusement to these savages, that which pleased Romata's visitor most was the ship's pump.

He never tired of examining it, and pumping up the water.

Indeed, so much was he taken up with this pump, that he could not be prevailed on to return on shore, but sent a canoe to fetch his favourite stool, on which he seated himself, and spent the remainder of the day in pumping the bilge-water out of the ship! Next day the crew went ashore to cut sandal-wood, while the captain, with one or two men, remained on board, in order to be ready, if need be, with the brass gun, which was unhoused and conspicuously elevated, with its capacious muzzle directed point blank at the chief's house.

The men were fully armed as usual; and the captain ordered me to go with them, to assist in the work.

I was much pleased with this order, for it freed me from the captain's company, which I could not now endure, and it gave me an opportunity of seeing the natives.
As we wound along in single file through the rich fragrant groves of banana, cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and other trees, I observed that there were many of the plum and banian trees, with which I had become familiar on the Coral Island.