mss142-vasilevShishmarev-i5-018

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footgear. Behind the king, the queen, and each of the lords
was a servant carrying a spitton. With the king this day in
the capacity of interpreter was the Spaniard, Marini. They
all went down into the cabins, sat at the table with us, and
ate our food with great appetite, not forgetting, however,
their favorite taro, brought along by them. They did not
drink much wine, but mostly rum, so that almost all of them
were drunk on getting up from the table. The king, on de-
parting, invited us for dinner day after next. He was saluted
with nine shots, to which from the yacht and later from the
fortress were wanswered by as many. On the designated day, we
went to the king. The table, set in the European manner in
one of his large huts, glistened with a great quantity of sil-
ver and crystal. The dinner was in the English style. Be-
sides us, there were the missionaries, the Europeans of the
island, and three captains of American vessels. On this day,
the king was dressed in a naval uniform of an English general.
The master of ceremonies was the Frenchman, Rivés, and the
food was prepared by the book of one of the American vessels.
The wines were excellent. During the dinner we drank to the
health of our emperor, the king, and the American nation. From
this can be seen that he tried to take over the customs of
civilized nations, but it did not suit him. He did not even
know how to sit on a chair, and never used a spoon, a knife,
or a fork.

The military might of the king consisted of a few thousnad