cause his Highlanders are from Fife, and because he is a friend of the King. And he rode before, and the people were glad and hurraed, because it was the Thane of Fife, on a white horse, and because all men like him. And the road to the island of Edinburgh is through fields, and by the horse barracks, that is, stables for the men and horses-I, Omai, know it, for it is called Jock's Lodge.

And I, Omai, went home to eat meat, because the review of Portobello Sands makes people hungry, and to rest, because I, Omai, was to go with a ticket, and Sir John, to the great Peers' ball, or grand Haiva. And a Peers' ball, or Haiva, is not like a cannon ball, or another ball, because it is different ;-it does not mean a round thing, but only a round dance; and it is called Peers, because all the great lords and chiefs are Peers, that is their other name. And a Duke is a Peer, and an Earl, that is another Peer, and Lords are Peers, but not Sir Johns, they are not Peers, but only gentlemen. This Sir John learned me, Omai, and I write it down that men of Otaheite may know what is a Peer; and the women Peers, or ladies, that is the wives of the great Erees, they are Peeresses, for that is their name, though many ladies are not Peeresses, but as good. And all this is written in a book, and all their names, that the people may know who are Peers, and who are not, otherwise the people could never know; and the names of their wives are in this book, and it is called Almanack-I, Omai, have seen it-it is a red book of much reading. And the place where the balls are held is called the House of Assembly, and it is in the street called GeorgeStreet, or King-Street, for George is the King's name, and it is the same thing.

And I, Omai, went in my Highland dress of a Celt to this ball, in a coach with Sir John and two beautiful ladies with feathers in their heads, and all white, and pretty little shoes for dancing. And a great crowd was in the street of people come to see the ladies, and the illumination, for the House of Assembly was all in a fire illumination on the outside, as well as in the inside. And I, Omai, went up stairs out of the coach to the great room; and one of the ladies leant on the arm of me, Omai, all the way, for

nobody could have known me, Omai, to have been the same Omai I was before. And the room was all full of lights and seats, and the people walking, and a throne seat for the King. And the seats are called sofas, because they hold more than one person, and their colour is blue, and red, and gold. And a room for the King's supper it was there. How grand it was with paintings, and cloths of every colour, and gold, the lights being candles, hung on a thousand drops of crystal!

And no man can describe the grandeur of this Assembly ball, for all the riches of the world were there, and even the coverings of the seats for sitting on were richer than the robes of kings in the country of me, Omai. So I, Omai, looked with wonder at all the grandeur and lights, and musicians cunningly stuck up in a box in the wall. And Sir John described it all, for he, being learned, knows of these things, and every body knew him, because he is a great chief. And he told all the Erees how far I, Omai, had come to see this ball, and what a chief I was in my own country, and how the father of my father was the friend of the great Cook; and they were pleased to see me, Omai; and the ladies particularly, they liked to look upon me. And great Erees spoke often to me, Omai; and some called me, laughing, the Laird of Otaheite; while other great chiefs and lords, they said only, Otaheite, how do you do? because it is the custom in this country for the great men to have only one name, and that is the name of their country.

And when all the Erees were wearied for the King to come, he at last came, and more great Erees or lords with him; he was dressed as a soldiergeneral, and looked well. And the musicians played on their fiddle-drums, or naffas, and blew music out of wooden flutes, and it was pleasant for me, Omai, to hear. And the King walked about the room; for it was so grand that even he admired the Peers' ball. And the dancing began; but it is not the same as in Otaheite, for the ladies and Erees dance together, and there was no speaking speeches among the dancers, but they only moved very nimbly, and the men they kicked up their heels. And when this dance or mai was finished, another mai of a different kind began, in which the la

dies and gentlemen ranked up in rows like soldiers; but the reel dance pleased best me, Omai, for it was the cleverest, and the ladies moved more quick.

And the great Thane from the island of Fife, the friend of the King, he spoke to me, Omai, and wished me, Omai, to dance before the King one of my country dances; but I, Omai, told him it would not do, for that many people were required in our mai, and there was no time to learn the ladies. And the chief is called my Lord, and all men know him, because of the running Highlanders, who run at his coach to turn round the wheels in case they stop.

And the music of the dances was very enlivening to the spirit; and I, Omai, saw that the King liked it, for he clapped his hands, and nodded his head to the music, and was as much pleased as a King could be. And after this it was all the same thing, that is mai or reel dances; some of them danced by Highland Erees and their ladies in tartan. And after the King was tired of the dances and the music, and after he had spoken to many of the Erees and many of the ladies, who were proud to speak to so great a King, he went away; and I, Omai, having to go to supper in a great Eree's house, went also away, because I could not dance the dances of this country. And as I, Omai, and the King went away, there was a shouting among the people, and the King was pleased at it, because it was loyal, and so was I, Omai. And the King's coach was ready, and the Grey Scots, and they rode away; and the coach of John Wells, he knows all the houses in the island, it took me to the chief's house, whose supper I, Omai, was to eat. But the dancing Erees and ladies they went not away till after a long time; for this people never weary of dancing. Sir John told me, Omai, this: And the chief of the musicians, who makes all the music of the island, his name is Nathaniel, which is a very good name.

DAY TENTH.

The Banquet.

And the next day, which was the day of Saturday, the chiefs of the island of Edinburgh prepared a great

Banquet, that is a king's dinner, which is a feast. And all the cattle over the island were killed for this great feast, and even the deer of the Highlands, and grouse, which is a flying bird. And a Banquet is not eaten in an Eree's house, neither in a tavern house, because then it would not be a Banquet. But the great House of Parliament, that is near the image of the King's great-great-grandfather, the place where people wait for justice, that was the place. And a throne seat was put there for the King to sit upon, and tables were put out for the Erees. And lights were hung from the top of the house of crystal and shining; there is nothing like it but in this great country. And the cook people they were working at this Banquet for a great time before, that it might be in readiness; and I, Omai, was told that it was a Library of Books, that the cookmen chose for their kitchen, which means the cooking-room, that they might have fire.

And I, Omai, was at the great Banquet, which the chief men of the island of Edinburgh gave to the King; for my Lord, that is, the chief Eree of the city, he said to me, Omai, you must go to the Banquet ;" and he was not to be refused by me a stranger. The clothes only, that was my difficulty; for I, Omai, was told that it would not do for me to sit at the Banquet in the tartan of Macgregor. So I, Omai, went to the tailor_man, who lends clothes to the great Erees, and he bid me choose a dress. And I, Omai, did not know what to choose, for I liked much the red coat of a great general; but the Captain said that would not do, as only fighting men of regiments wore them. Therefore, I got a coat of silk, very grand, with white and silver, and a vest or waistcoat for the belly, all in a blossom with roses, but not that smell. Little breeches also, like the courtiers, had I, Omai, with glittering stone buckles at the knee; white stockings of silk, which ladies wear, for my legs, and a sword of shining steel metal at my waist. He lent me also a hat of cocks, which he said was an operating hat; and there was a black bag at the neck of my coat, with nothing at all in it, being only to show what was the back of the face of me, Omai. And no man must turn this bag to face the King, because he does not like it. And the

barber man, who shaves beards, he shaved me, Omai, two times that day, with a razor, that my chin might be clean before the King and my Lord.

And Captain Smith was not at the Banquet, because my Lord forgot to ask him to come, therefore he would not go. But the great wise man of Edinburgh, that is, Ambrose or North, he was there, because all the great Erees like him, and the King he cannot want him. And he took me in a great coach with four seats; and Sir Johu, a chief, he was in that coach. And Mr North said, laughing, Truly we were a precious coachful, that is, me, Omai, himself, and Sir John; and this was true, and nobody could deny it. And so we went from Sir John's house, or rather rode, to the Banquethouse; there being a flunkey-man on the back of the coach, like the other Erees. And soldiers on horses guarded the road, to let nobody in but those who were asked by my Lord. And a great number of Erees were there before Omai came, and they were walking and smelling in the great hall of justice, for the smell was pleasant to the nose.

And while I, Omai, waited, Mr North introduced me to all the principal chiefs; for I, Omai, had learned to speak in the fashion of this people, and could say Your Grace to a Duke,-My Lord to an Earl Lord, or the chief of the city, and Sir John or Sir Thomas to the others, according to their names. This is difficult to learn; but I, Omai, being taught by the missionaries, soon came into it. But what is most strange, the King himself is not called gracious, or lordly, not because he is ungracious or unlordly, but because he leaves all the grace and lordliness to the great Erees, who are most in want of it. And I, Omai, and King George the Fourth, have only the title of Sir, Sire, or Sirrah, which is all the same thing; because I, Omai, and the King, are good men; and as no superfluous titles could make either me, Omai, or King George better, so the want of them, as they may be more needfully disposed of, cannot make us worse. And this is the true reason why I, Omai, and the good King George, are only addressed by the title of Sir;-only the King sometimes takes the title of Majesty, or Sacred Majesty, which titles, though applicable to him as the head VOL. XII.

of the English Church, would by no means be appropriate if addressed to me, Omai. Though I, Omai, see nothing in myself that should make me think myself inferior to King Pouree, or any Duke of them all, yet I, Omai, would almost blush if any fellow-man addressed me-Sacred Majesty Omai, or as any other than a humble dependent upon the great God of Nature, of the missionaries, and of King George.

And when I, Omai, and all the great Erees, had sat down on our seats, we waited for the King; and the King was not to be hurried, so he did not come till we were all waiting. At last, however, he came; and my Lord brought him in, and walked before him to shew him the way,-for the King had never been in the Parliament Hall before, though his name is much used in all their proceedings of law. And the musicians played on their fiddle drums the 66 of prayer God save the King," only it was in music, that is, sounds, and no words; and when we sat down then was the dinner, for all was ready; but no man dared to eat before the King came. And the cook-men put it all in order on the tables, only the King's table was higher than the other tables.

And then when I, Omai, and the King were ready to begin to eat, we were stopped by the great Reverend Eree Baird, who was to say the short prayer to bless our eating. And I, Omai, knew that man,-and he is a good man, and fat; and the prayer was not long, for he knew that the King was hungry. And all the Erees began to eat, and the King and he was never so happy as with his Erees of the island of Edinburgh. And I, Omai, ate a good dinner of meat, called venison, which is Highland deer, and turks, and a fat animal bird called duke,-for an Eree Bailie gave me a leg of a duke to eat, and said it was good for me, Omai. And I, Omai, ate all that was put on my plate, I was so glad to be at a dinner eating with George Fourth; and I drank wine of Madeira, called Sherry, when I was dry, and the drink of Spruce and Ginger beers, which is good after hot meat.

And after the dinner, or Banquet, there was a second dinner, and it is called a dessert, because there is no beef meat for filling the belly; and it was composed of sweet things of the

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confectioner, and frozen ices of cream, which were good, though very cold; and apples, and all kind of fruits that could please the taste of the mouth. And I, Omai, liked this dinner better than the other, because it was so good for the mouth, and so pleasant. And only the King and the Erees, or great chiefs, eat this dessert-dinner; for it is so good, it would not do for the common people, and they know nothing about it: for their meat is porridge of oat-meal, that the horses eat, -and it is better for their work. And after this came an Eree with a basin and a towel for the King to wash his hands. And all the people and Erees looked to see the King wash his hands. And the King laughed to the man, and was pleased, for his belly was full.

Then the singing men began a song to the tune of None of us, Dominy, which I, Omai, did not understand; but they sung it for some time and then stopped. After the song, my Lord rose up, and gave for a toast the health of Our Gracious Sovereign, by which, my Lord meant the King, then sitting at his side. At this word all the company rose and drank out their measures of wine, and clapped their hands, and hurraed, and there was no bounds to their joy. And I, Omai, roared out with all my might among the Erees; and as soon as the Castle guns heard the voice of me, Omai, and heard my roaring, they all fired; but I heard the noise and I was afraid, and roared no more that evening. And because I did not roar, therefore the Castle guns did not fire any more. And the King, good man, when he saw all the people and Erees so happy about his health, and to have him among them, he stood up and left his throne seat, and spoke a speech, which though I, Omai, cannot write it down word for word, yet never will I forget, for I, Omai, felt tears coming at the affectionate and kind manner of the good King.

Then my Lord toasted more toasts; and if I, Omai, be asked what a toast is, this will I answer, that a toast is a wish or desire spoken by the mouth: and all who hear it must drink their measure of wine, or be put from the table. But I, Omai, liked to be at table with the Erees, and I always filled my measure, and drank it all down my throat, for the wine was good and the Champagne; only the Hock was

not good to the taste, for it drew the lips of me, Omai, together when drinking.

And it came to the King's turn to give a toast, and so he rose and said to the Erees, "My Lords and Gentlemen, I will give a toast." And I, Omai, and all the Erees waited to hear what it was to be; and this toast was, "The Lord Provost, Sir William Arbuthnot, Baronet, and the Corporations of Edinburgh." And there was a great noise and a loud shout at this toast, for it pleased all the chiefs; and my Lord then knelt down before the King and kissed his hand, for that he was made by this toast of the King a Baronet, and a Sir William, which, after the King has said it, every person must use in speaking to my Lord. And this is the way the King confers Baronet titles, he only speaks it, and it is done, and the man is a knight, though he were only a common man before. And nobody expected my Lord to be Sir William at this time, therefore it surprised them all; but I, Omai, was glad, for my Lord asked me, Omai, to the banquet, and he is a good man, and deserves to be a King's baronet.

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And after this the King rose again and spoke another speech, and every body waited to hear what the King was to say; and nobody breathed for fear they should not hear. And the measures of wine were all full; and the King said he would give a toast, and that toast was, 'May God Almighty for ever bless the Land of Cakes!" and all the Erees and people were mad at this toast, and clapped their hands and danced; and the King put his hand on his breast, and said, "O me!" and I, Omai, thought that the King was calling me to speak to me, Omai; and I was preparing to go before him, and had wiped my nose with the silk shawl for noses, when Sir John stopped me, and the King went away. And I, Omai, was afraid that it was me, Omai, that frightened the King away and I feared to look up. But nobody minded; and my Lord, who went with the King to see him away, he came back, and sat down, but not on the King's throne-seat.

And after the King went away, my Lord, that was now Sir William, being in the King's place, then the King's health was again drunk with the same joy as before; and then a great Eree

called Duke gave a toast, and many other toasts were given; and it was necessary for me, Omai, to drick up all the measures of wine to the toasts, for it was claret wine; and I, Omai, felt myself uplifted because of the claret wine, and ready to dance with it-it was so strong, and the music so cheering to the spirits. And a great Eree, called my Lord, he was the lord of the sailors, gave a toast, and a speech, which he spoke with his mouth; and it was about the Edinburgh Peers; so the great Duke man he rose and spoke angrily to my Lord's speech, and said he was more a People-man than a Peer-man, and did not care a snuff about it. And I, Omai, thinking I could speak as well myself, and better, rose up to speak; and I said to Sir John I would speak after the Duke man; but Sir John finding that the wine was too strong for me, Omai, and that I did not stand steadily, he and another Eree, took me out to my coach, which was Sir John's; and though I was sorry to go away, yet the coach took me, before I, Omai, had heard all the toasts of the other Erees, and the rest of the singing and music, which I, Omai, regretted, for it was pleasant. But it was not to be helped, and so I, Omai, went to bed, and that was an end of the Banquet dinner to me, Omai.

DAY ELEVENTH.

The Church.

And next day, it was the Sunday morning, I, Omai, rose to go to church. And because the King was to come to church, I, Omai, was asked to go with my Captain to see the King there at preaching. And though the King goes to church, it is not necessary for the people to put on their beautiful levee or banquet clothes, for the ministers, who are good men, do not mind it. And the church that the King goes to it is called the High Church, because it stands in the High-Street. And

a King had not gone to a church in Edinburgh island for a long time, so the people were glad to see it, for the King goes to a different church when he is in London, and great men called Bishops speak there; because there is singing with an organ, and little preaching, and it is all different. And the red soldiers with their horses were

on the street to guard the King to church, the same as in a procession, and the men with large black rulers to rule the people, called Constables; and the windows also were filled with ladies to see the King as he passed. This I, Omai, saw, and walked in the middle of the soldiers, as a great Eree, when I went to church with the Captain. But I, Omai, did not go to church by the proper door; for it is the fashion of this country, that when the King goes to church all the people must go in by the back door, only the King and his Erees going in by the front door.

And I, Omai, went up stairs to the High Church, which is the gallery, and sat in a seat behind my Lord, or Sir William, and the city Erees; and before my face were the great red men, who are Judges; and great Erees, with black clothes, were round about. And after a long sit, and all the people and the minister, who is the chief minister of the English of the island of Edinburgh, were waiting, there was a noise of steps and walking. And the people looked, and the minister and judges, thinking it was the King, and so it was. And the King went to his seat, which was in a gallery by itself, but so as I, Omai, could see the King, and the King could see me, Omai. And he was dressed as a soldier-general this day, because he is the Defender of the Faith; and he sat in a grand chair or throne covered with curtains like a bed, and all his Erees about him, and he looked very grave, and did not laugh; for the Scots English are a grave people; and for all the crowd on the street to see his Majesty come to church, and for all the soldiers, there was no hurra nor noise, for it was Sunday, and the islanders of Edinburgh work not nor play on that day, but go to church.

And the minister, that is the Moderator, Doctor is his name, read a psalm, as they do in Otaheite; and it was the hundredth psalm, for I marked it my Bible book. And the singers sung it sweetly, but not the people, only me, Omai, and the singer folk; for it is not the custom here for great Erees and Chiefs to sing praise, neither to pray, only the poor people who have need. Then there was a prayer by the minister, and more singing. and another short prayer, which was from the Bible, and then the ser