When all had become quiet the king and myself, accompanied by his life guard and servants, went to a pond of fresh water to bathe. When the king leaves his palace he is always accompanied by his guard who goes ahead to inform all whom they may meet of his approach, as all are required to bow down until he has passed. They pay great respect to the king, whom they reverence as a superior being guarded by the spirits of his forefathers. This they are caught by the priests, called Umbaty, whom the king always consults before undertaking a voyage or any enterprise. The old priest (for they are always very old) commences shaking himself until every part of his body is in motion, pretending meanwhile to be talking to the spirits. He then takes a stalk with two or three coconuts on it brought to him by the king and beats it on the mats. If the fruit comes off easily it is a good omen, but if not the king postpones his undertaking till a more favorable time. After the Umbaty gets through with his ceremony he takes a drink of sea water which stops his shaking and drives the spirits out of the house. While I was on this island we were visited by a party of chiefs from Ambow, bringing with them six or seven Manila men--mutineers from a Manila brig. They had killed the captain and officers and given themselves up to the natives at Ambow. I inquired if there were any Europeans in the brig. They told me there were three. One came from the Ladrone Islands and left the vessel before the mutiny. The others acted as interpreters for the captain and came near sharing his fate, but were protected by some of the crew who were not so bad as the ringleaders. During their stay the king kept me close by him for fear they would entice me away. I was very anxious to go, but the king told me he was going to Ambow in a few days and I should go with him. The visitors came to invite us to go to a great feast which was preparing at Ambow, and in a few days they returned home in their canoes.