d intoxicating liquors, you are not to buy
them, and are to give notice at once to the Queen's officers, so that
such men may be punished. Always keep in your minds that the Queen
guards and watches over you, looks upon you as her children, and will
not allow anyone to harm you, and will soon send her trusted officers to
carry out her gracious intentions in the establishment of this
Protectorate."

At the Commodore's request Mr. Lawes read a translation of this address
in the Motu language, the chiefs listening attentively: then calling the
chief, Boe Vagi, forward, Commodore Erskine shook hands with him, and
introduced him to Mr. Romilly; and the Commodore's intimation of the
appointment of a High Commissioner for New Guinea and his explanation of
Mr. Romilly's position, were interpreted to the chiefs by Mr. Lawes.
This was followed by the appointment of Boe Vagi as head chief of the
Motu tribe. To make his appointment more distinct, he was presented
with an emblem of authority in the form of an ebony stick with a florin
let in at the top, the Queen's head being uppermost, and encircled by a
band of silver. Handing to Boe Vagi this stick, the Commodore said: "I
present him with this stick, which is to be an emblem to him of his
authority; and all the tribes who are represented by the chiefs here are
to look to the holder of this stick, Boe Vagi. This stick represents the
Queen's head, the Queen of England; and if at any time any of the people
of these tribes have any grievance or anything to say, they are, through
this man, the holder of this stick, Boe Vagi, to make it known to the
Queen's officers, in order that it may be inquired into. This stick is
to be the symbol of his authority, and all the tribes are to have
communication through him with the Queen's officer."

Directed then to descend to the main deck the chiefs walked one after
another into the Commodore's cabin, where each received a present
consisting of a tomahawk, a butcher's knife, a coloured shirt, or a
piece of coloured cloth, and some figs of twist tobacco. It was a
curious sight to see these chiefs, some of them very old men, but others
young, erect and muscular, filing in at one door, and after shaking
hands with the Commodore and receiving a present, leaving by the other;
and it was very amusing to notice how startled some of them were at
suddenly discovering themselves in a large pier-glass, which they had to
pass before leaving the cabin. The C