The Mountains In The South Arose
To A Vast Height, And Were Capt With Snow; And The Whole Prospect On
That Side Was Wild And Chaotic." - G.F.
[5] "Our sailors carried on their former amours with the women,
amongst whom there was but one who had tolerable features, and
something soft and humane in her looks.
She was regularly given in
marriage by her parents to one of our ship-mates, who was particularly
beloved by this nation, for devoting much of his time to them, and
treating them with those marks of affection, which, even among a
savage race, endear mankind to one another. Togheeree, for so the girl
was called, proved as faithful to her husband as if he had been a New
Zealander, and constantly rejected the addresses of other seamen,
professing herself a married woman, (tirratane.) Whatever attachment
the Englishman had to his New Zealand wife, he never attempted to take
her on board, foreseeing that it would be highly inconvenient to lodge
the numerous retinue which crowded in her garments, and weighed down
the hair of her head. He, therefore, visited her on shore, and only
day by day, treating her with plenty of the rotten part of our
biscuit, which we rejected, But which she and all her countrymen
eagerly devoured." - G.F.
[6] "They were more dressed than we had commonly seen any, during this
second stay, at Queen Charlotte's Sound; their hair was tied up, and
their cheeks painted red. All these circumstances conspired to confirm
the account which the women had given us the day before, that their
husbands were gone to fight, as it is usual for them to put on their
best apparel on those occasions. I am much afraid that their unhappy
differences with other tribes, were revived on our account. Our
people, not satisfied with purchasing all the hatchets of stone, &c.
&c. of which the natives of our acquaintance were possessed,
continually enquired for more, and shewed them such large and valuable
pieces of Otaheite cloth, as would not fail to excite their desires.
It is not improbable, that as soon as this appetite prevailed among
the New Zealanders, they would reflect that the shortest way to
gratify it, would be to rob their neighbours of such goods, as the
Europeans coveted. The great store of arms, ornaments, and clothes,
which they produced at this time, seemed to prove, that such a daring
and villainous design had really been put in execution; nor was it to
be supposed that this could have been accomplished without
bloodshed." - G.F.
[7] An instance of the ferocity of manners of this savage nation, was
presented this day. A boy, about six or seven years old, demanded a
piece of broiled penguin, which his mother held in her hands. As she
did not immediately comply with his demand, he took up a large stone
and threw it at her. The woman, incensed at this action, ran to punish
him, but she had scarcely given him a single blow, when her husband
came forward, beat her unmercifully, and dashed her against the
ground, for attempting to correct her unnatural child. Our people, who
were employed in filling water, told my father they had frequently
seen similar instances of cruelty among them, and particularly, that
the boys had actually struck their unhappy mother, whilst the father
looked on lest she should attempt to retaliate. Among all savage
nations the weaker sex is ill-treated, and the law of the strongest is
put in force. Their women are mere drudges, who prepare raiment and
provide dwellings, who cook and frequently collect their food, and are
requited by blows, and all kinds of severity. At New Zealand, it seems
they carry this tyranny to excess, and the males are taught, from
their earliest age, to hold their mothers in contempt, contrary to all
our principles of morality." - G.F.
Mr Forster immediately goes on to relate the remainder of this day's
occurrences, so painfully pregnant in discoveries relative to this
savage people. The reader, it is believed, will think the account in
the text abundantly minute, without any addition. What a fine specimen
to prove the accuracy of Rousseau's delineation of our species, in its
uncontaminated state! - E.
[8] Mr G. Forster informs us, that Mr Pickersgill purchased the head
from the savages for a nail, and that it was afterwards deposited in
the collection of Mr John Hunter. He adds, that some of these people
expressed an ardent desire of repossessing it, signifying, by the most
intelligible gestures, that it was delicious to the taste. This
strongly corroborates what Captain Cook afterwards states, of their
really relishing such kind of food. - E.
[9] This distressing subject has, perhaps, already too much engrossed
the reader's attention and feelings; and, unfortunately, it must again
be brought before him, when we treat of the third voyage of Cook. He
might think then, that at present, he ought to be spared farther
comment on what is so odious; but neither the apprehension, nor the
experience of the unpleasant impressions it produces, is sufficient
reason for declining the consideration of the atrocities of which
human nature is capable. Self-conceit, indeed, may be mortified at the
unavoidable thought of identity of species, which it may seek many
imaginary devices to conceal; and feverish sensibility may be wrought
up to indignant discontent, at the power which placed it amid such
profligacy. But the humble philosopher, on the other hand, will
investigate the causes, without ceasing to deplore the effects, and
will rejoice in the belief, that there are any means by which mankind
may be redeemed from the condemnation which his judgment cannot fail
to award. To him, accordingly, the following observations of Mr G.
Forster are addressed, as preparatory to the farther consideration of
the subject, in which he will afterwards be engaged. "Philosophers,
who have only contemplated mankind in their closets, have strenuously
maintained, that all the assertions of authors, ancient and modern, of
the existence of men-eaters, are not to be credited; and there have
not been wanting persons amongst ourselves who were sceptical enough
to refuse belief to the concurrent testimonies, in the history of
almost all nations, in this particular.
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