This Was By No Means Ceremonious; The Tears Which Trickled
Plentifully Down His Venerable Old Cheeks, Sufficiently Bespoke The
Language Of His Heart.
The whole ceremony being over, all his friends were
introduced to us, to whom we made presents.
Mine to the chief consisted of
the most valuable articles I had; for I regarded this man as a father. In
return he gave me a hog, and a quantity of cloth, promising that all our
wants should be supplied; and it will soon appear how well he kept his
word. At length we took leave, and returned on board; and, some time after,
Mr Pickersgill returned also with fourteen hogs. Many more were got by
exchanges on shore, and along-side the ships; besides fowls and fruit in
abundance.[1]
This good old chief made me a visit early in the morning on the 5th,
together with some of his friends, bringing me a hog and some fruit, for
which I made him a suitable return. He carried his kindness so far, as not
to fail to send me every day, for my table, the very best of ready dressed
fruit and roots, and in great plenty. Lieutenant Pickersgill being again
sent with the two boats, in search of hogs, returned in the evening with
twenty-eight; and about four times that number were purchased on shore, and
along-side the ships.
Next morning the trading party, consisting of only two or three people,
were sent on shore as usual; and, after breakfast, I went to the place
myself, when I learnt that one of the inhabitants had been very troublesome
and insolent. This man being pointed out to me, completely equipped in the
war habit, with a club in each hand, as he seemed bent on mischief, I took
these from him, broke them before his eyes, and, with some difficulty,
forced him to retire from the place. As they told me that he was a chief,
this made me the more suspicious of him, and occasioned me to send for a
guard, which till now I had thought unnecessary. About this time, Mr
Sparrman, having imprudently gone out alone botanizing, was set upon by two
men, who stripped him of every thing he had about him, except his trowsers,
and struck him several times with his own hanger, but happily did him no
harm. As soon as they had accomplished their end, they made off; after
which another of the natives brought a piece of cloth to cover him, and
conducted him to the trading place, where were a great number of the
inhabitants. The very instant Mr Sparrman appeared in the condition I have
just mentioned, they all fled with the utmost precipitation. I at first
conjectured they had stolen something; but we were soon undeceived upon Mr
Sparrman's relating the affair to us. As soon as I could recal a few of the
natives, and had made them sensible that I should take no step to injure
those who were innocent, I went to Oree to complain of this outrage, taking
with us the man who came back with Mr Sparrman, to confirm the complaint.
As soon as the chief heard the whole affair related, he wept aloud, as did
many others.
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