I observed that they
could pronounce most of our words with great ease. They express their
admiration by hissing like a goose.
To judge of the country by the little water we saw of it, it must be
fertile; but I believe their fruits are not so good as those of the Society
or Friendly Isles. Their cocoa-nut trees, I am certain, are not; and their
bread-fruit and plantains did not seem much better. But their yams appeared
to be very good. We saw no other animals than those I have already
mentioned. They have not so much as a name for a dog, and consequently have
none, for which reason we left them a dog and a bitch; and there is no
doubt they will be taken care of, as they were very fond of them.[5]
After we had got to sea, we tried what effect one of the poisoned arrows
would have on a dog. Indeed we had tried it in the harbour the very first
night, but we thought the operation was too slight, as it had no effect.
The surgeon now made a deep incision in the dog's thigh, into which he laid
a large portion of the poison, just as it was scraped from the arrows, and
then bound up the wound with a bandage. For several days after we thought
the dog was not so well as it had been before, but whether this was really
so, or only suggested by imagination, I know not. He was afterwards as if
nothing had been done to him, and lived to be brought home to England.
However, I have no doubt of this stuff being of a poisonous quality, as it
could answer no other purpose. The people seemed not unacquainted with the
nature of poison, for when they brought us water on shore, they first
tasted it, and then gave us to understand we might with safety drink it.
This harbour, which is situated on the N.E. side of Mallicollo, not far
from the S.E. end, in latitude 16 deg. 25' 20" S., longitude 167 deg. 57' 23" E., I
named Port Sandwich. It lies in S.W. by S. about one league, and is one-
third of a league broad. A reef of rocks extends out a little way from each
point, but the channel is of a good breadth, and hath in it from forty to
twenty-four fathoms water. In the port, the depth of water is from twenty
to four fathoms; and it is so sheltered that no winds can disturb a ship at
anchor there. Another great advantage is, you can lie so near the shore, as
to cover your people, who may be at work upon it.
[1] Some large single rocks of coral, we are told by Mr G.F., near
fifteen feet above the surface of the water, narrow at the base, and
spreading out at the top, were observed, on standing along the reef of
this island. That gentleman, however, does not venture to assign any
cause for so curious a fact - E.
[2] "On approaching the Isle of Aurora, we observed a fine beach, and
the most luxuriant vegetation that can be conceived. The whole country
was woody; numberless climbers ran up the highest trees, and, forming
garlands and festoons between them, embellished the scene. A neat
plantation fenced with reeds, stood on the slope of the bill; and a
beautiful cascade poured down through the adjacent forest." - G.F.
[3] Or Mallicolla. Some of our people pronounced it Manicolo or
Manicola, and thus it is also writ in Quiros' Memorial, as printed by
Dalrymple, vol. ii. p. 146.
[4] The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in
Wafer's voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though
with some little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of
Darien. See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.
Mr G.F. tells us that these people increased their disagreeable
appearance, by painting their faces and breasts with a black colour. A
few of them, he says, had a small cap on the head, made of matted
work. This gentleman speaks highly of the extensive faculties and
quick apprehension of these people, low enough as they must be ranked
in the scale of personal beauty; he admits, however, that their skill
in the arts is inconsiderable, and their civilization very
imperfect. - E.
[5] "The productions of Mallicollo are less remarkable and striking at
first sight than the race of its inhabitants. To judge of their
numbers from the crowd we saw at Port Sandwich, I should conclude,
that they are far from inconsiderable; but considering the great size
of the island, I cannot suppose it to be very populous. Fifty thousand
is, I think, the greatest number we can admit, and these are not
confined to the skirts of the hills, as at Otaheite, but dispersed
over the whole extent of more than six hundred square miles. We ought
to figure their country to ourselves as one extensive forest: They
have only begun to clear and plant a few insulated spots, which are
lost in it, like small islands in the vast Pacific Ocean. Perhaps if
we could ever penetrate through the darkness which involves the
history of this nation, we might find that they have arrived in the
South Sea much later than the natives of the Friendly and Society
Isles. So much at least is certain, that they appear to be of a race
totally distinct from these. Their form, their language, and their
manners, strongly and completely mark the difference. The natives on
some parts of New Guinea and Papua, seem to correspond in many
particulars with what we have observed among the Mallicollese.
