After That The Others Behaved With More Discretion; And
As Soon As Our People Embarked They All Retired.
While we were sitting at
dinner an old man came on board, looked into many parts of the ship, and
then went ashore again.
In the afternoon, only a few of those who lived in the neighbourhood, with
whom we were now upon a tolerable footing, made their appearance at the
watering-place. Paowang brought us an axe which had been left by our
people, either in the woods or on the beach, and found by some of the
natives. A few other articles were afterwards returned to us, which either
they had stolen, or we had lost by our negligence, so careful were they now
not to offend us in this respect.
Early the next morning, I sent the launch, protected by a party of marines
in another boat, to take in ballast, which was wanted. This work was done
before breakfast; and after it, she was sent for wood and water, and with
her the people employed in this service, under the protection of a
serjeant's guard, which was now thought sufficient, as the natives seemed
to be pretty well reconciled to us. I was told, that they asked our people
to go home with them, on condition they stripped naked as they were. This
shews that they had no design to rob them, whatever other they might
have.[2]
On the 9th, I sent the launch for more ballast, and the guard and wooders
to the usual place. With these I went myself, and found a good many of the
natives collected together, whose behaviour, though armed, was courteous
and obliging; so that there was no longer any occasion to mark out the
limits by a line; they observed them without this precaution. As it was
necessary for Mr Wales's instruments to remain on shore all the middle of
the day, the guard did not return to dinner, as they had done before, till
relieved by others. When I came off, I prevailed on a young man, whose name
was Wha-a-gou, to accompany me. Before dinner I shewed him every part of
the ship; but did not observe that any thing fixed his attention a moment,
or caused in him the least surprise. He had no knowledge of goats, dogs, or
cats, calling them all hogs (Booga or Boogas). I made him a
present of a dog and a bitch, as he shewed a liking to that kind of animal.
Soon after he came on board, some of his friends followed in a canoe, and
enquired for him, probably doubtful of his safety. He looked out of the
quarter gallery, and having spoken to them, they went ashore, and quickly
returned with a cock, a little sugar-cane, and a few cocoa-nuts, as a
present to me. Though he sat down with us, he did but just taste our salt
pork, but eat pretty heartily of yam, and drank a glass of wine. After
dinner I made him presents, and then conducted him, ashore.[3]
As soon as we landed, the youth and some of his friends took me by the
hand, with a view, as I understood, to conduct me to their habitations. We
had not gone far, before some of them, for what reason I know not, were
unwilling I should proceed; in consequence of which the whole company
stopped; and, if I was not mistaken, a person was dispatched for something
or other to give me; for I was desired to sit down and wait, which I
accordingly did. During this interval, several of our gentlemen passed us,
at which they shewed great uneasiness, and importuned me so much to order
them back, that I was at last obliged to comply. They were jealous of our
going up the country, or even along the shore of the harbour. While I was
waiting here, our friend Paowang came with a present of fruit and roots,
carried by about twenty men; in order, as I supposed, to make it appear the
greater. One had a small bunch of plantains, another a yam, a third a
cocoa-nut, &c.; but two men might have carried the whole with ease. This
present was in return for something I had given him in the morning;
however, I thought the least I could do now, was to pay the porters.
After I had dispatched Paowang, I returned to Wha-a-gou and his friends,
who were still for detaining me. They seemed to wait with great impatience
for something, and to be unwilling and ashamed to take away the two dogs,
without making me a return. As night was approaching, I pressed to be gone;
with which they complied, and so we parted.
The preceding day, Mr Forster learnt from the people the proper name of the
island, which they call Tanna; and this day I learnt from them the names of
those in the neighbourhood. The one we touched at last is called Erromango;
the small isle, which we discovered the morning we landed here, Immer; the
Table island to the east, discovered at the same time, Erronan or Footoona;
and an island which lies to the S.E. Annattom. All these islands are to be
seen from Tanna.
They gave us to understand, in a manner which I thought admitted of no
doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision was practised among
them. They began the subject of eating human flesh, of their own accord, by
asking us if we did; otherwise I should never have thought of asking them
such a question. I have heard people argue, that no nation could be
cannibals, if they had other flesh to eat, or did not want food; thus
deriving the custom from necessity. The people of this island can be under
no such necessity; they have fine pork and fowls, and plenty of roots and
fruits.
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