When We Consider How Easy It Is To
Provoke The Mariner To Sport With The Lives Of Indians, From The
Numerous Examples Throughout This Narrative, We Must Acknowledge That
It Required An Uncommon Degree Of Good Temper, Not To Draw Upon
Themselves A Single Act Of Brutality.
Those philosophers who are of
opinion that the temper, the manners, and genius of a people, depend
entirely upon the climate, will be at a loss to account for the
peaceful character of the inhabitants of New Caledonia.
If we admit
that they are only strangers to distrust, because they have little to
lose, we shall not solve the difficulty; since the people of New
Holland, under the influence of a similar climate and soil, and in a
more wretched situation than the inhabitants of New Caledonia, are
savage and unsociable. The different characters of nations seem
therefore to depend upon a multitude of different causes, which have
acted together during a series of many ages. The inhabitants of New
Caledonia do not owe their kind disposition to a total ignorance of
wars and disputes; the variety of their offensive weapons being alone
sufficient to put this matter out of doubt. By conversing with them we
learnt that they have enemies, and that the people of an island called
Mingha had a very different character from their own. Civilization is
much farther advanced in some respects among them, than with their
more opulent neighbours. That higher degree of culture, however, where
the understanding is sufficiently enlightened to remove the unjust
contempt shown to the fair sex, is unknown to them; their temper is
too grave to be captivated by female blandishments, or to set a proper
value upon the refined enjoyments of life. They are obliged to work
hard, at times, for the means of subsistence; but their leisure hours
are spent in indolence, without those little recreations which
contribute so much to the happiness of mankind, and diffuse a spirit
of chearfulness and vivacity throughout the Society and Friendly
Islands. Besides a sort of whistle, made of wood, about two inches
long, and shaped like a bell, having two holes at its base and one at
the upper end, we never saw a musical instrument among the people of
New Caledonia. Their dances and songs are equally unknown to us; and
what we observed during our short stay, gave us reason to suppose,
that even laughter is an uncommon guest among them." - G.F.
SECTION X.
Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical and
Nautical Observations.
Everything being in readiness to put to sea, at sun-rise, on the 13th of
September, we weighed, and with a fine gale at E. by S., stood out for the
same channel we came in by. At half past seven we were in the middle of it.
Observatory Isle bore S. 5 deg. E., distant four miles, and the isle of Balabea
W.N.W. As soon as we were clear of the reef, we hauled the wind to the
starboard tack, with a view of plying in to the S.E.; but as Mr Gilbert was
of opinion that he had seen the end, or N.W. extremity of the land, and
that it would be easier to get round by the N.W., I gave over plying, and
bore up along the outside of the reef, steering N.N.W., N.W., and N.W. by
W., as it trended. At noon the island of Balabea bore S. by W., distant
thirteen miles; and what we judged to be the west end of the great land,
bore S.W. 1/2 S., and the direction of the reef was N.W. by W., latitude
observed 19 deg. 53' 20". Longitude from Observatory Isle 14' W. We continued
to steer N.W. by W. along the outside of the reef till three o'clock, at
which time the isle of Balabea bore S. by E. 1/2 E. In this direction we
observed a partition in the reef, which we judged to be a channel, by the
strong tide which set out of it. From this place the reef inclined to the
north for three or four leagues, and then to the N.W. We followed its
direction, and as we advanced to N.W., raised more land, which seemed to be
connected with what we had seen before; so that Mr Gilbert was mistaken,
and did not see the extremity of the coast. At five o'clock this land bore
W. by N. 1/2 N., distant twenty miles; but what we could see of the reef
trended in the direction of N.W. by N.
Having hauled the wind to the starboard tack, and spent the night plying,
on the 14th, at sun-rise, the island of Balabea bore S. 6 E., and the land
seen the preceding night W., but the reef still trended N.W., along which
we steered with a light breeze at E.S.E. At noon we observed in latitude
19 deg. 28', longitude from Observatory Isle 27' W. We had now no sight of
Balabea; and the other land, that is, the N.W. part of it, bore W. by S.
1/2 S., but we were not sure if this was one continued coast, or separate
islands. For though some partitions were seen, from space to space, which
made it look like the latter, a multitude of shoals rendered a nearer
approach to it exceedingly dangerous, if not impracticable. In the
afternoon, with a fine breeze at E.S.E., we ranged the outside of these
shoals, which we found to trend in the direction of N.W. by W., N.W. by N.,
and N.N.E. At three o'clock we passed a low sandy isle, lying on the outer
edge of the reef, in latitude 19 deg. 25', and in the direction of N.E. from
the north-westernmost land, six or seven leagues distant.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 214 of 235
Words from 217223 to 218224
of 239428
