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.

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