It Is Hard To Say How They
Would Act, Were One To Destroy Any Of These Things.
Except the detaining
some of their canoes for a while, I never touched the least article of
their property.
Of the two extremes I always chose that which appeared the
most equitable and mild. A trifling present to the chief always succeeded
to my wish, and very often put things upon a better footing than they had
been before. That they were the first aggressors had very little influence
on my conduct in this respect, because no difference happened but when it
was so. My people very rarely or never broke through the rules I thought it
necessary to prescribe. Had I observed a different conduct, I must have
been a loser by it in the end; and all I could expect, after destroying
some part of their property, would have been the empty honour of obliging
them to make the first overture towards an accommodation. But who knows if
this would have been the event? Three things made them our fast friends.
Their own good-nature and benevolent disposition; gentle treatment on our
part; and the dread of our fire-arms. By our ceasing to observe the second;
the first would have worn out of course; and the too frequent use of the
latter would have excited a spirit of revenge, and perhaps have taught them
that fire-arms were not such terrible things as they had imagined. They
were very sensible of the superiority of their numbers; and no one knows
what an enraged multitude might do.
[1] "Towha paid more attention to the multitude of new objects on
board, to the strength and size of the timbers, masts, and ropes, than
any Otaheitean we had ever seen, and found our tackle so exceedingly
superior to that which is usual in his country, that he expressed a
wish to possess several articles, especially cables and anchors. He
was now dressed like the rest of the people, and naked to the waist,
being in the king's presence. His appearance was so much altered from
what it had been the day before, that I had some difficulty to
recollect him. He appeared now very lusty, and had a most portly
paunch, which it was impossible to discern under the long spacious
robes of war. His hair was of a fine silvery grey; and his countenance
was the most engaging and truly good-natured which I ever beheld in
these islands. The king and he staid and dined with us this day,
eating with a very hearty appetite of all that was set before them.
Otoo had entirely lost his uneasy, distrustful air; he seemed to be at
home, and took a great pleasure in instructing Towha in our manners.
He taught him to make use of the knife and fork, to eat salt to his
meat, and to drink wine. He himself did not refuse to drink a glass of
this generous liquor, and joked with Towha upon its red colour,
telling him it was blood.
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