The Gentle Treatment The People
Of This Isle Ever Met With From Me, And The Careless And Imprudent Manner
In
Which many of our people had rambled about in the country, from a vain
opinion that firearms rendered them invincible,
Encouraged many at Huaheine
to commit acts of violence, which no man at Otaheite ever durst attempt.
During our stay here we got bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, &c. more than we could
well-consume, but not hogs enough by far to supply our daily expence; and
yet it did not appear that they were scarce in the isle. It must be
allowed, however, that the number we took away, when last here, must have
thinned them greatly, and at the same time stocked the isle with our
articles. Besides, we now wanted a proper assortment of trade; what we had
being nearly exhausted, and the few remaining red feathers being here but
of little value, when compared to the estimation they stand in at Otaheite.
This obliged me to set the smiths to work to make different sorts of iron
tools, nails, &c. in order to enable me to procure refreshments at the
other isles, and to support my credit and influence among the natives.
[1] "Her parents, from whom she had eloped to Otaheite with a favoured
lover some years ago, were still alive, and the force of affection
urged her irresistibly to visit them. She had concealed herself on
board during Otoo's last visit, as he had expressly ordered that no
woman should go with us; but being safe at present, she ventured to
make her appearance. She was dressed in a suit of clothes belonging to
one of the officers, and was so much pleased with her new garments,
that she went ashore in them as soon as she arrived at Huaheine. She
dined with the officers without the least scruple, and laughed at the
prejudices of her country-women with all the good sense of a citizen
of the world. With a proper education she might have shone as a woman
of genius even in Europe; since, without the advantage of a cultivated
understanding, her great vivacity, joined to very polite manners,
already were sufficient to make her company supportable." - G.F.
From some of this gentleman's remarks, as well as what Captain Cook
says, it appears that these islanders have pretty correct notions of
the relative duty of children and parents. - E.
[2] Mr G.F. has entered upon a pretty minute account of this strange
society, and does his best to palliate the enormities of which, there
seems no reason to doubt, its really profligate members are almost
habitually guilty. That gentleman is certainly liberal in his views of
the natives in general, and on the whole appears disposed to give more
credit to human nature than, perhaps, it will be found on the closest
inspection to deserve. Though it may be conceded to him, that criminal
individuals are not more numerous in the Society Islands, than among
other people, yet it is obvious, that the discovery of the universal
prevelancy of vice does not warrant any person to extenuate its
malignity in any particular instances where it occurs.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 313 of 461
Words from 162518 to 163052
of 239428
