X IV P R E F A C E.
in favour of the noveltyor ufeftilnefs of the fubjedt. Without
attempting to be curioufly elegant, I have aimed at per-
fpicuity,- and having paid the ftridteft attention to this particular,
I hope to meet with indulgence, if fome errors of
lefs moment have efcaped my notice. It was owing to the
repeated corredtions of fome valuable friends, to which I
fiibmitted my manufcript, that I fent it late to the prefs ;
but from the unexampled activity of the printer, I am
enabled to lay my work before the pubfic even fooner
than I expedted. The Chart, on which our line of circumnavigation
is delineated, has been engraved by the ableft
artift in that branch*, and I conftrudted it with the moft
minute attention from the beft authorities, which are mentioned
in its margin. After fpecifying the above particulars,
of which I thought it my duty to apprize the reader, it
only remains to difcharge a promife made in the courfe of the
work, refpedting an account of the education and equipment
of O-Mai in this country f . (See vol. I. p. 3 8p . j In the narrow
limits of a Preface I can only comprehend in a few
lines the fubftance of what might furnilh an entertaining
volume. O-Mai has been confidered either as remarkably
* Mr. W . Whitchurch, Pleafant-row, Iflington.
f T h e native o f the Society Hands brought over by captain Furneaux in the
Adventure, and vulgarly called Omiah.
flupidj
ftupid, or very intelligent, according to the different allowances
which were made by thofe who judged of his abilities.
His language, which is deftitute of every harlh confo-
nant, and where every word ends in a vowel, had fo little
exercifed his organs of fpeecb, that they were wholly unfit
to pronounce the more complicated Englilh founds ; and
this phyfical, or rather habitual defedt, has too often been
mifconftrued. Upon his arrival in England, he was immediately
introduced into genteel company, led to the moll;
fplendid entertainments of this great and luxurious metropolis,
and prefented at court amidft a brilliant circle of
the firft nobility. He naturally imitated that eafy and
elegant politenefs which is fo prevalent in all thofe places,
and which is one of-the ornaments of civilized fociety ; he
adopted the manners, the occupations, and amufements of
his companions, and gave many proofs of a quick perception
and lively fancy. Among the inftances of his intelligence,
I need only mention his knowledge of the game
of chefs, in which he had made an amazing proficiency.
The multiplicity of objedts which crouded upon him, prevented
his paying due attention to thofe particulars which
would have been beneficial to himfelf and to his countrymen
at his return. He was. not able to form a general
comprehenfive view of our whole civilized fyftem, and to
abftradl from thence what appeared moft ftrikingly ufeful
and applicable to the improvement of his country. His
fenfes