p r o g r e s s d e f l i t u t e o f a l l c o n v e n i e n c e o r e a f e , i h e w e d n o f i g n s o f j o y o r h a p p i -
OF S A V
A G E S . n e f s , a n d f e em e d t o b e i n f e n f i b l e t o a l l n a t u r a l , m o r a l , o r f o c i a l
feelings, and enjoyments, and occupied with nothing but their
wants and wretchednefs. This little tribe, obferved by us, I fup-
pofe to be fome outcafts o f their brethren; for our officers, who
landed in Succefs-Bay, reported, that the people there were much
. happier than thofe in Chriftmas-Harbour. I f we again compare
them with their neighbouring tribes on the continent, fuch as
they are defcribed by Mr. Thomas Falknery who refided near 40'
years among them, we mull confefs, that thofe are in every re-
Ipedt fuperior; they have horfes, and a greater variety o f food,
fupplying themfelves by the chace ; their garments are better calculated
to defend them againft the injuries of the climate ; their
arms both oifenfive and defenlive, prove genius and an exertion o f
mind, o f which the poor inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego feem
utterly incapable; they have a kind o f ciyil government, fome regulations
for the fecurity o f their focieties ; leaders and chiefs are
at the head o f their tribes in war, and in peace. Their behaviour
is by no means inequitable, harfh, or inhumane; their minds Ihew
vigour and courage, their language is copious, elegant, and has
marks o f a peculiar culture. In fhort they are infinitely lefs
wretched than their neighbours on Tierra del Fuego, who, to all
appearance, are only degenerated into that forlorn condition in<
which we found them funk. D usky
D usky Ba y is the Southernmoft place on New-Zeeland,
we touched at; the latitude o f the place where the aftronomers
obfervatory was fixed, being 450 47' South. W e found this
bay, which has feveral leagues of extent branching outinto fpacious
inlets, Hocked with many kinds o f fowl, crowded with prodigious
quantities o f the heft, flavoured fiih, and its rocks covered with
numerous herds of feals; all which abundance would naturally
invite people, who folely fubfift’Upon fiih and fowl; to lettle here,
and to become very numerous. But we found only three families
in all this bay : their habitations confifted o f a few flicks ftuck
into the ground, and meanly covered with flags and rulhes : they
had no idea o f cultivating or planting; their garments were fuch
as covered the upper part o f the body, and left the legs and part
o f the thighs expofed, and they fquatted down to Ihelter them
under their clothes, which commonly were remarkably uncleanly ;
and the families fettled here, feemed to be independent of each
other. When we came to Queen C harlotte s Sound, we
found on the fliores of that equally fpacious water, four or five
hundred people, and fome of them paid deference to feveral old
men, as ‘Tringoboohee, Goobciya, and .‘Teiratoo, who were it fee ms
their chiefs. Fifli were in this place equally abundant,but of a fort inferior
in tafte and goodnefs; wild fowl, efpecially o f the aquatic
kind, werefcarcer, and we faw but one feal, though our two Ihips
'P p 2 . refided
•ROGRE S S
OF S A V
A G E S ,