■ R ■ ;v'v , E 'M A R K S o s t -h e
■3 H
•w am n é r I ^fethfelves" an inexhauftible fource o f enjoyment, becaufe bene-
-Faihions o f an incredible variety may be ‘bellowed 'upon an almofl
•infinite number o f fellow -creatures, and thus we fee the great
-principles of all rational’human beings, ought to be candour arid
HUMANiT-v-;-which Slone are capable o f giving to all their ideas.,
defirés,- and a&ions, the true direction towards real, lafting happi-
nefs, and raife their nature to that exalted dignity, .for which
-tliey were originally intended-.
T h e tropical nations o f the South-Seas confidered in this point
o f view, feem to be deficient neither in candour, nor in humanity,
■ For it is impoffible to deforibe the inquifitive .curiofity o f thefe
people relative to our country, government, religion, and the
•various arts by which our curious manufactures were carried on, i
mean fuch as fell under their eyes, ■ and .could be underftood by
-them. I was obliged to explain to them the difference'’between
our fluffs made o f wool, filk, cottön, and linen;-' by telling
■ them the firft was made o f the hair o f a hog with'teeth on -the
forehead, (for thus they- called our fheep when they firft faw.themj
the fecónd, I explained to be the thread Of a-caterpillar; the
third, I fhewed to be a ipeeies -of their cotton'called E-Favdi
or;GoJJypiumreligiofilm, Linn, which is found in their files, and the
laft I obferved to be a kind of thread of a plant or grafs •; and they
■ were all very attentive-when I ufed to draw and twill fome threads of
2 their
H U M A N S P E C I E S. 3 * S
their cotton, in order to Ihew them the poflibility o f uiing it for m a n n e r s ;
that purpofe. Th e y Were likewife very attentive while our
armourer was forming hatchets on the anvil, or the carpenters
grinding their tools; for which reafon, Captain Cook gave them
fome grinding Hones, and took care that they Ibould be inftrufted in
the proper ufe o f thefe inftruments. We were often obliged to explain
to them our belief in the divinity; they uled to alk how we
called him in the Britilh language, and endeavoured to pronounce the
name o f G o d ' ; they were all attention, when according to their
defire God was explained to be without a maker, invilible, almighty,
and infinitely good ; . they enquired whether we addreffed him in
prayer, and whether we had priefts and marais, i. e. places of
worlhip, ferving at the fame time for burying places. A ll which,
proves their, inquifitive mind, and that they endeavour to acquire
as . many ideas as lye in their power. Nor were they deftitute of
knowledge and a fyftem o f ufeful ideas, preferved among the wife
men o f the nation ; I include in this flock o f ideas, their fkill in
cultivating certain plants for food and drefs, and the choice of a
proper foil for each o f them, the various operations in preparing
them for the various purpofes required ; the curious, and often very
neat dreffes, utenfils, arms, and ornaments manufactured by them,
with the fimpleft,tools; their knowledge of the birds, fifties, and
jilants in their iflands and their neighbourhood ; their acquaintance
D d d with