iflands in this ocean. And, that they are capable of being taught by proper
leffons and examples how to refpea the property of others, is placed out
of doubt by the exercife of thofe principles of reftitude that direfted the
honorable reiteration of the mulket and tools which they recovered from
the fea ; and this alfo affords reafonable grounds to believe, that, on their
being convinced that irregularities and frauds are not to be committed
with impunity, all the inhabitants- of thefe iflands would foon be induced
to avoid difgrace and punilhment, and fecure the advantages retelling
from the friendlhip of the more civilized world. Nothing could mam-
fell more powerfully their being already extremely confcious of this
important intereft, than the faithful difcharge of the trull repofed in them
by Mr. Puget, and the delivery of the valuables recovered out of the
water, which might have been fecreted and with-held without fear of
deteftion, and for which they were not requelled to fearch; nor was
any-reward offered to thofe who might exert themfelves to procure them.
We might poflibly be in fome meafure indebted for the good behaviour
of the natives, to the confidence that the chiefs had reafon to fuppofe
was placed in their integrity. This, when repofed in their chiefs or
refponfible perfons, I have, in former inltances, feen attended with the
moll happy effefl. ' ,
The people of the feveral nations who have vifited thele lilands,
are well known and diftinguifhed by the inhabitants. I waa extremely
well pleafed to underhand that the three refident- men, though at
p re fe r in the fervice of an American, had ufed every endeavour to
imprefs on the minds of the natives, the moll favorable opinion of the
Englifh ; and I was made very happy on being convinced of the flrong
predilefition and attachment which the young prince had conceived for
the fubjeas of Great-Britain. This prepoffeflion, if properly cherifhed,
may eventually be highly important to the Britifh traders ; for, if con-
clufions may be permitted to be drawn from the general deportment
and manners of his early years, the riper ones of this young prince
mull be attended with a very confiderable degree of confequence, m this
part of the world. This' prefumption appears the more warrantable, by
the fplendid achievements, and the example he will have had exhibited by
* Vltc
his father, who has raifed himfelf to the high ftation he at prefent fills ^Ireh.
by his perfeverance and prowefs in military exploits. ■
The predileftion of the prince was not only confpicuous in the attention
lhewn to Rowbottom and his comrades, whole perfons and property
he had made facred by their conilantly refiding with him, and by
his making them his companions in all his diverfions and amufements,
but in his having aftemed the title of King George; not foffering his
domeflics to addrefs him by any other name, and being much difpleafed
with as, as well as his countrymen, if we called him Tamoere.
Befides the different articles of traffic with which I prefented this pro-
mifing youth, were a male and female goat, and two geefe; Mr. Broughton
added a third; and we had hopes they were of different fexes. He had
likewife an ewe and a ram in moll excellent condition, left by Mr
Colnett; thefe had bred, but their progeny had been unfortunately killed
by a dog. Notwithflanding this' accident, there was every profpefct of
their future propagation and fuccefs. '
From Mr. Puget I learned, that there appeared m none of his tranfafctions
with the royal party any marks of external refpea towards them, either
from the fubordinate chiefs, or the common people. When I was
at thefe iflands with Captain Cook, proftration was very ufually ob-
ferved, and feemed then to be demanded even b y chiefs, though not of
the hio-hefl rank. On this occaften, the only circumltance whic proclaimed
the prince’s fuperior rank, was a guard confilling o f about.thirty
men, armed with iron pahooas-, who attended him and the royal per-
fonages on all excurfions, carrying thirteen mulkets made up into three
bundles, with feme cal-libalhes containing ammunition, of which it was
thought expedient we fliould be apprized previous to their viht, le t
fach formidable appearances fhould create in us ddlrull or fofprciom
During the time our party was employed on fhore, an armed man was
fcarcely ever feen ; and fueh of the natives wlio appeared fo provided,
brought their weapons for the purpofe of fale only. w , , „
-About three in the morning of the 14th, we failed with a fine-north- Wetat
erly breeze for Onehow, in order, whilftthe decks of die Chatham were
V o t . I . B b caulking,