SjCNttr bring forth all his fuperfluous wealth, on the arrival of European com-
.._; modities in the market.
At Whyteete, I had occafion to obferve that, although the town was
extenlive, and the houfes numerous, yet they were thinly inhabited, and
many appeared to be intirely abandoned. The village of Whymea is
reduced at leaft two-thirds of its fize, fince the years 1778 and 17yg.
In thofe places where, on my former vifits, the houfes were mod numerous,
was now a clear fpace, occupied by grafs and weeds, That external
wars and internal commotions had been the caufe of this devaftati-
on, was further confirmed by the refult o f my inquiries off Owhyhee,
when it did not appear that any of the chiefs, with whom I had been
formerly acquainted, excepting Tajaaak-maaha, was then living; nor
did we underhand, that many had died a natural death, moft o f them
having been killed in thefe deplorable cootefts. ;
The fhort time we remained amongft thefe people, did not allow of
my obtaining the fatisfadlpry information I fought, and which was fo
very defirable on this, as well as on other important topics. This has
induced me to referye the fubjeft matter I had collefted, until I lhould
have an opportunity of going into a more correfl inveftigation: for the
prefent, therefore, I lhall take leave of the Sandwich iflands, by hating the
advantages which the Americans promife themfelves by the commercial
interefts they are endeavouring to eftablilh in thefe feas.
Previoufly to the departure of Rowhottom and Williams, they informed
me, that their captain had conceived that a valuable branch of commerce
Blight be created, by the importation of the fandal-wood of this country
into India, where it fells at an exorbitant price; that, in the. fur trade,
ipimenfe profits had been gained, infomuch that it was expedled not
left than twenty vehe-ls would, on thefe purfuits, fall with their captain
(Kendrick) frojm New England, and that they were defired to
engage the natives to provide feveral cargoes of this wood, which
is eafily procured, 'asj the mountains of Attow^i as, well as. thofe of
Owhyhee, abound with the trees from which it is produced; though we
were not able to procure aqy.oE their leaves, to determine its particular
c-Ials or fpecies. The wood feemed but flightly to anfwer the delcription
given
given o f the yellow fandal wood of India, which is there a very valuable jJISj.
commodity, and is fold by weight. '------ *
The pearls I faw were but few, and confifted of three forts, the white,
yellow, and lead colour. The white were very indifferent, being fmall,
irregular in lhape, and polfeffing little beauty; the yellow, and thofe of
a lead-colour, were better formed, and, in point of appearance, o f fu-
perior quality. Mr. Kendrick mull, undoubtedly, flatter himfelf with
great emoluments from thefe branches of commerce, or he would not
thus have retained three men in conftant pay for fuch a confiderable
length of time, with a promife of further reward if they conducted
themfelves with fidelity towards his intereft. This proceeding, however,
appears to have been the effeft of a fudden thought, as it was not until his
brig was weighing anchor at Onehow that he came to this determination,
and landed the three men; who, in eonfequence of fuch fhort notice,
had no means of equipping themfelves, and were left almoft deflitute
of apparel. The few-clothes they had were nearly worn out ; thefe I
replaced with a fufficient flock to ferve them fome 'time ; and, to add as
much as poffible to their comforts in their prefent fituation, and to make
them refpeftable in the eyes of the people with whom they were yet
to remain for feveral months, they received fuch tools and articles of
traffic as would belt anfwer their purpofe, and fome books, pens, ink,
and paper, for their amufement, with an affortment of garden feeds,
and fome orange and lemon plants that were in a very flouriffimg Hate.
To the care of Rowbottom, who feemed the moft qualified, I m-
trailed a letter of inftruaions to the commanding officer o f the ftore-
lhip, whofe arrival we daily expefted; as alfo one to the Lords of the
Admiralty, acquainting them with the time we had quitted thefe iflands,
the ftate and condition o f the veffels, and health of their crews, the
route I had taken to this ftation, and the difeovenes we had made.
Kendall's chronometer, agreeably to its error and rate of gomg^as
afcertained at Otaheite, agreed fo well on our arrival at Owhyhee that
I was not at all folicitous for any further inveftigation. Our obferva-
tions; in Whymea road made its latitude z i° '5j 'b and lts longitude, by
the chronometer, 200° 18'15", varying 5' 15" to the eaftward of Captain
Cook s,
r