- 1792«
. January.
1 »
rived ; whilft the queftions he alked in return, did not tend to the acqui-
fition of ufeful knowledge. His conduct and deportment on the prefent
occafion, were extremely different ; and, when compared with that of
his affociates, were marked with an evident fuperiority, expreflive of
the exalted fituation he filled; and indicated that he poffeffed a juft knowledge
o f himfelf, and an open, generous, and feeling heart. In con-
verfation, there were few from whom better information could be acquired
; nor was he now deficient in direfiling his obfervations and enquiries
to ufeful and" important objects. For this purpofe only, he
would remain whole days in our working tents, obferving with the
ftrifiieft attention the different tranfaHions going forward ; and. frequently
interrupting the mechanics, to require explanations of their fe-
veral operations. The whole tenor—o f his behaviour towards us was
fo uniformly correfif and meritorious, that, on his taking leave, I could
not refill making him, and his wives, fuch acknowledgments in ufeful
articles, as he conceived they could have no polliblc claim to ; and fuf-
pefting I was about to make fome addition, he caught my arm, expreffed
how highly repaid and gratified they were with what they had received,
and obferved, as I was going to vifit many other countries where fuch
things would be equally valuable; I ought to be careful and cecono-
mical.
H o w fa r th e fe d i fin te r e fte d fe n t im en t s h a d a f ilu a te d th e c o n d u f il o f th e
r o y a l p a r t y in a l l th e i r fo rm e r Iran faC tio r is , is n o t e a fy t o a f c e r ta im ; b u t
c e r ta in i t is , th e y t o o k g r e a t p a in s t o k e e p u p th e v a lu e o f o u r c om m o d
i t ie s , a n d , b y th e i r o w n e x am p le , e f ta b li lh e d th e p r i c e o f th r e e la r g e
h o g s , w e ig h in g f r om a n h u n d r e d t o a n h u n d r e d a n d f i f t y a n d tw o h u n d
r e d p o u n d s e a c h , a t a n a x e ; u n d e r w h ic h th e y d e f i r e d w e w o u ld n o t
p a r t w i th o u r a x e s ; a n d w o u ld f r e q u e n t l y a dm o n ifh u s , w h e n th e y c o n -
f id e r e d w e w e r e a b o u t t o p a y e x t r a v a g a n t ly f o r o u r p u r c h a fe s . I n o u r
t r a f f ic , a x e s w e r e th e m o f t v a l u a b l e ; n e x t t o th e fe , r e d c lo th , a n d a ll
k in d s o f E u r o p e a n l in e n ; file s , k n iv e s , a n d f i lh in g h o o k s , w e r e in g r e a t .
r e q u e f t ; as w e r e f c if fa r s a n d lo o k in g - g la f f e s by th e lad ie s ; n a ils w e r e o f
l i t t le v a lu e , a n d fu c h th in g s a s w e r e o n l y o f a n o rn am e n ta l n a tu r e w e r e
a c c e p te d
accepted with indifference, red feathers excepted, which I believe would
ftill find a ready market. '-----r— >
So important are the various European implements, and other commodities,
now become to the happinefs and comfort of thefe iflanders,
that I cannot avoid reflefiling with Captain Cook on the very deplorable
condition to which thefe good people on a certainty muff be reduced,
Ihould their communication with Europeans be ever at an end. The
knowledge they have now acquired of the fuperiority and the fupply
with which they have been furnilhed of more ufeful implements, have
rendered thefe, and other European commodities, not only effentially
neceffary to their common comforts, but have made them regardlefs of
their former tools and manufactures, which are now growing faff out of
ufe, and, I may add, equally out of remembrance. O f this we had convincing
proof in the few of their bone, or ftone tools, or utenfils, that
were feen among!! them; thole offered for fale were of rude workman-
{hip, and of an inferior kind, folely intended for our market, to be
purchafed by way of curiofity. I am likewife well convinced, that, by a
very fmall addition to their prefent Rock of European cloth, the culture
of their cloth-plant, which now feems much neglefted, will be intirely
difregarded, and they will rely upon the precarious fupply which may
be obtained from accidental vifitors, for this and many others of the moft
important requifites of focial life.
Under thefe painful confiderations, it manifeftly appears that Europeans
are bound by all the laws of humanity, regularly to furnilh thofe
wants which they alone have created; and to afford the inhabitants from
time to time fupplies of fuch important ufeful articles as have been already
introduced, and which having excluded their own native manu-
fafilures, are, in moft refpefts, become indifpenfably neceffary to their
whole ceconomy of life ; in return for which a valuable confideration
would be received in provifions and refrelhments, highly beneficial to
the traders who may vifit the pacific ocean.
The various manufaclures in iron and in cloth have become fo eflenti-
ally requifite to their common concerns, that inllead of thefe commodities
being reduced in their value by the frequent vifits of Europeans, or theif
V o l . I. U fupplies