A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

Towha, who, notwithstanding his illness, had resolved to see me before I sailed; and had got thus far on hisjourney. He was afflicted with a swelling in his feet and legs, which had entirely taken away the use ofthem. As the day was far spent, we were obliged to shorten our stay; and after seeing Otoo, we returnedwith Oedidee on board.This youth, I found, was desirous of remaining at this isle, having before told him, as likewise many others,that we should not return. I now mentioned to him, that he was at liberty to remain here; or to quit us atUlietea; or to go with us to England; frankly owning that if he chose the latter, it was very probable hewould never return to his country; in which case I would take care of him, and he must afterwards lookupon me as his father. He threw his arms about me, and wept much, saying many people persuaded him toremain at Otaheite. I told him to go ashore and speak to his friends, and then come to me in the morning.He was well beloved in the ship; so that every one was persuading him to go with us; telling what greatthings he would see in England, and the immense riches (according to his idea of riches) he would returnwith. But I thought proper to undeceive him, as knowing that the only inducement to his going, was theexpectation of returning, and I could see no prospect of an opportunity of that kind happening, unless aship should be expressly sent out for that purpose; which neither I, nor anyone else, had a right to expect. Ithought it an act of the highest injustice to take a person from these isles, under any promise which was notin my power to perform. At this time indeed it was quite unnecessary; for many youths voluntarily offeredthemselves to go, and even to remain and die in Pretanee; as they call our country. Otoo importuned memuch to take one or two to collect red feathers for him at Amsterdam, willing to risk the chance of theirreturning. Some of the gentlemen on board were likewise desirous of taking some as servants; but I refusedevery solicitation of this kind, knowing, from experience, they would be of no use to us in the course of thevoyage; and farther my views were not extended. What had the greatest weight with me was, the thinkingmyself bound to see they were afterwards properly taken care of, as they could not be carried from theirnative spot without consent.Next morning early, Oedidee came on board, with a resolution to remain on the island; but Mr Forsterprevailed upon him to go with us to Ulietea. Soon after, Towha, Potatou, Oamo, Happi, Oberea, andseveral more of our friends, came on board with fruit, &c. Towha was hoisted in and placed on a chair onthe quarter-deck; his wife was with him. Amongst the various articles which I gave this chief, was anEnglish pendant, which pleased him more than all the rest, especially after he had been instructed in theuse of it.[1][1] "The good old admiral was so ill that he could not stand on his legs; he was very desirous,however, to come upon deck; we therefore slung a chair on ropes, and hoisted him up in it, to hisgreat delight, and to the astonishment of all his countrymen. Notwithstanding his illness, he told ushe was determined to command the expedition against Eimea, saying it was of little consequence ifthey killed an old man, who could no longer be useful. He was very cheerful under his infirmities,and his way of thinking was nobly disinterested, and seemed to be animated by true heroism. Hetook leave of us with a degree of cordiality and emotion, which touched the heart, and might havereconciled a misanthrope to the world."--G.F.Who does not see in this noble veteran the radical principles which characterize a British tar? Thereneeds indeed, but a little of the Roman or Grecian painting, to render him a fit stage-companion foralmost any of the ancient heroes; and who can tell, but that in some distant æra, when the Otaheitanlanguage shall be read and classical, the drivelling pedants of the south will blazon his fame, as wenow do that of his elder fraternity? G.F. had his eye directed to such a kind of comparison betwixtGreeks and Otaheitans, in a passage which the reader will find in the next note, and which is a fairspecimen of that gentleman's lively and entertaining style.--E.