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

which produced the wonders he records, was exactly of the same nature. Let us for a moment beallowed to carry this comparison still farther. The heroes of Homer are represented to us as men ofsupernatural size and force. The Otaheitan chiefs, compared to the common people, are so muchsuperior in stature and elegance of form, that they look like a different race. It requires a more thanordinary quantity of food to satisfy stomachs of unusual dimensions. Accordingly we find, that themighty men at the siege of Troy, and the chiefs of Otaheite, are both famous for eating, and itappears that pork was a diet no less admired by the Greeks, than it is by the Otaheitans at this day.Simplicity of manners is observable in both nations; and their domestic character is hospitable,affectionate, and humane. There is even a similarity in their political constitution. The chiefs ofdistricts at Otaheite are powerful princes, who have not more respect for Otoo than the Greek heroeshad for the "king of men;" and the common people are so little noticed in the Iliad, that they appearto have had no greater consequence, than the towtows in the South Seas. In short, I believe thesimilitude might be traced in many other instances; but it was my intention only to hint at it, and notto abuse the patience of my readers. What I have here said is sufficient to prove, that men in asimilar state of civilization resemble each other more than we are aware of, even in the mostopposite extremes of the world."--G.F.This gentleman guards against any more particular deductions from such resemblance as he has nownoticed, by adverting to the havoc made in history by the modern itch for tracing pedigrees, alludingespecially to the affinity imagined betwixt the Egyptians and Chinese. On such subjects, it is certain,human ingenuity has been fruitful of extravagancies, and there is much less risk of absurdity if weabide by merely general inferences; but, on the other hand, it must be admitted, that these are oftenspecious pretexts for avoiding the labours of enquiry, and have very rarely contributed any thing tothe stock of useful knowledge. Besides, they are often as fundamentally theoretic, as those morespecific notions which they are used to supplant, though far less operative on the minds of those whomaintain them, except indeed, in so far as a conceited indolence is concerned, of which, it is oftendifficult to say, whether they are the parent or the offspring. But at best, your transcendentalphilosophers are very like those general admirers of the fair sex, who are ready enough to paycompliments which cost them just as little as they signify, but who are too fond of themselves, tosquander away on a single individual, any portion of that affection which they think can be muchbetter bestowed elsewhere. Whereas, an attachment to some specific theory, like the ardour of a reallover, excites to active services and solicitous assiduity; and even when it does not obtain its object,is deserving of gratitude at least, and rarely fails to be rewarded by it.--E.These combatants had no superfluous dress upon them; an unnecessary piece of cloth or two, which theyhad on when they began, were presently torn off by the by-standers, and given to some of our gentlemenpresent. This being over, the fleet departed; not in any order, but as fast as they could be got afloat; and wewent with Otoo to one of his dock-yards, where the two large pahies or canoes were building, each ofwhich was an hundred and eight feet long. They were almost ready to launch, and were intended to makeone joint double pahie or canoe. The king begged of me a grappling and rope, to which I added an Englishjack and pendant (with the use of which he was well acquainted), and desired the pahie might be calledBritannia. This he very readily agreed to; and she was named accordingly. After this he gave me a hog, anda turtle of about sixty pounds weight, which was put privately into our boat; the giving it away not beingagreeable to some of the great lords about him, who were thus deprived of a feast. He likewise would havegiven me a large shark they had prisoner in a creek (some of his fins being cut off, so that he could notmake his escape), but the fine pork and fish we had got at this isle, had spoiled our palates for such food.The king, and Tee, his prime minister, accompanied us on board to dinner; and after it was over, took amost affectionate farewell. He hardly ever ceased soliciting me, this day, to return to Otaheite; and justbefore he went out of the ship, took a youth by the hand, and presented him to me, desiring I would keephim on board to go to Amsterdam to collect red feathers. I told him I could not, since I knew he wouldnever return; but that if any ship should happen to come from Britain to this isle, I would either bring or