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

This is a liberal observation in respect of Tupia, but it is liable to much objection as ageneral maxim. Besides the greater number of impracticable prejudices which attachthemselves to imperfectly cultivated minds when placed in new situations, and which oftenrender well-meant exertions unavailing, it is certain, that superior knowledge both affordsgreater aptitude of accommodation to unusual circumstances by the speedy discovery itenables the person to make of the principles on which they depend, and, at the same time,facilitates the management and direction of them when known, by the accustomed exerciseof the faculties which it implies. Mr F. seems to have imposed on himself by the gratuitoususe of figurative language. Where there is a want of intermediate links, there is certainly noconnection; but admitting that all mankind is made up of the same materials, it may be verysafely inferred, that the most civilized and best educated European carries about with himthe whole chain, betwixt the "narrow views" of the New Zealanders and his own "extendedsphere of knowledge." The physical wants of our species are the same in all regions of theglobe, and so are our passions. These are grand levellers of the proud distinctions, by whichsome of us exalt ourselves so much above others; and they have never yet been set aside oreradicated by any process which human ingenuity has contrived. Often, indeed, savagesexcel in the knowledge and dexterous attainment of the means necessary to supply andgratify them. Our judicious Shakespeare seems to have been aware of this, when he causesthe brutish Caliban to address Triaculo thus,--"I'll shew thee the best springs; I'll pluck thee berries; I'll fish for thee, and get thee woodenough," &c.Mr F. himself, as we shall soon see, has specified one link large and strong enough toanswer for a chain in holding together British sailors at least, and New Zealanders, or,indeed, any other savages, however degenerate and abominable, to the end of the chapter!--E.Nothing worthy of notice happened till the 29th, when several of the natives made us a visit, andbrought with them a quantity of fish, which they exchanged for nails, &c. One of these people I tookover to Motuara, and shewed him some potatoes planted there by Mr Fannen, master of theAdventure. There seemed to be no doubt of their succeeding; and the man was so well pleased withthem, that he, of his own accord, began to hoe the earth up about the plants. We next took him to theother gardens, and shewed him the turnips, carrots, and parsnips; roots which, together with thepotatoes, will be of more real use to them than all the other articles we had planted. It was easy togive them an idea of these roots, by comparing them with such as they knew.Two or three families of these people now took up their abode near us, employing themselves dailyin fishing, and supplying us with the fruits of their labour; the good effects of which we soon felt.For we were, by no means, such expert fishers as they are; nor were any of our methods of fishingequal to theirs.On the 2d of June, the ships being nearly ready to put to sea, I sent on shore on the east side of thesound, two goats, male and female. The former was something more than a year old; but the latterwas much older. She had two fine kids, some time before we arrived in Dusky Bay, which werekilled by cold, as hath been already mentioned. Captain Furneaux also put on shore, in CannibalCove, a boar and two breeding sows; so that we have reason to hope this country will in time bestocked with these animals, if they are not destroyed by the natives before they become wild; for,afterwards, they will be in no danger. But as the natives knew nothing of their being left behind, itmay be some time before they are discovered.In our excursion to the east, we met with the largest seal I had ever seen. It was swimming on thesurface of the water, and suffered us to come near enough to fire at it; but without effect; for, after achase of near an hour, we were obliged to leave it. By the size of this animal, it probably was a sea-