A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18)

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[Footnote 152: "I would add," says Mr Stewart, in his Elements of the
Phil, of Hum. Mind, p. 154, 2d ed., "I would add to Cook's very
judicious remarks, that the mistake of these islanders probably did not
arise from their considering a sheep or a goat as bearing a more
striking resemblance to a bird, than to the two classes of quadrupeds
with which they were acquainted; but to the want of a generic word, such
as _quadruped_, comprehending these two species; which men in their
situation would no more be led to form, than a person, who had only seen
one individual of each species, would think of an appellation to express
both, instead of applying a proper name to each. In consequence of the
variety of birds, it appears that they had a generic name comprehending
all of them, to which it was not unnatural for them to refer any new
animal they met with."--This solution is very specious, but when
narrowly examined, will be found to rest on two suppositions not
altogether borne out by evidence, and also to be liable to yield a
conclusion not readily reconcileable with all the circumstances of the
case. In the first place, it is not proved that these islanders had no
generic word to comprehend the two species of quadrupeds with which they
were acquainted; and the reason given for their want of it, which, after
all, is merely a probable one, cannot be allowed much force. Its
weakness will appear from the consideration, that men in their
situation, having certainly an idea of number, must, according to Mr
S.'s own principles stated in the next page, have possessed the power of
attending separately to the things which their senses had presented to
them in a state of union, and have found it necessary to apply to all
of them one common name, or, in other words, "to have reduced them all
to the same genus." It is requisite, therefore, for the validity of Mr
S.'s reason, to shew that these islanders either were not able to
distinguish betwixt their hogs and dogs, or had never numbered them
together, which it is quite impossible to credit. Even the case of the
person who had seen only one individual of each species, which Mr S.
conceives similar to that we are considering, may be argued against in
the same manner, and besides this, will be found not analogous. The
reason is plain. He may or may not have been able, from a solitary
observation, to infer that the distinction he noticed betwixt them was a
radical difference, or, in the language of the schoolmen, was essential:
Whereas the islanders, from the constancy of the differences they
observed, must have been necessitated to form a classification of the
objects, the result of which would be, the use of one term for the
common properties or the resemblance, and two words for the comprehended
individuals. In the second place, it cannot otherwise be made appear,
that these islanders had a generic name comprehending the variety of
birds with which they were acquainted, than on such principles of
reasoning as we have now been considering, the proper inference from
which, as we have seen, is destructive of the foundation of Mr S.'s
solution. Here, it may be remarked, it is somewhat unfortunate that we
cannot depend implicitly on Captain Cook's account as to the words in
which the islanders conveyed the notions we have been commenting on;
because, as the reader will find at the end of this section, these
people, who, whatever rank they may be allowed to hold as logicians,
were at all events very dexterous thieves, stole the memorandum book in
which Mr Anderson had recorded a specimen of their language. But
admitting Mr S.'s suppositions, it then may be shewn, that not only the
sheep and the goats, but also the horses and cows, considered, in the
words of Mr S., as _new animals_, would have been referred by these
islanders to the same genus, and therefore considered as birds. The
circumstance of their greater size, or, indeed, any other discernible
difference, cannot here be pleaded as exceptive, without in reality
abandoning the principles on which the solution is constructed. On the
whole, perhaps, it may seem more correct to imagine, that these
islanders were struck with some fanciful and distant resemblance to
certain birds they were acquainted with, from which they hastily
inferred identity of nature, notwithstanding some very visible
discrepancies; whereas the remarkable dissimilarity betwixt the new
quadrupeds and those they were previously acquainted with, impressed
their minds with the notion of complete contrariety. In other words,
they concluded, from the unlikeness, that these animals were neither
dogs nor hogs, and, from the resemblance, that they were birds. It is
erroneous to say, with Cook, that there is not the most distant
similitude between a sheep or goat, and any winged animal. For the
classifications adopted in every system of natural history, proceed
upon the discovery of still more remote resemblances among the objects
of the science, than such as may be noticed in the present case; and it
will almost always be found, that there is greater difficulty in
ascertaining differences amongst those objects which are allied, than
similarity amongst those which are unconnected. The facility with which
ideas are associated in the mind, as Mr S. informs us, p. 295, is very
different in different individuals, and "lays the foundation of
remarkable varieties of men both in respect of genius and of character;"
and he elsewhere (p. 291) admits, "that things which have no known
relation to each other are often associated, in consequence of their
producing similar effects on the mind." With respect to the former
remark, the facility, it might be practicable to shew, that, in general,
it is proportioned to the ignorance and imperfect education, of the
individuals, hence children and the female sex (as Mr S. himself
asserts) exhibit most of it; and, in consistency with the latter
observation, we have but to imagine, that some effect having been
produced on the minds of these islanders by the sight of the animals in
question, similar to what they had previously experienced from some bird
or birds which they had occasionally seen, led them to the remarkable
association we have been considering. It would not be very difficult to
intimate how this might have happened, but the length of our note, the
reader may think, is much greater than its importance, and he may prefer
to amuse himself at another time, by following out the investigation.
Let it be our apology for entering on it at all, that it is only by
diligent reflection on such mysterious trains of thought, we can hope to
acquire any just conceptions of the faculties and operations of our own
minds.--E.]

The people in these canoes were in general of a middling size, and not
unlike those of Mangeea; though several were of a blacker cast than any
we saw there. Their hair was tied on the crown of the head, or flowing
loose about the shoulders; and though in some it was of a frizzling
disposition, yet, for the most part, that, as well as the straight sort,
was long. Their features were various, and some of the young men rather
handsome. Like those of Mangeea, they had girdles of glazed cloth, or
fine matting, the ends of which, being brought-betwixt their thighs,
covered the adjoining parts. Ornaments, composed of a sort of broad
grass, stained with red, and strung with berries of the nightshade, were
worn about their necks. Their ears were bored, but not slit; and they
were punctured upon the legs, from, the knee to the heel, which made
them appear as if they wore a kind of boots. They also resembled the
inhabitants of Mangeea in the length of their beards, and, like them,
wore a sort of sandals upon their feet. Their behaviour was frank and
cheerful, with a great deal of good-nature.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Mr Gore returned with the boat, and
informed me, that he had examined all the west side of the island,
without finding a place where a boat could land, or the ships could
anchor, the shore being every where bounded by a steep coral rock,
against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. But as the natives
seemed very friendly, and to express a degree of disappointment when
they saw that our people failed in their attempts to land, Mr Gore was
of opinion, that by means of Omai, who could best explain our request,
they might be prevailed upon to bring off to the boats, beyond the surf,
such articles as we most wanted; in particular, the stems of plantain
trees, which make good food for the cattle. Having little or no wind,
the delay of a day or two was not of any moment; and therefore I
determined to try the experiment, and got every thing ready against the
next morning.

Soon after day-break, we observed some canoes coming off to the ships,
and one of them directed its course to the Resolution. In it was a hog,
with some plantains and cocoa nuts, for which the people who brought
them demanded a dog from us, and refused every other thing that we
offered in exchange. One of our gentlemen on board happened to have a
dog and a bitch, which were great nuisances in the ship, and might have
been disposed of on this occasion for a purpose of real utility, by
propagating a race of so useful an animal in this island. But their
owner had no such views, in making them the companions of his voyage.
However, to gratify these people, Omai parted with a favourite dog he
had brought from England; and with this acquisition they departed highly
satisfied.

About ten o'clock, I dispatched Mr Gore with three boats, two from the
Resolution, and one from the Discovery, to try the experiment he had
proposed. And, as I could confide in his diligence and ability, I left
it entirely to himself, to act as, from circumstances, he should judge
to be most proper. Two of the natives, who had been on board,
accompanied him, and Omai went with him in his boat as an interpreter.
The ships being a full league from the island when the boats put off,
and having but little wind, it was noon before we could work up to it.
We then saw our three boats riding at their grapplings, just without the
surf, and a prodigious number of the natives on the shore, abreast of
them. By this we concluded, that Mr Gore, and others of our people, had
landed, and our impatience to know the event may be easily conceived. In
order to observe their motions, and to be ready to give them such
assistance as they might want, and our respective situations would admit
of, I kept as near the shore as was prudent. I was sensible, however,
that the reef was as effectual a barrier between us and our friends who
had landed, and put them as much beyond the reach of our protection, as
if half the circumference of the globe had intervened. But the
islanders, it was probable, did not know this so well as we did. Some of
them, now and then, came off to the ships in their canoes, with a few
cocoa nuts; which they exchanged for whatever was offered to them,
without seeming to give the preference to any particular article.

These occasional visits served to lessen my solicitude about our people
who had landed. Though we could get no information from our visitors,
yet their venturing on board seemed to imply, at least, that their
countrymen on shore had not made an improper use of the confidence put
in them. At length, a little before sun-set, we had the satisfaction of
seeing the boats put off. When they got on board, I found that Mr Gore
himself, Omai, Mr Anderson, and, Mr Burney, were the only persons who
had landed. The transactions of the day were now fully reported to me by
Mr Gore; but Mr Anderson's account of them being very particular, and
including some remarks on the island and its inhabitants, I shall give
it a place here, nearly in his own words.

"We rowed toward a small sandy beach, upon which, and upon the adjacent
rocks, a great number of the natives had assembled; and came to an
anchor within a hundred yards of the reef, which extends about as far,
or a little farther, from the shore. Several of the natives swam off,
bringing cocoa-nuts; and Omai, with their countrymen, whom we had with
us in the boats, made them sensible of our wish to land. But their
attention was taken up, for a little time, by the dog, which had been
carried from the ship, and was just brought on shore, round whom they
flocked with great eagerness. Soon after, two canoes came off; and, to
create a greater confidence in the islanders, we determined to go
unarmed, and run the hazard of being treated well or ill."

"Mr Burney, the first lieutenant of the Discovery, and I went in one
canoe, a little time before the other; and our conductors, watching
attentively the motions of the surf, landed us safely upon the reef. An
islander took hold of each of us, obviously with an intention to support
us in walking, over the rugged rocks, to the beach, where several of the
others met us, holding the green boughs of a species of _Mimosa_ in
their hands, and saluted us by applying their noses to ours."

"We were conducted from the beach by our guides, amidst a great crowd of
people, who flocked with very eager curiosity to look at us; and would
have prevented our proceeding, had not some men, who seemed to have
authority, dealt blows, with little distinction, amongst them, to keep
them off. We were then led up an avenue of cocoa-palms; and soon came to
a number of men, arranged in two rows, armed with clubs, which they held
on their shoulders, much in the manner we rest a musquet. After walking
a little way amongst these, we found a person who seemed a chief,
sitting on the ground cross-legged, cooling himself with a sort of
triangular fan, made from a leaf of the cocoa palm, with a polished
handle, of black wood, fixed to one corner. In his ears were large
bunches of beautiful red feathers, which pointed forward. But he had no
other mark, or ornament, to distinguish him from the rest of the people;
though they all obeyed him with the greatest alacrity. He either
naturally had, or at this time put on, a serious, but not severe
countenance; and we were desired to salute him as he sat, by some people
who seemed of consequence."

"We proceeded still amongst the men armed with clubs, and came to a
second chief, who sat fanning himself, and ornamented as the first. He
was remarkable for his size, and uncommon corpulence, though, to
appearance, not above thirty years of age. In the same manner, we were
conducted to a third chief, who seemed older than the two former, and,
though not so fat as the second, was of a large size. He also was
sitting, and adorned with red feathers; and after saluting him as we had
done the others, he desired us both to sit down, which we were very
willing to do, being pretty well fatigued with walking up, and with the
excessive heat we felt amongst the vast crowd that surrounded us."

"In a few minutes, the people were ordered to separate; and we saw, at
the distance of thirty yards, about twenty young women, ornamented as
the chiefs, with red feathers, engaged in a dance, which they performed
to a slow and serious air, sung by them all. We got up, and went forward
to see them; and though we must have been strange objects to them, they
continued their dance, without paying the least attention to us. They
seemed to be directed by a man who served as a prompter, and mentioned
each motion they were to make. But they never changed the spot, as we do
in dancing, and though their feet were not at rest, this exercise
consisted more in moving the fingers very nimbly, at the same time
holding the hands in a prone position near the face, and now and then
also clapping them together.[153] Their motions and songs were performed
in such exact concert, that it should seem they had been taught with
great care; and probably they were selected for this ceremony, as few of
those whom we saw in the crowd equalled them in beauty. In general, they
were rather stout than slender, with black hair flowing in ringlets down
the neck, and of an olive complexion. Their features were rather fuller
than what we allow to perfect beauties, and much alike; but their eyes
were of a deep black, and each countenance expressed a degree of
complacency and modesty, peculiar to the sex in every part of the world,
but perhaps more conspicuous here, where Nature presented us with her
productions in the fullest perfection, unbiassed in sentiment by custom,
or unrestrained in manner by art. Their shape and limbs were elegantly
formed. For, as their dress consisted only of a piece of glazed cloth
fastened about the waist, and scarcely reaching so low as the knees, in
many we had an opportunity of observing every part. This dance was not
finished, when we heard a noise, as if some horses had been galloping
toward us; and, on looking aside, we saw the people armed with clubs,
who had been desired, as we supposed, to entertain us with the sight of
their manner of fighting. This they now did, one party pursuing another
who fled."

[Footnote 153: The dances of the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands
have a great resemblance to those here described. See Lettres Edif. et
Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 315. See also, in the same volume, p. 207, what
is said of the singing and dancing of the inhabitants of the Palaos
Islands, which belong to the same group.--D.]

"As we supposed the ceremony of being introduced to the chiefs was at an
end, we began to look about for Mr Gore and Omai; and, though the crowd
would hardly suffer us to move, we at length found them coming up, as
much incommoded by the number of people as we had been, and introduced
in the same manner to the three chiefs, whose names were Otteroo, Taroa,
and Fatouweera. Each of these expected a present; and Mr Gore gave them
such things as he had brought with him from the ship, for that purpose.
After this, making use of Omai as his interpreter, he informed the
chiefs with what intention we had come on shore; but was given to
understand, that he must wait till the next day, and then he should have
what was wanted."

"They now seemed to take some pains to separate us from each other; and
every one of us had his circle to surround and gaze at him. For my own
part, I was, at one time, above an hour apart from my friends; and when
I told the chief, with whom I sat, that I wanted to speak to Omai, he
peremptorily refused my request. At the same time, I found the people
began to steal several trifling things which I had in my pocket; and
when I took the liberty of complaining to the chief of this treatment,
he justified it. From these circumstances, I now entertained
apprehensions, that they might have formed the design of detaining us
amongst them. They did not, indeed, seem to be of a disposition so
savage, as to make us anxious for the safety of our persons; but it was,
nevertheless, vexing to think we had hazarded being detained by their
curiosity. In this situation, I asked for something to eat; and they
readily brought to me some cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a sort of sour
pudding; which was presented by a woman. And on my complaining much of
the heat, occasioned by the crowd, the chief himself condescended to fan
me, and gave me a small piece of cloth, which he had round his waist."

"Mr Burney happening to come to the place where I was, I mentioned my
suspicions to him; and, to put it to the test, whether they were
well-founded, we attempted to get to the beach. But we were stopped,
when about halfway, by some men, who told us, that we must go back to
the place which we had left. On coming up, we found Omai entertaining
the same apprehensions. But he had, as he fancied, an additional reason
for being afraid; for he had observed, that they had dug a hole in the
ground for an oven, which they were now heating; and he could assign no
other reason for this, than that they meant to roast and eat us, as is
practised by the inhabitants of New Zealand. Nay, he went so far as to
ask them the question; at which they were greatly surprised, asking, in
return, whether that was a custom with us? Mr Burney and I were rather
angry that they should be thus suspected by him; there having, as yet,
been no appearances, in their conduct toward us, of their being capable
of such brutality."

"In this manner we were detained the greatest part of the day, being
sometimes together, and sometimes separated, but always in a crowd; who,
not satisfied with gazing at us, frequently desired us to uncover part
of our skin; the sight of which commonly produced a general murmur of
admiration. At the same time they did not omit these opportunities of
rifling our pockets; and, at last, one of them snatched a small bayonet
from Mr Gore, which hung in its sheath by his side. This was represented
to the chief, who pretended to send some person in search of it. But, in
all probability, he countenanced the theft; for, soon after, Omai had a
dagger stolen from his side, in the same manner, though he did not miss
it immediately."

"Whether they observed any signs of uneasiness in us, or that they
voluntarily repeated their emblems of friendship when we expressed a
desire to go, I cannot tell; but, at this time, they brought some green
boughs, and, sticking their ends in the ground, desired we might hold
them as we sat. Upon out urging again the business we came upon, they
gave us to understand, that we must stay and eat with them; and a pig
which we saw, soon after, lying near the oven, which they had prepared
and heated, removed Omai's apprehension of being put into it himself;
and made us think it might be intended for our repast. The chief also
promised to send some people to procure food for the cattle; but it was
not till pretty late in the afternoon, that we saw them return with a
few plantain-trees, which they carried to our boats."

"In the mean time, Mr Barney and I attempted again to go to the beach;
but when we arrived, we found ourselves watched by people, who, to
appearance, had been placed there for this purpose. For when I tried to
wade in upon the reef, one of them took hold of my clothes and dragged
me back. I picked up some small pieces of coral, which they required me
to throw down again; and, on my refusal, they made no scruple to take
them forcibly from me. I had gathered some small plants, but these also
I could not be permitted to retain. And they took a fan from Mr Barney,
which he had received as a present on coming ashore. Omai said we had
done wrong in taking up any thing, for it was not the custom here to
permit freedoms of that kind to strangers, till they had, in some
measure, naturalized them to the country, by entertaining them with
festivity for two or three days."

"Finding that the only method of procuring better treatment was to yield
implicit obedience to their will, we went up again to the place we had
left; and they now promised that we should have a canoe to carry us off
to our boats, after we had eaten of a repast which they had prepared for
us."

"Accordingly the second chief, to whom we had been introduced in the
morning, having seated himself upon a low broad stool of blackish hard
wood, tolerably polished, and, directing the multitude to make a pretty
large ring, made us sit down by him. A considerable number of cocoa-nuts
were now brought, and shortly after a long green basket, with a
sufficient quantity of baked plantains to have served a dozen persons. A
piece of the young hog, that had been dressed, was then set before each
of us, of which we were desired to eat. Our appetites, however, had
failed from the fatigue of the day; and though we did eat a little to
please them, it was without satisfaction to ourselves."

"It being now near sun-set, we told them it was time to go on board.
This they allowed, and sent down to the beach the remainder of the
victuals that had been dressed, to be carried with us to the ships. But,
before we set out, Omai was treated with a drink he had been used to in
his own country, which, we observed, was made here, as at other islands
in the South Sea, by chewing the root of a sort of pepper. We found a
canoe ready to put us off to our boats, which the natives did with the
same caution as when we landed. But even here their thievish disposition
did not leave them. For a person of some consequence among them, who
came with us, took an opportunity, just as they were pushing the canoe
into the surf, to snatch a bag out of her, which I had with the greatest
difficulty preserved all day, there being in it a small pocket-pistol,
which I was unwilling to part with. Perceiving him, I called out,
expressing as much displeasure as I could. On which he thought proper to
return, and swim with the bag to the canoe; but he denied he had stolen
it, though detected in the very act. They put us on board our boats,
with the cocoa-nuts, plantains, and other provisions, which they had
brought, and we rowed to the ships, very well pleased that we had at
last got out of the hands of our troublesome masters."