DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0049
Pitcairn’s island.
S3
half English and half Otaheite, but acknowledge King
George to be their king. They had seen four ships from the
island, but only one stopped; Mayhew Folgier was the cap-
tain ; saying, “ I suppose you know himhe staid two
days. One being asked if he would like to go to England,
said, “No—I cannot; I am married, and have a family.”
Before we had finished our interrogatories, the hour of
breakfast had arrived; and we solicited our half countrymen,
as they styled themselves, to accompany us below, and par-
take of our repast, to which they acquiesced without much
ceremony. The circle in which we had surrounded them
being opened, brought to the notice of Mackey a little black
terrier. He was at first frightened, ran behind one of the
officers, and looked over his shoulder, and said, pointing to
the dog, “ I know what it is—it is a dog; I never saw a
dog before ; will he bite ?” After a short pause, he addressed
himself to Christian, saying, with great admiration, “ It is a
pretty thing too to look at—is it not r”
The whole of them were inquisitive; and in their ques-
tions, as well as answers, betrayed a very great share of na-
tural abilities. They asked the names of every thing they
saw, and the purposes to which they were applied. This,
they would say, was pretty—that, they did not like ; and
were greatly surprised, at our having so many things which
they were not possessed of in the island. The circumstance
of the dog, the things which at each step drew their atten-
tion, or created their wonder, retarded us in our road to the
breakfast table; but, arriving there, we had a new cause for
surprise. The astonishment which before had been so
strongly demonstrated in them, was now become conspicuous
in us, even to a much greater degree than when they hailed
us in our native language; and, I must confess, I blushed
when I saw nature in its most simple state, offer that tribute
of respect to the Omnipotent Creator, which, from educa-
tion, I did not perform, nor, from society, had been taught
its necessity. Before they began to eat, on their knees, and
vol. vi. »
S3
half English and half Otaheite, but acknowledge King
George to be their king. They had seen four ships from the
island, but only one stopped; Mayhew Folgier was the cap-
tain ; saying, “ I suppose you know himhe staid two
days. One being asked if he would like to go to England,
said, “No—I cannot; I am married, and have a family.”
Before we had finished our interrogatories, the hour of
breakfast had arrived; and we solicited our half countrymen,
as they styled themselves, to accompany us below, and par-
take of our repast, to which they acquiesced without much
ceremony. The circle in which we had surrounded them
being opened, brought to the notice of Mackey a little black
terrier. He was at first frightened, ran behind one of the
officers, and looked over his shoulder, and said, pointing to
the dog, “ I know what it is—it is a dog; I never saw a
dog before ; will he bite ?” After a short pause, he addressed
himself to Christian, saying, with great admiration, “ It is a
pretty thing too to look at—is it not r”
The whole of them were inquisitive; and in their ques-
tions, as well as answers, betrayed a very great share of na-
tural abilities. They asked the names of every thing they
saw, and the purposes to which they were applied. This,
they would say, was pretty—that, they did not like ; and
were greatly surprised, at our having so many things which
they were not possessed of in the island. The circumstance
of the dog, the things which at each step drew their atten-
tion, or created their wonder, retarded us in our road to the
breakfast table; but, arriving there, we had a new cause for
surprise. The astonishment which before had been so
strongly demonstrated in them, was now become conspicuous
in us, even to a much greater degree than when they hailed
us in our native language; and, I must confess, I blushed
when I saw nature in its most simple state, offer that tribute
of respect to the Omnipotent Creator, which, from educa-
tion, I did not perform, nor, from society, had been taught
its necessity. Before they began to eat, on their knees, and
vol. vi. »