DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0050
34
KIRBv’s WONDERFUL MUSEUM.
with hands uplifted, did they implore permission to partake
in peace what was set before them ; and when they had
eaten heartily, resuming their former attitude, offered a fer-
vent prayer of thanksgiving, for the indulgence they had just
experienced. Our omission of this ceremony did not escape
their notice; for Christian asked me whether it was not cus-
tomary with us also. Here nature was triumphant; for I
should do myself irreparable injustice, did I not with can-
dour acknowledge, I was both embarrassed and wholly at a
loss for a sound reply, and evaded the poor fellow’s question,
by drawing his attention to the cow, which was then looking
down the hatchway; and as he had never seen any of the
species before, it was a source of mirth and gratification to
him.
The hatred of these people to the blacks is strongly
rooted, and which, doubtless, owes its origin to the early
quarrels which Christian and his followers had with the Ota-
heiteans, after their arrival at Pitcairn’s Island ; to illustrate
which, I shall here relate an occurrence which took place at
breakfast:—Soon after young Christian had begun, a West
Indian black, who was one of the servants, entered the gun-
room, to attend table, as usual. Christian looked at him
sternly, rose, asked for his hat, and said, “ 1 don’t like that
black fellow—I must go and it required some little per-
suasion, before he would again resume his seat. The inno-
cent Quash was often reminded of the anecdote by his
fellow-servants. After coming alongside the ship, so eager
were they to get on board, that several of the canoes had
been wholly abandoned, and gone adrift: this was the occa-
sion of an anecdote which will shew, most conspicuously,
the good nature of their dispositions, and the mode resorted
to in deciding a double claim. The canoes being brought
back to the ship, the Captain ordered that one of them should
remain in each; when it became a question, to which that
duty should devolve; however, it was soon adjusted, for
Mackey observed, that he supposed they were all equally
KIRBv’s WONDERFUL MUSEUM.
with hands uplifted, did they implore permission to partake
in peace what was set before them ; and when they had
eaten heartily, resuming their former attitude, offered a fer-
vent prayer of thanksgiving, for the indulgence they had just
experienced. Our omission of this ceremony did not escape
their notice; for Christian asked me whether it was not cus-
tomary with us also. Here nature was triumphant; for I
should do myself irreparable injustice, did I not with can-
dour acknowledge, I was both embarrassed and wholly at a
loss for a sound reply, and evaded the poor fellow’s question,
by drawing his attention to the cow, which was then looking
down the hatchway; and as he had never seen any of the
species before, it was a source of mirth and gratification to
him.
The hatred of these people to the blacks is strongly
rooted, and which, doubtless, owes its origin to the early
quarrels which Christian and his followers had with the Ota-
heiteans, after their arrival at Pitcairn’s Island ; to illustrate
which, I shall here relate an occurrence which took place at
breakfast:—Soon after young Christian had begun, a West
Indian black, who was one of the servants, entered the gun-
room, to attend table, as usual. Christian looked at him
sternly, rose, asked for his hat, and said, “ 1 don’t like that
black fellow—I must go and it required some little per-
suasion, before he would again resume his seat. The inno-
cent Quash was often reminded of the anecdote by his
fellow-servants. After coming alongside the ship, so eager
were they to get on board, that several of the canoes had
been wholly abandoned, and gone adrift: this was the occa-
sion of an anecdote which will shew, most conspicuously,
the good nature of their dispositions, and the mode resorted
to in deciding a double claim. The canoes being brought
back to the ship, the Captain ordered that one of them should
remain in each; when it became a question, to which that
duty should devolve; however, it was soon adjusted, for
Mackey observed, that he supposed they were all equally