Voyage of H.M.S. 'Pandora' : $b despatched to arrest the mutineers of the 'Bounty' in the South Seas, 1790-91Edwards, Edward
History
Voyage of H.M.S. 'Pandora' : $b despatched to arrest the mutineers of the 'Bounty' in the South Seas, 1790-91
Edwards, Edward
Bounty (Ship); Pandora (Frigate); Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
Two or three of the officers were taking a walk on shore one evening, who
had the precaution to take their pistols with them. They seemed to crowd
round us with more than idle curiosity; but, on presenting the pistols to
them, they sheered off. The Captain soon joined us, and brought his
servant with him, carrying a bag of nails, and some trifling presents,
which he meant to distribute amongst them; but he took the bag from him,
and dispatched him with a message to the boat, on which the crowd
followed him. As soon as he got out of our sight, they stripped him
naked, and robbed him of his cloaths, and every article he had, but one
shoe, which he used for concealing his nakedness. At this juncture Lieut.
Hayward arrived from his expedition, and called the assistance of the
guard in searching for the robbers. We saw the natives all running, and
dodging behind the trees, which led us to suspect there was some mischief
brewing; but we soon discovered the great Irishman, with his shoe full
in one hand, and a bayonet in the other, naked and foaming mad with
revenge on the natives, for the treatment he had received. Night coming
on, we went on board, without recovering the poor fellow's cloathes.
Next day we were honoured with a visit from Tatafee, king of Anamooka,
who was of lineal descent from the same family that reigned in the island
when discovered by Tasman, the Dutch circumnavigator; and the story of
his landing and supplying them with dogs and hogs, is handed down, by
oral tradition, to this day.[133-1]
Here society may be said to exist in the second stage with respect to
Otaheite. As land is scarcer, private property is more exactly
ascertained, and each man's possession fenced in with a beautiful Chinese
railing. Highways, and roads leading to public places, are neatly fenced
in on each side, and a handsome approach to their houses by a
gravel-walk, with shubbery planted with some degree of taste on each side
of it. Many of them had rows of pine apples on each side of the avenue.
Messrs. Hayward and Corner, with their usual benevolence, took much pains
in teaching them the manner of transplanting their pine-apples; which
hint they immediately adopted, and were very thankful for any advice,
either in rearing their fruit, or cultivating their ground. The shaddocks
are superior in flavour to those of the West Indies; and they will soon
have oranges from what we have left amongst them.
The women here are extremely beautiful; and although they want that
feminine softness of manners which the Otaheite women possess in so
eminent a degree, their matchless vivacity, and fine animated
countenances, compensate the want of the softer blandishments of their
sister island.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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