The wind is brisk, and tolerably favourable: one of our conductors dives to the depth of eight or ten fathoms, to loosen from the rock the cord that holds fast our boat: the sail is hoisted; and, for the first time, I observe a gay departure. Our little fleet consisted of eight proas. Gaudichaud was in the smallest: Bérard and I in the largest, commanded by the chief pilot. We were going at the rate of five or six knots an hour, as there was a pretty fresh easterly wind, and soon lost sight of the town, which from the offing makes no appearance, and frequently is not even perceived, being concealed by a superb screen of cocoa-trees. Three points, however, mark its locality to mariners. Fort St. Agatha, built on the mountain; the castle of St. Raphaël, which is on the east, and forms a white spot; and a pretty large shed, which is here called the dockyard, because boats are repaired there, and at present a brig is building. The wind dying away, we anchored in the evening at Rotignan, a magnificent hill on the north of the island, rather more than three leagues from the city. Squalls came on rapidly; and one of them was so violent, that a proa, not having time to brail up the sail, was upset*. A hint to those who bestow exaggerated commendations on the goodness of these boats. Luckily no one of our trio was on board it: and, notwithstanding the dexterity of those who manned it, it was two hours before it was righted. .... We spoke of the accident with some anxiety to our pilots, who only laughed at it, and by their confidence removed our apprehensions, assuring us that we had no reason to be afraid. Who could imagine that in such frail boats, sometimes only three or four feet wide, and forty feet long, the planks of which are joined and fastened with a little lime and a gum obtained from the breadfruit tree, these daring men, unassisted by the com * It was one of those manned by the inhabitants of the Marianne islands. .... pass, and guided only by the stars and their own experience, would venture to undertake voyages of more than six hundred leagues, and rarely fall victims to their confidence? Can it be possible, that the man of nature, absolutely destitute of resources, is more industrious than the citizen of civilised countries? What do these men want, to execute things better? Tools; iron. They frequently invent, and their conceptions are those of genius: they imitate also, though rarely, and soon surpass their models. A few bits of iron attract the peaceful inhabitants of the Carolines to the Marianne islands: which of us would make the voyage in this manner to possess the whole of this rich archipelago?. If our machines be more wonderful, how many steps must have been made to arrive at this perfection! One artist is preceded by another: one attempt follows an attempt less successful: a slight degree of success opens a new career; the mine is explored; and the man who first reaches the goal is indebted for it to a continued series of attempts, the authors of which remain almost always unknown, but possess not on this account the less merit. And, besides, consider that in Europe we are incessantly endeavouring to improve, and to arrive at perfection; here, as soon as they attain what is well, they seldom go any farther: and if the astonishing construction of their boats excited our admiration, it was already the same in the days of Anson, and had not varied perhaps for ages. Perfection, indeed, is a species of invention : but which has most merit, he who finds a path traced out, and advances beyond it, or he who first discovers it, and puts us in the road?..... Since I have seen and known these men, whom in our foolish pride we do not blush to call savages, I no longer feel for them that pity which arises from contempt, but merely that which is inspired by a sense of the wants and evils of our neighbour. We shall see, hereafter, whether they would think themselves honoured by this more generous sentiment. Being afraid to let slip the smallest peculiarity that could serve to characterise our cheerful pilots, you will find different traits of them scattered through my subsequent letters till our return to Guam. These people appear to me so good, they are so little known, that to omit the least observation would be an act of culpable negligence. their Besides, I dwell with so much pleasure on the particulars of way of life it is so uniform, so gentle! What people have ever deserved the attention and benefits of civilized countries more than these! LETTER LXXXV. Passage from Guam to Rota. IF the first opinion with which the Carolinians inspire you be a favourable one, you will feel for them a degree of respect as you have opportunities of knowing them better. How is it they have been so fortunate as to escape the convulsions with which all this part of the globe has been torn for centuries? Nine-tenths of the inhabitants of the Marianne islands have been exterminated; and that religion, which ought to have established in them peace and happiness, has covered them with a funeral pall. One spot of blood has marked out Owhyhee to future nations: and the murder of Cook will ever be a terror to those voyagers who persuade themselves that these solitary nations are formed to cringe and obey, and are unworthy of the benefits of our civilization. New Guinea conceals cannibals in its bosom: New Holland, in several parts, is not perhaps less to be dreaded: human sacrifices were in use not long ago in the Society Islands, and are still in the archipelago of the Friendly Islands: shocking stories are told of the ferocity of the inhabitants of New Zealand: and on the coast of Timor, the interior of which is half savage, there exists an island, that of Ombay, where the people drink blood out of the sculls of their vanquished enemies. The inhabitants of the Caroline Islands alone have been hitherto strangers to all these horrors. Christianity, however, has penetrated among them; but for want of judicious interpreters, it has made few proselytes: but the first missionaries sent thither, inspired with a more Christian zeal, did not transform into fields of carnage a country which they were not so fortunate as to enlighten. The coast of Guam, along which we sailed the whole of the 22d, rises en echelon to the northernmost point, and is richly wooded in all parts. Breadfruit and cocoa-trees skirt the shore, which is varied by several capes, the most remarkable of which is that of the Two Lovers. As love forms a large part of the history of the human race, you can rarely traverse a country in which some one of these hacknied epithets does not exist, and is the subject of some ridiculous tale, adopted by idleness and the love of the marvellous, and consecrated by antiquity. That of Guam is too absurd; I will therefore spare you the narration. During our passage, Bérard shot several boobies; and neither the presence of a shark, nor the roughness of the sea, prevented one of the Carolinians from jumping into the water to fetch them. These men swim so well, that they seem quite at home when diving, or contending with the waves. When a squall appears in the horizon, they crouch on their heels, clap at intervals with one hand open on the other half closed, make signs to the cloud to keep off, and pronounce in a low voice, with much devotion, and great rapidity, certain words that recur periodically; which shows at least that they have an idea of a superior power, capable of listening to their prayers. As we appeared to be struck with these gestures and rapid motions, they asked us whether we did not perform the same ceremonies in France in great dangers. We told them we did not; at which they appeared surprised and sorry. The following is one of their prayers, which I transcribed. Léga chédégas, léga cheldiliga, chédégas léga chédégas, légas cheldi léga chédégas, léga chédégas mottou. Oguéren quenni chéré péré peï, oguéren quenni chéré péré peï. We requested an explanation of them in vain from the chief pilot, who, having been several times at the Marianne islands, understood a few words of Spanish. All we could learn was, that they told the clouds to go away; but we never saw any thing less obedient. They have a more certain mode of avoiding the squalls that appear in the horizon, to which they had recourse several times while we were with them. As soon as they rise, and are driven toward them, they tack about, if it be necessary, and if they are not anxious to reach the end of their voyage. To judge from the intelligence of their principals, we may presume that they entrust the command only to the most skilful is it the same every where, my friend? We spent the night of the 22d in a little hut, where the good man, his wife, and his daughter, were busy preparing their frugal supper. As soon as they had given us permission to remain, we availed ourselves of it to lie down, for we had been rudely tossed about in the proas, which, though lighter than our boats, and keeping the wind much better, are far more fatiguing. We were on the point of going to sleep, which we had farther encouraged by a tolerably good meal, when our Carolinians entered in a body; and, without asking permission, soon caused the remains of our poultry and fruit to disappear, made free with our mats, and desired us not to discompose ourselves. We laughed at |