122 VOYAGE TO THE 



to hang over the bed-side : he had slept soundly, and 

 his appetite was good. Could he have procured and 

 applied a suitable dressing for the ulcers, with appro- 

 priate support to the oedematous extremities, I have 

 no hesitation in saying that the plan would have suc- 

 ceeded. Even with all these disadvantages, I am in- 

 clined to believe that a cure will be elFected if he ab- 

 stains from liquor." 



In this account of the Sandwich Islands, I have 

 avoided touching upon subjects connected with the 

 mythology, traditions, and early manners and customs 

 of the islanders, from a conviction that I could give 

 but an imperfect sketch of them, and from a hope 

 that they will hereafter be laid before the public by 

 the author of Polynesian Researches, who from his 

 intimate knowledge of the language, his long resi- 

 dence in the Pacific, and from the nature of his occu- 

 pations, has greater opportunities of becoming ac- 

 quainted with them than any other foreigner. My 

 endeavour has been to give as faithful an account as 

 I could of the government, and of the state of so- 

 ciety in the islands at the time of our visit, and of the 

 resources and commerce of the country. Had my 

 occupations been less numerous, I might have done 

 more justice to these subjects ; but the determination 

 of the position of the place, and attention to other 

 observations, occupied my time so completely, that I 

 had very little leisure for other pursuits. 



The results of the observations that were made there 

 will be given in the Appendix ; and the natural his- 

 tory will form part of two volumes which will shortly 

 appear before the public. 



During the absence of the ship from the Sandwich 

 Islands, Captain Charlton, the consul, had succeeded 



