22 6 AVOYAGETO 



•779- It was hard to fay, whether the good pried and his family, 



or ourfelves, were mod affected on taking our leave of 

 Major Behm. Short as our acquaintance had been, his no- 

 ble and difinteredcd conduct had infpired us with the high- 

 er! refpect and efleem for him ; and we could not part with 

 a perfon to whom we were under fuch obligations, and 

 whom we had little prof peel of ever feeing again, without 

 feeling the mod tender concern. The intrinfic value of the 

 private prefents we received from him, exclufive of the 

 ftores which might be carried to a public account, muft 

 have amounted, according to the current price of articles in 

 that country, to upward of two hundred pounds. But this 

 generofity, extraordinary as it mud appear in itfelf, was 

 exceeded by the delicacy with which all his favours were 

 conferred, and the artful manner in which he endeavoured 

 to prevent our feeling the weight of obligations, which he 

 knew we had no means of requiting. If we go a flep fur- 

 ther, and confider him as fupporting a public character, and 

 maintaining the honour of a great Sovereign, we fliall find a 

 full higher fubject of admiration, in the jud and enlarged 

 fentiments by which he was actuated. " The fervice in 

 " which you are employed," he would often fay, " is for 

 " the general advantage of mankind, and therefore gives 

 '* you a right, not merely to the offices of humanity, but to 

 " the privileges of citizens, in whatever country you may 

 " be thrown. I am fine I am acting agreeably to the wiflies 

 11 of my Midrefs, in affording you all the relief in our 

 " power ; and I cannot forget cither her character, or my 

 " own honour, fo much, as to barter for the performance 

 •* of a duty." At other times, lie would tell us, that he 

 was particularly deGrous of fctring a good example to the 

 Kamifchadalcs, who, he fa id, were but jufl emerging from 



a llate 



