1826.] Journal. of Two Mitiionarics. A,1S 



looked like hot wine, with a yellow piece of fruit and two white pips 

 floating in it. This creature, from his importance, we took to be the 

 high-priest : his inspired appearance confirmed it, for after he had 

 praj'ed (in the fasliion of his tribe) through three glasses of hot wine, 

 he fell on the floor overcome by the excess of his devotion. To what 

 strange extremities will not superstition drive even the best of us ! 



The day was far advanced before we quitted this heathen temple, an 

 engraving of which will be given in our forthcoming travels, to be 

 published in quarto, by Messieurs Longman and Co. We were received 

 in it with much more hospitality than we expected, chiefly through the 

 influence of our interpreter, who explained all our wants to a savage 

 with a piece of white linen tucked up under his arm, and baptized a 

 waiter. On resuming our journey, we were much shocked by the 

 inconceivable barbarism that every where surrounded us : we resolved, 

 however, come what might, to persevere, and soon reached the dwelling 

 of the barbarian to whom your credentials, Mr. Secretary, had made us 

 known, and who having been formerly a traveller in the west-end, had 

 returned with a more enlarged mind than is usually to be met with 

 among the Wahvorthians. To this half-enlightened savage (through the 

 medium of our interpreter) we explained the objects of our mission, 

 and received in return a correct estimate of its difficulties. He told us, 

 among other equally curious customs, that the Indigetes were desperately 

 bigotted to their own habits, dined at two o'clock, devoured plates of 

 roast flesh for supper, and persevered in taking what he called " a glass 

 of sumniat comfortable," before they went to bed. Such confirmed 

 symptoms of barbarism greatly depressed our enthusiasm, and we felt 

 half afraid to proceed : but when we reflected with Captain Parry, that it 

 might be in our power to do good, and that even if we fell victims, like 

 Captain Cook, on the coast of this worse than Owhyhee, the committee 

 would provide for our children, we determined, Mr. Secretary, to run 

 all risks. \Mien, accordingly, we had acquainted our host with our 

 intentions, he promised to further them with all the influence he could 

 command; and that same evening summoned an assemblage of chiefs, to 

 whom it was his intention to introduce us, in order that we might at 

 least attempt their conversion. He then rang for one of his vassals, 

 a duck-legged little fellow, tricked out in all the usual finery of savage 

 life, and ordered him to bring in " a snack" (we quote the chief's own 

 words as our interpreter explained them to us). In a {^iw minutes the 

 slave reappeared, bearing in his hand a large circular board covered with 

 cold roasted flesh, chiefl}^ of domestic animals found in a wild country 

 to the south of Walworth, called Peckham Rye. We had the curiosity 

 to taste this flesh, finding that our politeness was estimated by our 

 appetites ; and it was really not unpalatable. 



It was at this period of our travels that a circumstance occurred which 

 for some time dreadfully alarmed us. We had observed, while eating, 

 that our barbarian host eyed us with no little attention ; and well knowing 

 the proverbial treachery of all savages, we became apprehensive that he 

 might cause us to be scalped and served up for supper. His subsequent 

 conduct in part confirmed this suspicion, for he not only pressed us to 

 drink of an unknown beverage, called in the language of the country 

 " half and half," but literally forced it down our throats — an achievement 

 which convinced us that he had a design to poison us. Our interpreter 

 laughed at what he called such weakness, assuring us that the liquor in 



3 P 2 



