SHIPS IN THE HARBOUR. 159 



had ever passed through this channel, which 

 would be impracticable for first-rate vessels. 



Some of the ships we found in the harbour 

 were English and American whalers, which 

 had put in here for provisions ; others were 

 on trading voyages to the north-west coast of 

 America for skins, or returning thence with 

 their cargoes. Some were from Canton, laden 

 with Chinese produce, which finds a good 

 market in the Sandwich Islands ; and one was 

 a French ship from Bordeaux, which having 

 carried a cargo of iron wares to Chili, Peru, and 

 Mexico, had brought the remains of it here. 

 All the captains visited me in the hope of 

 hearing news from Europe ; but many of them 

 had left it later than we had, and accommodated 

 us with their London newspapers. 



If we consider that scarcely fifty years have 

 elapsed since these islands were first introduced 

 by Captain Cook to the knowledge of the 

 European public, and that the inhabitants were 

 then completely what we call savages, that is, 

 that they were wholly destitute of any con 

 ception of the arts, sciences, or habits of civilized 



