IMPRACTICABLE LAWS. 81 



lasted, fearing that we might meet with some accident 

 in the rough sea we had to cross. 



On going back to Bau, Mr. Fordham, the principal 

 missionary, represented to Mr. Pritchard the desirable- 

 ness of prohibiting the importation of firearms and gun- 

 powder into Fiji. Fighting, he thought, might thus be 

 prevented. Mr. Pritchard agreed with him that there 

 was not much use for those articles, there being no wild 

 animals, and only a few ducks and wood-pigeons to 

 shoot, but that it would be impolitic to venture upon 

 making any prohibitive law, waiving all considerations 

 as to the right of doing so, when there were no officers 

 to execute it. Even supposing that a certain pressure 

 could be put upon the English subjects, who was to pre- 

 vent the Americans, Germans, and French from selling 

 any number of firearms, and any amount of gunpowder, 

 to the natives I On a previous occasion, Mr. Pritchard 

 was seriously asked by another gentleman to introduce 

 the Maine liquor-law. No spirits of any kind should be 

 landed or sold. This idea the Consul also refused to 

 entertain. The law had broken clown when enforced 

 by all the power of a great state, and could scarcely be 

 expected to work well under less favourable circum- 

 stances. 



G 



