42 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



the only other parts tattowed. He walks erect, and has 

 acquired a tolerably genteel Bow, and other expressions 

 of civility. He appears to have good natural parts ; has 

 learned a little English, and is in general desirous of 

 improvement. Particularly he wishes to learn to write, 

 which he says would on his return enable him to be of the 

 greatest benefit to his country. But I do not find that 

 any steps have been taken toward giving him any useful 

 knowledge ; Mr. Banks seeming to keep him as an object 

 of curiosity, to observe the workings of an untutored, 

 unenlightened mind. When he is serious, and observing 

 what others are saying, his Look is sharp and sensible, 

 but his Laugh is rather childish. When he wants you to 

 understand something he has seen, he uses very lively 

 and significant gestures ; and is in truth a most excellent 

 Pantomime. He is pleased (as many of more improved 

 understandings often are) with trifling amusements, and is 

 unhappy when he has nothing to entertain him. When I 

 dined with him, with the Royal Society, a small magnify- 

 ing glass had been newly put into his hands ; he was 

 perpetually pulling it out of his pocket, and looking at the 

 Candles etc. with excessive delight and admiration. We 

 all laughed at his simplicity, and yet probably the wisest 

 person present would have wondered as much, if that 

 knick-knack had then for the first time been presented 

 to him. He had seen Hail before he came into England, 

 and therefore was not much surprized at the first fall of 

 Snow, which he called, naturally enough, white Rain. 

 But he was prodigiously struck, when he first saw and 

 handled a piece of Ice ; and when he was told that it 

 was sometimes thick and strong enough to bear men, 

 and other great weights, he could scarcely be made to 

 believe it. He is entirely reconciled to the European 

 manners and customs. He conforms to our diet, which 

 he likes very well; and denies (against self-conviction) 

 that his countrymen eat human flesh. He drinks wine, 



