168 TEE GBUISE OF THE 'CUBAQOA.' 



them of the kindlier qualities. It is thus that a witness, 

 who had great opportunity of observing, having lived among 

 them, and who has thrown no veil over their defects, bears 

 this testimony to their disposition : 



' They are not deficient in courage, manliness, and even 

 humanity, which some people foolishl}^ assert they are 

 entirely strangers to, judging from the long-maintained 

 fashions of the country, instead of scrutinising their natural 

 feelings, arid making allowance for everything that has been 

 created by example. I should say, instead of being deficient 

 naturally, they have a greater share of those qualities than 

 Europeans, as far as I can j udge fronr my acquaintance with 

 them. 



' There is one thing I am certain they possess, which, of 

 course, must proceed from humanity, and that is universal 

 hospitahty, which some people erroneously attribute to 

 the spontaneous growth and production of their articles 

 of food, &c. I never saw any difference with respect 

 to their goodnature and liberality, not even when they 

 were surrounded by the worst of privations, which was very 

 often.' 1 



Captain Erskine indorses this favourable opinion of them 



' The witness here alluded to is au English sailor of the name of 

 Jackson, who lived nearly two years in Fiji, and mastered the language. 

 After acting as interpreter to Captain Oliver, of H.M.S. 'Fly,' he was 

 engaged in the same capacity by Captain, now Admiral, Erskine, on 

 board H.M. S. ' Havannah ; ' who was so convincedof the trustworthiness 

 of his statements as to induce him to have them committed to writing, 

 and published at great length in the Appendix to his own very interest- 

 ing work. See p. 273. 



