460 DEIFICATION OF WHITE MEN BY SAVAGES. 



selves. Thus M. Du Chaillu tells us, that some of the African 

 savages looked upon him as a superior being ; and the South 

 Sea Islanders worshipped Captain Cook as a deity. Even 

 when they had killed him, and cut him into small pieces, 

 the inhabitants of Owhyhee fully expected him to re- appear, 

 and frequently asked "what he would do to them on his 

 return."* However absurd and extravagant such a belief 

 may at first sight appear, it must be admitted that it is in 

 many respects very natural. Savages can only raise their 

 minds to the conception of a being a few degrees superior 

 to themselves, and Captain Cook was more powerful, wiser, 

 and we may add more virtuous, than most of their so-called 

 " Deities." Under these circumstances, although it must be 

 admitted that the chastity of the women is not, as a general 

 rule, much regarded among savages, we must not too severely 

 condemn them on this account. It is not surprising that 

 any connexion with white men is regarded rather as an 

 honor than as a disgrace : Europeans hold, in fact, almost the 

 same position in public estimation as did the amorous deities 

 of ancient mythology. 



Again, with savages, as with children, time appears longer 

 than it does to us, and a temporary marriage as natural and 

 honorable as one that is permanent. Hospitality, again, 

 is frequently carried so far that it is thought wrong to with- 

 hold from a guest anything that might contribute to his 

 comfort, and he is accordingly provided with a temporary 

 wife for the period of his visit. f Among the Esquimaux it 

 is considered a great mark of friendship for two men to 

 exchange wives for a day or two. It has been already men- 

 tioned that a Kandyan chief, described by Mr. Bay ley, was 

 quite scandalised at the idea of having only one wife. It 



* Cook's Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. By Capt. King, F.R.S. Vol.iii., p. 69. 

 f See, for instance, Wilson's Missionary Voyage, pp. 61, 141, 160, etc. ; Frey- 

 cinet, vol. ii., p. 119. 



