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? 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 down when enforced 
by all the power of a great state, and could scarcely be 
expected to work well under less favourable circum- 
stances. 
