in the Pacific Ocean, 81 



we brought the first accounts here, destroyed all expectations of 

 again seeing him ; and as Mr. Maury and his party saw no other 

 prospect of getting away, he requested me to take them on board. 

 The man before spoken of, who came off to the ship naked, was 

 named Wilson, an Englishman by birth. He had been for many 

 years among the group of Marquesas, as well as the islands of 

 Washington's Group. He spoke their language with the same 

 facility as his own, and had become in every respect, except in 

 colour, an Indian. The looks of Wilson had strongly prejudiced 

 me against him ; but I soon discovered him to be an inoffensive, 

 honest, good-hearted fellow, well disposed to render every service 

 in his power, and whose only failing was a strong attachment to 

 rum. Wilson soon became a great favourite with me, as well as 

 every other person. He proved indispensably necessary to us ; 

 and v/ithout his aid I should have succeeded badly on the island. 

 His knowledge of the people, and the ease with which he spoke 

 their language, removed all difficulties in our intercourse with 

 them ; and it must be understood, in all relations of future inter- 

 views and conversations, which took place between me and the 

 natives, that Wilson is the organ of communication, and the 

 means by which we are enabled to understand each other. I 

 shall, therefore, in future, deem it unnecessary to say, I was 

 assisted by an interpreter ; it must always be understood that I 

 had one. Such were my impressions of Wilson at the time ; but 

 I have since had occasion to be satisfied that he was a consum- 

 mate hypocrite and villain. 



On my jumping on shore, unaccompanied by any other per- 

 sons, and walking up to a group of natives, who were assembled 

 near the house where Mr. Maury resided, all their apprehensions 

 seemed to cease. Th^ women, who had retired to a distance, 

 came down to join the male natives ; and even the landing of the 

 marines, as well as the rest of the party, did not seem to occasion 

 any uneasiness among them. The drum appeared to give them 

 much pleasure ; and the regular movements of the marines occa^ 

 sioned much astonishment. They said they were spirits or beings 

 of a class different from other men. 



Observing the mountains surrounding the valley to be covered 

 with numerous groups of natives, I inquired the cause, and was 

 informed that a warlike tribe residing beyond the mountains had 

 been for several weeks at war with the natives of the valley, into 

 which they had made several incursions, destroyed many houses 

 and plantations, and killed a great number of bread-fruit trees 

 by girdling. I was also informed that they had intended paying 

 another visit that day ; but it was supposed they were deterred by 

 the appearance of the ships. I directed one of them to proceed 

 to the Happahs, and to tell them that I had come with a force 



Voyages and Travels, No. XLVII. Vol. VIII. m 



