12 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
belonging to Roggewein’s squadron, had been 
wrecked, in 1722, upwards of forty years before 
they were visited by Captain Wallis. When the 
heated iron was hammered on the anvil, and the 
sparks flew among them, they fancied it was spit¬ 
ting at them, and were frightened, as they also 
were with the hissing occasioned by immersing it 
in water; yet they were delighted to see the faci¬ 
lity with which a bar of iron was thus converted 
into hatchets, adzes, fish-spears, and fish-hooks, 
&c. Pomare, entering one day when the black¬ 
smith was employed, after gazing a few minutes at 
the work, was so transported at what he saw, that 
he caught up the smith in his arms, and, unmind¬ 
ful of the dirt and perspiration inseparable from 
his occupation, most cordially embraced him, and 
saluted him, according to the custom of his coun¬ 
try, by touching noses. Iron tools they considered 
the most valuable articles they could possess ; and 
a circumstance that occurred during the second 
visit of the Duff, will decisively shew the com¬ 
parative value they placed upon gold and iron. 
The ship’s cook had lost his axe, and Captain 
Wilson gave him ten guineas to try to purchase 
one from the natives, supposing that the inter¬ 
course already had with Europeans, would enable 
them to form some estimate of the value of a 
guinea, and the number of articles they could pro¬ 
cure with it from any other ship that might visit 
the island; but, although the cook kept the 
guineas more than a week, he could meet with no 
individual among the natives who would part with 
an axe, or even a hatchet, in exchange for them. 
While some of the Missionaries were employed 
in the exercise of those arts which were adapted 
to make the most powerful impression upon the 
