A VOYAGE TO 
230 
1778. 
February. 
very fociably in their interconrfe with one another; and, 
except the propenfity to thieving, which feems innate in 
moft of the people we have vifited in this ocean, they were 
exceedingly friendly to us. And it does their fenfibility no 
little credit, without flattering ourfelves, that when they 
faw the various articles of our European manufacture, they 
could not help exprefling their furprize, by a mixture of joy 
and concern, that feemed to apply the cafe, as a leflon of 
humility to themfelves; and, on all occaflons, they ap¬ 
peared deeply imprefled with a confcioufnefs of their own 
inferiority ; a behaviour which equally exempts their na¬ 
tional character from the prepofterous pride of the more 
polifhed Japanefe, and of the ruder Greenlander. It was a 
pleafure to obferve with how much affeCtion the women 
managed their infants, and how readily the men lent their 
afliftance to fuch a tender office; thus fufficiently diftin- 
guifhing themfelves from thofe favages, who efteem a wife 
and child as things rather neceflary, than defirable, or 
worthy of their notice. 
From the numbers which we faw collected at every vil¬ 
lage, as we failed paft, it may be fuppofed, that the in¬ 
habitants of this ifland are pretty numerous. Any com¬ 
putation, that we make, can be only conjectural. But, 
that fome notion may be formed, which fliall not greatly 
err on either fide, I would fuppofe, that, including the 
itraggling houfes, there might be, upon the whole ifland, 
fixty fuch villages, as that before which we anchored; 
and that, allowing five perfons to each houfe, there 
would be, in every village, five hundred; or thirty thou- 
fand upon the ifland. This number is, certainly, not 
exaggerated; for we had fometimes three thoufand per¬ 
fons, at leaft, upon the beach ; when it could not be fup- 
3 pofed, 
1 
