Langediu soon reappeared, fresh and lively as ever, reminded me of
Kadu's assertion, that the women of Ormed were the handsomest in Radack.
Some of them were really very attractive, and their flowery adornments
extremely becoming. These people have more taste than any other of the
South Sea islanders; and the manner in which the women dress their hair,
and decorate it with flowers, would have a beautiful effect even in an
European ball-room. When the actors had recovered from the fatigue of
their performance, dinner, which some of the females had been long
preparing in the hut, was served to us. Only a few of the persons
assembled enjoyed the honour of partaking our meal. Some of these were
females. The ground of Langediu's hut was covered with matting, on which
we sat, and the provisions were placed on clean cocoa-leaves in the
middle. Every one had a cocoa-leaf for a plate. Upon the dishes were
laid wooden spoons, with which the guests helped themselves,--an
improvement since my former visit to Radack, when their mode was to help
themselves from the dish with their hands. Langediu remarked, that the
order of his table pleased me, and said _Mamuan Russia mogai_ (the
Russians eat so). I rejoiced in the increased civilization denoted by
this more becoming mode of eating; probably introduced by Kadu, who had
seen it during his stay among us. I enjoyed a still greater pleasure,
when after the first course of baked and bread-fruits, came one of yams,
which I had brought hither from the Sandwich Islands. At Otdia, I had
been told that Lamari had carried away to Aur all the plants I had left
behind. I was therefore much surprised at the sight of the yams. They
perfectly supply the place of our potatoes, are wholesome and pleasant,
and, if cultivated with moderate industry, are a certain resource
against famine. Langediu told me, that Kadu had planted the yams on
Ormed, and after dinner showed me a pretty large field very well
stocked with them.
The delightful feelings with which I surveyed the new plantation may be
imagined, when it is recollected, that these poor islanders, from want
of means of subsistence, are compelled, assuredly with heavy hearts, to
murder their own offspring, and that this yam alone is sufficient to
remove so horrible a necessity. I might joyfully affirm, that through my
instrumentality the distressed mother need no longer look forward to the
birth of her third or fourth child with the dreadful consciousness that
she endured all her pain only to deliver a sacrifice to the hand of the
murderer. When she should clasp her child to her breast, and see her
husband look on it with a father's tenderness, they might both remember
"Totabu," and the beneficent plants which he had given them. I beg
pardon for this digression, and return to our dinner.
After the yams, a number of dishes were produced, prepared from the
powdered cocoa-wood, which is made with water into a thick paste, and
then baked in small cakes: it has no taste at all, and cannot be very
nutritious. A dessert of Mogan and Pandana juice concluded the repast.
The drink was cocoa-milk, sucked from a small hole made in the nut. The
conversation, in which the females, who are treated extremely well, took
part, was very lively, but perfectly decorous. I wished to understand
more of it: from single words, I inferred that they were speaking of the
ship and of the dramatic entertainment, and should have been glad to
have contributed my share to the general amusement. After I had
delighted the host and the amiable company by presents of hatchets,
knives, scissors, and necklaces, which latter were by no means in as
great estimation here as on the Navigators' Islands, I took my leave,
and returned early in the evening to the ship.
Time passed very quickly at Otdia, as it usually does when pleasantly
spent; and, to the great sorrow of our friends, the day of our departure
drew near. On Sunday the sailors were allowed to amuse themselves on
shore; and as there were some musicians among them, they carried their
instruments with them, to take leave of the islanders with a brilliant
musical festival. The jubilee that ensued exceeds all description. The
whole population of Otdia and the neighbouring islands assembled round
our tent, and the music acted upon them like Huon's horn in Oberon. They
danced and leaped about, sometimes hurrying the sailors into similar
antics, and forming altogether a scene which would have provoked the
most solemn philosopher to laughter. I was much pleased with observing
the cordial good-will that subsisted between the natives and my crew,
and with the reflection that this second visit would also leave on the
minds of the Radackers an impression favourable to white men.
The females looked on at a distance during these gambols. Decorum did
not allow them to mingle in them, and also restrained them from ever
visiting the ship.
Among the groups I observed a crowd of children assembled round an
elderly sailor, who was amusing and caressing them. He had been on duty
outside the tent ever since our arrival at the islands; and as the
Russians are particularly fond of children, these little creatures had
grown quite sociable with him. A pretty lively little girl appeared his
especial favourite. She was allowed to play him all kinds of tricks,
without being reproved; and even when she pulled him by the hair, he
pulled again, and seemed as much entertained as she was.
When the islanders learned the day fixed for our departure, they visited
us on board in greater numbers than ever, always bringing presents with
them. They spoke of parting with great sorrow, and earnestly pressed us
to return soon. With respect to the presents we had recently made them,
they expressed their fears that Lamari would again plunder them, when he
should learn that we had been there. I therefore commissioned Lagediak,
in the presence of a great number of islanders, to inform Lamari, from
me, that if he should ever presume to plunder the possessor of the
smallest article presented by us, whenever white men should again visit
Radack, they would, without fail, take signal and severe vengeance upon
him. He understood me, and promised to execute my commission.
Lagediak now seldom left me; and his grief at our approaching separation
was really affecting. On the morning of the appointed day, the 6th of
May, when we had begun to weigh anchor, he came in great haste in a
large canoe, and brought a number of young cocoa-plants. On my inquiring
for what purpose he intended them, he answered, that he wished me to
plant them in Russia, in remembrance of him. I then recollected his
having once asked me if cocoa-trees grew in Russia, and that I had of
course replied in the negative. He had then turned the conversation on
some other subject, and I thought no more of it. He had however resolved
on enriching my country with this fine fruit, and had reserved for the
day of our parting this last proof of his regard. I explained to him
that it was far too cold in Russia for the cocoa-trees to flourish, and
that for that reason I was unwilling to rob him of his plants. He
mourned much over the failure of his kind intentions, packed up his
plants again, and when he saw our sails spread and our departure
inevitable, took leave of us like a child that is forcibly separated
from beloved parents. To the rest of our friends we had bidden farewell
the evening before.
We sailed through the Schischmaref straits, and then between the Otdia
and Aur groups, whence we steered directly to the group Ligiep, in order
to lay down correctly its eastern coasts, for which, in my former
voyage, circumstances had been unfavourable. On the following day we
reached the southern edge of this group, and sailed near enough to see
from thence clear over to the northern. We then proceeded westward,
keeping always near enough to the islands to distinguish objects upon
them with the naked eye. I now plainly perceived that the course I had
taken in the Rurik had prevented my seeing the whole of this group; and
the result is, that it appears on the accompanying map, according to our
present correct survey, half as large again as I had before represented
it.
The inhabitants of Ligiep, on seeing the ship, directly put out to sea
from between the reefs, in a crowd of sailing canoes, to follow us, but
were too timid to come within cannon-shot. We lay-to, when they also
took in their sails, but contented themselves with contemplating us from
a safe distance; and as the favourable weather would not permit us to
waste more time, we continued our voyage without making farther attempts
to entice them to the ship.
On the north-west, of the group Ligiep we found several larger islands,
which, being covered with fine cocoa-trees, induced the supposition that
they may be more thickly peopled.
We also found, as is shown upon the map, two broad entrances to the
inland sea round which this group is scattered, which, after a very
accurate examination, appeared perfectly safe and convenient for the
passage of the largest ship of the line, since, according to their
direction, it is possible, by help of the trade-wind, to sail in and out
without tacking. There seems no doubt that the interior of this group
offers the best anchorage; and should any navigator wish to put into
Radack, I recommend this harbour to him as the most commodious.
At noon the north-west point of the Ligiep group lay about a mile off us
due east, and we found by a close observation the latitude to be 10° 3'
40" North, and the longitude 190° 58' 3".
Directly after this observation, I had all sail set, and steered with a
fresh wind to the north-west, in the hope of falling in with the group
Ralik.
As darkness came on, we again took in most of the sails, and endeavoured
to keep the vessel during the night as much as possible on the same
spot. With break of day we continued our voyage; but the weather,
hitherto so fine, now became very gloomy. The heavy rain permitted us
only to see to a short distance; and as no hope of improvement appeared,
I gave up the idea of visiting Ralik, and bent my course direct for
Kamtschatka.
We often thought and conversed upon the interesting inhabitants of
Radack, of whom we had for ever taken leave. Since this chain lies far
out of the course usually pursued by navigators in the South Sea, it
will not soon be visited again, and may in course of time be entirely
forgotten. Whether this will be for their benefit or their misfortune,
he who rules the destinies of man can alone foresee.
It is certain that the Radack chain has been peopled much later than
most of the South Sea islands; but whence, and at what period, is quite
unknown. If a conjecture may be hazarded, it would be, that the
inhabitants owe their origin to the Corolinas. They have no tradition on
the subject. Their language is quite different from all the Polynesian
dialects, and appears of more recent formation. Whence have these people
derived characters so much superior to those of other South Sea
islanders, many of whom, enjoying as fine a climate, and a more
bountiful soil, resemble beasts of prey? I attribute this in some
measure to the superior purity of manners among the females. Experience
teaches us, that wherever that sex is held in its due estimation, morals
are proportionably refined.
To be thus esteemed, woman must resist the attacks of licentiousness.
When she associates virtue with her other attractions, she will soon
obtain an influence over the most savage of the other sex; and thus have
the females of Radack contributed to form the amiable character of their
countrymen.
Other fortunate circumstances may have combined with this, to which the
ante-christian Tahaitians were certainly not indebted. It is justice,
however, to assert here, that, upon perfect conviction, I give a decided
preference to the Radackers over the inhabitants of Tahaiti.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,
Dorset Street, Fleet Street.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Namely English miles, of which sixty go to a degree, and four to a
German mile. Whenever, in this Voyage, miles are mentioned, English
miles are to be understood.
[2] The longitude is always calculated from Greenwich, in this work.
[3] "Formidable is man in his misguided zeal."
[4] The measurement given is two Russian wersts, of which one hundred
and four and a half make a degree, or, as nearly as possible, one and a
half make an English mile. The exact circumference therefore of the
lake, as given, is one mile and one third.
[5] Upon the maps, Lioné and Fanfouné; the termination in _h_ denotes,
in the Polynesian language, the accent upon the last syllable; as in the
Tahaitian name Pomareh.
[6] This group must not be confounded with _Otdia_ where we were at this
time.