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'HE

Y REVIEW.

, 1817.

story of the Voyages and Dis-
Pacific Ocean; illustrated with
James Burney, Captain in the
8 and 1816.

e Tonga Islands, in the South
Grammar and Vocabulary of
arranged from the extensive
Mariner, several years resident.
M.D. 2 vols. Svo. 1817.
ciety.

ly digest of the voyages in
lebrated expeditions of dis-
gn. For such an under-
e of local knowledge, as
ents. He accompanied
pupil was not unworthy
rare union of nautical
plain and seaman-like,
y kind, and the liberal
rable to his profession
the most interesting

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THE

QUARTERLY REVIEW.

APRIL, 1817.

ART. I. 1. A Chronological History of the Voyages and Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean; illustrated with Charts and other Plates. By James Burney, Captain in the Royal Navy. 5 vols. 4to. 1813 and 1816.

2. An Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean, with an original Grammar and Vocabulary of their language. Compiled and arranged from the extensive Communications of Mr. William Mariner, several years resident in those islands. By John Martin, M.D. 2 vols. Svo. 1817. 3. Transactions of the Missionary Society.

THE first of these works is a masterly digest of the voyages in

the South Sea, previous to those celebrated expeditions of discovery performed during the present reign. For such an undertaking the author possessed every requisite of local knowledge, as well as practical and theoretical acquirements. He accompanied Capt. Cook in his last two voyages, and the pupil was not unworthy of such a master. His book displays a rare union of nautical science and literary research; the manner is plain and seaman-like, as it should be; there is no affectation of any kind, and the liberal and humane spirit which it breathes is honourable to his profession and his country. The second work is one of the most interesting uarratives which we have ever perused.

In one of our early Numbers* we noticed the narrative of a four years' residence at Tongataboo; collected from the communications of a quondam missionary, by the Rev. Mr. Pigott. Mr. Mariner has been fortunate in meeting with a more competent editor, and being himself an observant as well as a respectable man, his recollections, aided by the well-directed curiosity and indefatigable diligence of his friend, have produced the fullest and most satisfactory account of a savage or semi-savage people ever laid before the public.

William Mariner, in the fourteenth year of his age, engaged as captain's-clerk in the Port au Prince privateer and whaler, going under the immediate protection of the captain, who had served his apprenticeship to the sea under Mariner's father. The lad's education had been better than is usually bestowed on those who are designed for this way of life: he had learnt some Latin and more

VOL. XVII. NO. XXXIII.

* Vol. iii. p.
440.
A

French,

French, and had made much progress in history and geography for his age. His spirit was adventurous, mind susceptible, active and eager for knowledge, and his disposition good. In February, 1805, he sailed for the South Seas. After many of those buccaneering adventures which aggravate the evils of war, without, in the slightest degree, affecting its decision or accelerating its end, the captain died, and the ship, not being permitted to enter the close harbour at Owhyhee, because there was a sick man on board, and the natives were apprehensive of contagion, bore away for Otaheite-taking on board eight of the Sandwich islanders, as she was in want of hands on account of a leak. The leak increased alarmingly they missed Otaheite by reason of an adverse current, steered therefore for the Friendly islands, and at the end of November, 1806, anchored at the N. W. point of Lefooga-where Captain Cook had anchored in May, 1777.

The natives came immediately on board with a present of provisions: a Sandwich islander was with them, who spoke English. He had sailed in an American to Manilla and from thence to these islands, where he had taken up his abode. This man endeavoured to convince them that the natives were disposed towards them in the most friendly manner. One of his countrymen on board thought otherwise, declared his opinion that treachery was intended, and advised Mr. Brown, the whaling master, who had succeeded to the command of the vessel, to send all the natives out of the ship, except a few chiefs. Brown was an imperious, wrong-headed and wronghearted man, and instead of attending to this prudent counsel, threatened to flog the poor fellow who gave it. The next day was Sunday, and the men, as they had been accustomed on Sunday, at whatever place they had touched, asked leave to go on shore. Brown replied that they might go to hell if they pleased, but that they should not go on shore till the work was done on board, for he had ordered them to careen the vessel. Presently nineteen of the men went ashore in defiance of him, and some of them took their clothes, meaning never to return to the ship,-for Brown had made himself greatly disliked by his tyrannical and brutal conduct. The day did not pass over without danger, but as the men took the alarm in time, Brown was roused to some little exertion: he objected to have so many armed natives on board: two chiefs, who were at that time preparing to massacre the crew, exerted themselves to clear the ship at his remonstrance, and the devoted victims thus obtained one night's respite from their fate. On the following morning about 300 natives came on board, and Tooi Tooi, the Sandwich islander, who was the main agent in the conspiracy, invited Brown to go on shore: he complied immediately, and went unarmed. About half en hour afterwards, Mariner, who was writing in the steerage,

came

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