BOOKS.

CAPTAIN ERSKINE'S CRUISE AMONG THE ISLANDS OF THE WESTERN PACIFIC.*

ThE scene of Captain Erskine's cruise is those groups of islands and single islets in the Western Pacific which extend from the Navigators Islands in longitude 170 degrees West to New Cale- donia in 165° East, and which may rank among the most interest- ing and little known regions directly accessible by sea. The genius of Cook recorded their natural and social traits with a discri- minating sagacity which even now excites the admiration of those who follow in his track. Since Cook's day not much has been done to extend his observations, beyond Mariner's account of the Tonga or Friendly Islands. Navigators have touched at many of the places missionaries have settled or attempted to settle at them, and traders between Sydney and China have frequented the most interesting portion of the whole—the region which forms the Easterly extreme of Australasia, consisting of New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, and the New Hebrides. The results, however, have not corresponded with the apparent opportunities. From the traders, indeed, we were not likely to learn much : they were as corrupt, as bloody, and for all purposes of philosophical observation as ignorant, as the savages they visited and slaughtered. The missionaries, with some rare exceptions, were deficient in native penetration and largeness of mind, while their primary object naturally gave a colour to everything they saw, and as naturally predominated in their narratives. Some of them, however, have left valuable pic- tures of the mental state of the natural man though theology may be more conspicuous than philosophy. Either want of time or of taste has rendered many of the navigators less discriminating, and perhaps less impartial than might be wished. It has been reserved for Captain Erskine to exhibit the fullest and most interesting account of these islands since the great circumnavigator first described them. The object of the voyage and the change of cir- cumstances may be noted as advantages in Captain Erskine's fa- vour; but opportunities are useless to those who cannot use them.

The cruise was one of the first of its kind ; being intended as a sort of judicial circuit. Owing in part to the cupidity and treachery of the islanders, but a good deal more to the unprincipled and brutal character of whalers and other traders in these seas, the massacre of savages and sailors has gone on among the is- lands, especially among those that form the frontier lands of Australasia. The visits of ships of war to these places have hitherto

been casual. Captain Erskine's was a regular cruise for the purpose of observation and justiciary objects • and seems to be the begin- ning of an annual series, which, efficiently carried out, will be beneficial both to knowledge and humanity. The greater groups visited by Captain Erskine in his voyage of 1819, (for he made a second in 18500 were the Navigators, Friendly, Feejee, and Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, and some of the New Hebrides. A careful study of the works of his predecessors had made him familiar with the history and characteristics of the peoples so far as they could be ascertained from books. The size and equipment of his frigate, the absence of trading pursuits, and his position as a Queen's officer, (for none are better judges of character than many of these savages,) gave him great advantages in point of pres- tige; his own bearing, equally removed from undue familiarity and from the hauteur of the service, and above all, his reasonable sense of justice, appear to have made a favourable personal impres- sion upon the native chiefs. Every commander who visits the less frequented islands of the Pacific has opportunities of observation in plenty if he can benefit by them. The confidence inspired by a man whom the savage feels he can trust, gives greater opportuni- ties by more freely eliciting his traits. The opinion formed by Captain Erskine of the moral capability of the worst islanders whom he encountered is more favourable than that of many other navigators : if they were properly treated, he sees in them the germ of goodness. As regards their actual vices, especially their bloodiness, cruelty, and cannibalism his picture is darker than that of most other men. With that instinctive judg- ment of character which they possess, they have quickly seen that Europeans hold cannibalism in abhorrence, and have denied or softened the circumstances of the practice. The residence of the missionaries and other White men amongst them has enabled more information to be acquired about the real facts of the case. If truly reported—and there appears no reason for doubt—a dinner of human flesh in some of the islands seems as common a thing as game in Europe ; and the more unsophisticated justify the prac- tice on the plea of the want of the larger animals which Euro- peans have got. In the interior even of the Feejee Islands, and on state occasions, there are regular sacrificial feasts. Like other national customs' man-eating exists without injury to individual character beyond the range of its own effects. Navindi, one of the mildest-mannered and most respectable of the Feejeean chiefs, not very long before Captain Erskine's arrival went out to procure victims, as they ran short for the ceremony, and by means of a skilful ambush kidnapped fourteen women. Their cruelty, as in- indifferent as that of ignorant children towards animals, is horrible as described. superstitious usage is at the bottom, of much of

their herbarium though sometimes it may save life.

"The former Queen of Rewa, whose husband had been put to death du- ring the war, was pointed out to us at a neighbouring house : she was a

• Journal of a Cruise among the Islands of the Western Pacific. including the Feejees and others inhabited by the Polynesian Negro Races, in her Majesty's Ship Havannah. By John Elphinstone Erskine. Capt. R.N. With Maps and Plates. Published by Murray.

half-siater to Thakombau, and had escaped the usual death awarded to widows, in consequence of there being present no chief of higher rank than herself to perform the duty of strangulation, which cannot be executed in such a case by an inferior. This woman, now of middle age and very corpulent, bore marks nevertheless of the former beauty for which she was celebrated and which may be judged of from the likeness introduced into Captain Wilkes's narrative. Evidence of the extraordinary bloodthirsty character of this peo- ple's institutions met us at every step. Having pointed out to Mr. Calvert, when on the hill, two blocks of stone which had been hewn into rude pillars by apparently an European workman, nearly overgrown with grass, he be- sought me earnestly to take no notice of them; adding afterwards, that they were intended for a monument or mausoleum to the memory of Tance's father' but that their erection, if ever it should take place, would most cer- tainlybe accompanied by the sacrifice of at least two human victims, it being considered necessary that in works of such a nature, or even in the construc- tion of the house of a ruling chief, a man should be buried alive at the foot of each post, to insure the stability of the edifice."

Thakombau, alluded to in the above extract, is the most power- ful chief in the Feejee Islands; a man of magnificent presence, great resolution, and natural sagacity. There are freethinkers among the upper classes even at Feejee, and Thakombau is known "frequently to deride and reprobate many points of his people's faith as mere delusions." Policy or habit has prevented him from adopting Christianity, though he tolerates the missionaries, and he continues the practice of cannibalism ; in fact, it was by his orders that Navindi carried off the ladies. After receiving Captain Erskine, and committing the great impropriety (according to-Fee- jeean ideas) of interrupting a speech, when it touched too closely on cannibalism, he accompanied his guest on board the frigate. "After we had dined, the chiefs, observing some pistols in the boat, and always pleased to see the practice of arms of any description, proposed firing at a mark to pass the time. Having thrown overboard some of our empty bottles for theTurpose, I had much to do to save my specimens of Feejeean pottery from Navindi, who could not understand why we should throw away articles which appeared to him of great value, when such common utensils as those he had given to me were at hand. In spite of our efforts to keep ourselves awake, we were all heartily tired before we reached the ship at eleven o'clock. Our Feejeean friends were astonished at her size, the effeot of which was increased by the starlight, and on mounting the side seemed for a moment to lose their self-possession, crouching under the bulwark, appa- rently afraid to advance further. Having been informed, in answer to their anxious inquiries, that every person in the ship had been ordered to treat them as friends, they became reassured, and descended to the cabin, where mats were prepared for their beds and a space screened in for their occupa- tion. Their curiosity getting the better of their fears, they proceeded on a cruise about the main deck before repairing to their mats ; whence I heard them at intervals during the night discussing the wonders they had seen, and no doubt speculating on what was forthcoming on the morrow. "16th August.—Captain Jenner, who slept in one of the side-cabins, was awoke this morning by the awful-looking visage of Thakombau, who had begun early to gratify his curiosity by exploring all the corners of the ship, gazing intently upon him as he lay in his cot. Some of the officers' pea- jackets, which had been inadvertently handed from the barge into my cabin, had afforded him and Navindi the opportunity of appearing in what they evidently considered full dress, although the heat of the morning caused them to look very uncomfortable, and, soon after breakfast, to lay their adopted clothing aside, "In the forenoon we went to quarters, having previously. laid out a target (a hammock, with the figure of a man painted on it) against the face of a conspicuous rock on the beach, at a distance from the ship of 800 yards. Thakombau was evidently in great anxiety until the firing began, although he tried to conceal it; and when he saw the smallness of the target, expressed some incredulity as to the possibility of our striking such a mark. I fur- nished him with a spy-glass, and placed him on the bowsprit, where he was not incommoded by the smoke, Navindi, 'rui Levuka, and one or two of the latter's followers being also present. Either the first or second shot struck the figure on the head ; and, our men being in beautiful practice, scarcely once missed the rock, and a very few rounds were sufficient to knock the tar- get to pieces, which was replaced by one or two others in quick succession. Even the short time necessary for this was too much for Tbakembau'e im- patience, who had now worked himself up into a state of high excitement ; ' and he begged Us not to wait, pointing out, first, a man on the beach, and afterwards a canoe with several persons in her, as more worthy our expendi- ture of ammunition than the inanimate objects we had chosen ; evidently considering that his permission would be quite sufficient to satisfy our con- sciences, and surprised at our scruples. One or two shells, which burst with great precision, concluded the exhibition, which had greatly astonished all the chiefs. Thakombau, approaching Mr. Calvert, said, • This indeed makes me tremble ; I feel no longer secure. Should_ I offend these people, they have to bring their ship to Ball, where, having found me out with their long spy-glasses, my head would fall at the first shot !' Notwithstanding these professed fears, he was most pressing in his entreaties that I would take the ship to Ban; being desirous, doubtless, of exhibiting his powerful allies to his formidable neighbours of Viii Levu. "At the request of Thakombau I took him on shore to the rock against which our target had been placed, to examine the effects of the shot. Large fragments had been knocked off, and were lying on the beach ; some of the shot having been broken in pieces, and others, which we dug out, having buried themselves for several feet into the earth, which filled the fissures. Ile inspected these with a chuck, chuck' of astonishment ; which was in- creased by an old man bringing, a few hours later, a 68-pound shot, which, having glanced along the top of the rock, had fallen into the ditch of the

kolo,' or native village, about a mile distant by the beach, where he had been employed in digging his taro. The old fellow made no complaint, al- though he must have narrowly escaped with his life. • • *

"At dinner-time the chiefs seemed to have lost their appetites ; which was explained by the fact of their having already dined in both the gun- room and the midshipmen's berth, feeling, as they told some of the officers, more at their ease among the young people than at the chief's table. They, however, behaved very well affecting to praise our cookery and style of living ; and we afterwards made them several presents in return for those received at Bau. Thakombau seemed somewhat disappointed that I had no arms or ammunition to supply him with; but ample amends were made by Captain Jenner's gift of a laced scarlet coat and epaulettes, the full uniform of an officer of the Guards, which exceeded in magnificence anything he had over seen before, and was put on with great satisfaction. Navindi was gra- tified at the same time with a scarlet hunting-coat ; and Tui Levuke, who had made great friends with all the officers, especially with the midship- men, and had received from them many articles of clothing, had also a pre- sent of a few trifles allotted to him."

Notwithstanding the highly polished manners of the Feejee chief's, their strict attention to etiquette, and the high rank of Thakombau, he forgot himself before his departure, under strong temptation.

"After Mr. Calvert's departure I became anxious to get rid of my visitors, who seemed by no means disposed to leave me at leisure. It was intimated to them accordingly by Simpson, whom I had engaged to accompany us as pilot to Nandi and Bus, that, as I was going on shore to look at some timber which our people were employed in felling, (having been bought by Mr. Eannant from Tui Levuka,) I was desirous of wishing them farewell. A parting request for a bottle of brandy was delicately hinted on the part of Navindi ; which I granted on condition of its not being opened on board, where they had already been fully entertained; and we took leave, with many mutual professions of friendship. "On my return to the ship an hour or two afterwards, I was therefore not a little surprised at the scene which presented itself on entering the cabin. On an arm-chair, with his naked feet resting on another, sat Thakombau, in the guardsman's coat ; his turban, which had now been worn for three days without change, dirty and disordered ; whilst a self-satisfied leer on his bold features proclaimed that the brandy-bottle, which stood uncorked on the table, had been too great a temptation to withstand. On the deck, at his feet, sat, each with tumbler in hand, his boon companions Navindi and Tui Levuka, in the finest clothes they had acquired on board ; the group irresist- ibly reminding one of that described in Rob Roy as encountered by Mr. Osbaldistone and Baillie Jarvie at the clachan of Aberfoil. I pretended to take no notice of the party ; which probably hastened their departure in rather au unceremonious manner; Navindi, after corking up the remainder of the brandy, following Thakombau over the quarter of the ship into his canoe ; where, seated in a chair, (the only one he possesses, and tabued for his use,) we saw the chief, after they had shoved off, still dressed in uniform, em- ployed in attending the sheet,—a duty always performed by the principal per- sonage on board, but which I should have hardly thought him in a fit state to undertake."

The halo of romance which hangs over the Papuan Archi- pelago, if New Caledonia and the New Hebrides are included in the name, seems likely to be dissipated on further intimacy. The scenery, as beheld from the ship or from a distance, was often bold or beautiful ; but the soil does not appear to be fertile, the climate is not healthy, and the inhabitants have all the vices of the Western Polynesians without their strength of character or the variety and advance of their social condition. This is a picture from New Caledonia.

"We were very civilly received by Basset and his brother ; who had both visited Sydney and spoke a little English, the former sufficiently well to maintain a conversation tolerably without the aid of an interpreter. He willingly agreed to our proposal to accompany us for a few miles up the river, where he informed us he had another house, which he would be happy to show us ; and as we had not much time to spare, we started immediately, to profit by his invitation. Although the weather was not favourable, each turn of the river discovered new beauties, neat trimly-kept houses, standing often in very beautiful situations on its banks, with well-constructed land- ing-places, and a few trees placed in regular order on what appeared to be mown lawns. In one or two places I observed a human skull on the top of a pole planted in a provision-ground ; and was assured by Basset that they were the heads of friends preserved as a memento. As the chief, however, looked somewhat confused on giving me this explanation, I was induced to make further inquiry ; and found they were the heads of persons, generally Noreen, who had been caught in the act of breaking the 'tabu,' which, for the purpose of encouraging other cultivation, is periodically placed on the woos-nuts. From all we see, it is evident that this part of the country is not generally fertile ; but a degree of pains seems to be taken in its cultiva- tion that I never expected to see among savages. The face of the hills above the river is covered with rectangular fields, surrounded by channels for irri- gation, which, as far as can be seen from below, is conducted on a careful and scientific system, levels being carried from the streams, which at this season of the year afterwards flow into the river at intervals of a quarter of a mile."

Appended to Captain Erskine's narrative is an account of the Feejeeans by a seaman of the name of Jackson, who resided among them for two years. He was employed by the Captain as inter- preter, and at his wish wrote down in his intervals of leisure an account of his experiences among that people. Jackson appears to have been of a respectable yeoman's family in Sussex, with more education than belongs to the generality of common sailors. His narrative is curious, minute, and exhibitive of the daily life of the people. It has also an autobiographical interest, as showing the strange variety of scenes the European adventurers or deserters go through in the South Seas.