Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Authentic And Interesting Narrative Of The Adventures Of The Mutineers
sugar from the remarkable fine sugar-canes which grew -m great abundance here , he made a still , and succeeded in the experiment ; but then , perceiving his own people were already inclined to animosity , and dreading that the produce of his labour migb . t'be the means of heightening those contentions by intoxication , and , perhaps , create different broils between the English and natives , the effects whereof miht have a fatal tendencyhe immediately broke the stilland thus
g , , terminated his labour 1 It is doubtful whether he is more deserving ¦ of praise for the ingenuity of his contrivance , or for his prudence in dissolving it . Certainly their situation was so critical that inebriety mig ht have been attended with dreadful consequences . So far had they now adopted the manners of the natives , that they not only had their meals at those stated periods which the natives
chose , but likewise imitated their manner of eating—using shells instead of knives . Some of the seamen were likewise determined to undergo the operation of tattooing , which consists in making figures on the body . by scarring , and is not only . painful ( whiledoing ) but exceedingly tedious . . In bearing those characteristic stains they thought to render
themselves the more agreeable to the inhabitants . The first who underwent this operation was John Sumner , and Oedidy , a chief , provided a person whose profession it was to perform it . The hinder part of his Joins and thighs were marked with black lines in various forms . These marks were ^ made by striking the teeth of an instrument which resembles a comb just through the skin , and rubbing a sort of paste made of soot and oil into the parts thus struck , wdtich leaves thereon
an indelible stain . Sumner made many wry faces during the performance , but he was afraid of incurring the ridicule and raillery of the natives by making any noise , therefore bore the pain of this dreadful operation with as much patience as he possibly could . Having been present a week before at the tattooing of a g irl about eleven years of agewho suffered those marks to be made on her thighs ,
pos-, teriors , & c . without betraying much agitation , he was consequently induced to be the more patient , for fear the chiefs ( who are very much inclined to wit and humour ) might insinuate that he could not bear as a man what the poor girl did who was a child . Sumner , after being thus stained , did not , however , go naked , agreeable to Christian ' s advice not to affect their manners all at once . After this a few
of the other men were tattooed . Heywood and Coleman likewise underwent the operation . These were marked in chequers , 'which are emblems of rank and distinction . The king of Otaheite had now tabooed hogs . This is , in fact , a kind of proclamation to prohibit the use of them , and the natives are so attentive to the restriction that on no account whatever would they disobey . His majesty ' s motive for this taboo was to give these ani- ?
mals an opportunity of encreasing , for , owing to the great consumption there had been lately of hogs , it was apprehended that without such restriction the useful commodity of pork would become scarce in the island . Previous to this there had been a general taboo upon
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Authentic And Interesting Narrative Of The Adventures Of The Mutineers
sugar from the remarkable fine sugar-canes which grew -m great abundance here , he made a still , and succeeded in the experiment ; but then , perceiving his own people were already inclined to animosity , and dreading that the produce of his labour migb . t'be the means of heightening those contentions by intoxication , and , perhaps , create different broils between the English and natives , the effects whereof miht have a fatal tendencyhe immediately broke the stilland thus
g , , terminated his labour 1 It is doubtful whether he is more deserving ¦ of praise for the ingenuity of his contrivance , or for his prudence in dissolving it . Certainly their situation was so critical that inebriety mig ht have been attended with dreadful consequences . So far had they now adopted the manners of the natives , that they not only had their meals at those stated periods which the natives
chose , but likewise imitated their manner of eating—using shells instead of knives . Some of the seamen were likewise determined to undergo the operation of tattooing , which consists in making figures on the body . by scarring , and is not only . painful ( whiledoing ) but exceedingly tedious . . In bearing those characteristic stains they thought to render
themselves the more agreeable to the inhabitants . The first who underwent this operation was John Sumner , and Oedidy , a chief , provided a person whose profession it was to perform it . The hinder part of his Joins and thighs were marked with black lines in various forms . These marks were ^ made by striking the teeth of an instrument which resembles a comb just through the skin , and rubbing a sort of paste made of soot and oil into the parts thus struck , wdtich leaves thereon
an indelible stain . Sumner made many wry faces during the performance , but he was afraid of incurring the ridicule and raillery of the natives by making any noise , therefore bore the pain of this dreadful operation with as much patience as he possibly could . Having been present a week before at the tattooing of a g irl about eleven years of agewho suffered those marks to be made on her thighs ,
pos-, teriors , & c . without betraying much agitation , he was consequently induced to be the more patient , for fear the chiefs ( who are very much inclined to wit and humour ) might insinuate that he could not bear as a man what the poor girl did who was a child . Sumner , after being thus stained , did not , however , go naked , agreeable to Christian ' s advice not to affect their manners all at once . After this a few
of the other men were tattooed . Heywood and Coleman likewise underwent the operation . These were marked in chequers , 'which are emblems of rank and distinction . The king of Otaheite had now tabooed hogs . This is , in fact , a kind of proclamation to prohibit the use of them , and the natives are so attentive to the restriction that on no account whatever would they disobey . His majesty ' s motive for this taboo was to give these ani- ?
mals an opportunity of encreasing , for , owing to the great consumption there had been lately of hogs , it was apprehended that without such restriction the useful commodity of pork would become scarce in the island . Previous to this there had been a general taboo upon