be seen that the islanders of Otaheite possessed a considerable
number of the conveniences of life. Had they but been blessed with true
religion and a good government, they would already have had most of the
elements of a happy existence, without further intercourse with the rest
of the world.

That a life such as was apparently led by these South Sea islanders--a
life of comparative ease, and in a luxurious and enervating but inviting
climate--should have presented charms to such men as chiefly composed
the crew of the Endeavour, can excite no surprise. Rude, ignorant, and,
for the most part, vicious themselves, in spite of the boasted
civilisation of their country, they saw nothing repulsive in the
rudeness, ignorance, and vices of the dusky natives. On the other hand,
they were attracted by visions of indolence and savage freedom from
care. Some of them also had formed attachments not easy to be broken;
and they were willing to barter their distant homes, connections, and
prospects for the licentious pleasures so near at hand. It was very
difficult for them to resist these enticements; and notwithstanding the
vigilance of the commander of the expedition, two marines managed to
desert from the ship. In order to recover these deserters, Captain Cook
thought himself under the necessity of detaining several of the
principal people of the island on board the Endeavour. This led to
reprisals; for on a party being sent on shore to bring off the
deserters, they were, in turn, seized by the natives, who made it
understood that they should not be restored till their chiefs were set
at liberty. A stronger party was consequently sent from the ship, with
a message from Tootahah (one of the captives), desiring that the
Englishmen should be released. This, happily, had the desired effect,
and the deserters, as well as the other men, were immediately sent back.
Thus, in this, as in previous transactions, the prudence and mildness
of the islanders averted a quarrel which, had it proceeded to
extremities, would have left the civilised visitors little to boast of,
beyond the superior power they possessed. And it must be a source of
deep regret to every Christian reader that in the protracted intercourse
which had been carried on between these professed Christians on the one
hand, and the poor heathens on the other, not one attempt, so far as is
known, had been made to impart a knowledge of that glorious Being who is
the "Lig