«(...), we were once more left to ourselves after having been for two months, which we spent amongst those Islands almost incessantly surrounded and crowded by the natives. On taking my leave of them and of the Sandwich Islands, I will not enlarge on their manners and customs, which are so faithfully recorded by Cook, Vancouver and others. Since then these Island have been much frequented, chiefly by Americans engaged in the N[orth].W[est]. trade, so that the knowledge of these Islanders has now become quite familiar. They are certainly an interesting and very ingenious people, full of superstition, void of the notions we have of morality, but perhaps, in their way, no worse than Europeans, who in many respects, have injured rather than improved their manners. Human sacrifices are said to be still performed, but they are not charged with cannibalism. I have frequently visited, and alone, distant parts of the several Islands we frequented, without the least sense of fear and know of no instance where offense was given by any of the natives.»
Tipp