The Public Orders Of
Governor Phillip Have Invariably Tended To Promote Such A Behaviour
On Our Side, As Was Most Likely To Produce This Much Wished-For Event.
To What Cause Then Are We To Attribute The Distance Which The Accomplishment
Of It Appears At?
I answer, to the fickle, jealous, wavering disposition
of the people we have to deal with, who, like all other savages, are either
too indolent, too indifferent, or too fearful to form an attachment
on easy terms, with those who differ in habits and manners so widely
from themselves.
Before I close the subject, I cannot, however, omit to relate
the following ludicrous adventure, which possibly may be of greater use
in effecting what we have so much at heart, than all our endeavours.
Some young gentlemen belonging to the Sirius one day met a native, an old man,
in the woods; he had a beard of considerable length, which his new acquaintance
gave him to understand, by signals, they would rid him of, if he pleased;
stroaking their chins, and shewing him the smoothness of them at the same time;
at length the old Indian consented, and one of the youngsters taking a penknife
from his pocket, and making use of the best substitute for lather
he could find, performed the operation with great success, and, as it proved,
much to the liking of the old man, who in a few days after reposed a confidence
in us, of which we had hitherto known no example, by paddling along-side
the Sirius in his canoe, and pointing to his beard.
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