a complete account of the settlement-第4章

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ut　the　body　into　it；　covering　it　also　with　grass；　and　then　he　filled　up　the　hole；　and　raised　over　it　a　small　mound　with　the　earth　which　had　been　removed。　　Here　the　ceremony　ended；　unaccompanied　by　any　invocation　to　a　superior　being；　or　any　attendant　circumstance　whence　an　inference　of　their　religious　opinions　could　be　deduced。

＇*No　solution　of　this　difficulty　had　been　given　when　I　left　the　country；　in　December；　1791。　　I　can；　therefore；　only　propose　queries　for　the　ingenuity　of　others　to　exercise　itself　upon：　　is　it　a　disease　indigenous　to　the　country？　Did　the　French　ships　under　Monsieur　de　Peyrouse　introduce　it？　　Let　it　be　remembered　that　they　had　now　been　departed　more　than　a　year；　and　we　had　never　heard　of　its　existence　on　board　of　them。　　Had　it　travelled　across　the　continent　from　its　western　shore；　where　Dampier　and　other　European　voyagers　had　formerly　landed？　　Was　it　introduced　by　Mr。　Cook？　　Did　we　give　it　birth　here？　　No　person　among　us　had　been　afflicted　with　the　disorder　since　we　had　quitted　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　seventeen　months　before。　It　is　true；　that　our　surgeons　had　brought　out　variolous　matter　in　bottles；　but　to　infer　that　it　was　produced　from　this　cause　were　a　supposition　so　wild　as　to　be　unworthy　of　consideration。＇


An　uninhabited　house；　near　the　hospital；　was　allotted　for　their　reception；　and　a　cradle　prepared　for　each　of　them。　　By　the　encouragement　of　Arabanoo；　who　assured　them　of　protection；　and　the　soothing　behaviour　of　our　medical　gentlemen；　they　became　at　once　reconciled　to　us；　and　looked　happy　and　grateful　at　the　change　of　their　situation。　　Sickness　and　hunger　had；　however；　so　much　exhausted　the　old　man；　that　little　hope　was　entertained　of　his　recovery。　　As　he　pointed　frequently　to　his　throat；　at　the　instance　of　Arabanoo；　he　tried　to　wash　it　with　a　gargle　which　was　given　to　him；　but　the　obstructed；　tender　state　of　the　part　rendered　it　impracticable。　'Bado；　bado'　（water）；　was　his　cry：　　when　brought　to　him；　he　drank　largely　at　intervals　of　it。　　He　was　equally　importunate　for　fire；　being　seized　with　shivering　fits；　and　one　was　kindled。　　Fish　were　produced；　to　tempt　him　to　eat；　but　he　turned　away　his　head；　with　signs　of　loathing。　Nanbaree　（the　boy）；　on　the　contrary；　no　sooner　saw　them　than　he　leaped　from　his　cradle；　and　eagerly　seizing　them；　began　to　cook　them。　　A　warm　bath　being　prepared；　they　were　immersed　in　it；　and　after　being　thoroughly　cleansed；　they　had　clean　shirts　put　on　them；　and　were　again　laid　in　bed。

The　old　man　lived　but　a　few　hours。　　He　bore　the　pangs　of　dissolution　with　patient　composure；　and　though　he　was　sensible　to　the　last　moment；　expired　almost　without　a　groan。　　Nanbaree　appeared　quite　unmoved　at　the　event；　and　surveyed　the　corpse　of　his　father　without　emotion；　simply　exclaiming；　'boee'　（dead）。　　This　surprised　us；　as　the　tenderness　and　anxiety　of　the　old　man　about　the　boy　had　been　very　moving。　　Although　barely　able　to　raise　his　head；　while　so　much　strength　was　left　to　him；　he　kept　looking　into　his　child's　cradle；　he　patted　him　gently　on　the　bosom；　and；　with　dying　eyes；　seemed　to　recommend　him　to　our　humanity　and　protection。　　Nanbaree　was　adopted　by　Mr。　White；　surgeon…general　of　the　settlement；　and　became　henceforth　one　of　his　family。

Arabanoo　had　no　sooner　heard　of　the　death　of　his　countryman；　than　he　hastened　to　inter　him。　　I　was　present　at　the　ceremony；　in　company　with　the　governor；　captain　Ball；　and　two　or　three　other　persons。　　It　differed；　by　the　accounts　of　those　who　were　present　at　the　funeral　of　the　girl；　in　no　respect　from　what　had　passed　there　in　the　morning；　except　that　the　grave　was　dug　by　a　convict。　　But　I　was　informed；　that　when　intelligence　of　the　death　reached　Arabanoo；　he　expressed　himself　with　doubt　whether　he　should　bury；　or　burn　the　body；　and　seemed　solicitous　to　ascertain　which　ceremony　would　be　most　gratifying　to　the　governor。

Indeed；　Arabanoo's　behaviour；　during　the　whole　of　the　transactions　of　this　day；　was　so　strongly　marked　by　affection　to　his　countryman；　and　by　confidence　in　us；　that　the　governor　resolved　to　free　him　from　all　farther　restraint；　and　at　once　to　trust　to　his　generosity；　and　the　impression　which　our　treatment　of　him　might　have　made；　for　his　future　residence　among　us：　　the　fetter　was　accordingly　taken　off　his　leg。

In　the　evening；　captain　Ball　and　I　crossed　the　harbour；　and　buried　the　corpse　of　the　woman　before　mentioned。

Distress　continued　to　drive　them　in　upon　us。　　Two　more　natives；　one　of　them　a　young　man；　and　the　other　his　sister；　a　girl　of　fourteen　years　old；　were　brought　in　by　the　governor's　boat；　in　a　most　deplorable　state　of　wretchedness　from　the　smallpox。　　The　sympathy　and　affection　of　Arabanoo；　which　had　appeared　languid　in　the　instance　of　Nanbaree　and　his　father；　here　manifested　themselves　immediately。　　We　conjectured　that　a　difference　of　the　tribes　to　which　they　belonged　might　cause　the　preference；　but　nothing　afterwards　happened　to　strengthen　or　confirm　such　a　supposition。　The　young　man　died　at　the　end　of　three　days：　　the　girl　recovered；　and　was　received　as　an　inmate；　with　great　kindness；　in　the　family　of　Mrs　Johnson；　the　clergyman's　wife。　　Her　name　was　Booron；　but　from　our　mistake　of　pronunciation　she　acquired　that　of　Abaroo；　by　which　she　was　generally　known；　and　by　which　she　will　always　be　called　in　this　work。　She　shewed；　at　the　death　of　her　brother　more　feeling　than　Nanbaree　had　witnessed　for　the　loss　of　his　father。　　When　she　found　him　dying；　she　crept　to　his　side；　and　lay　by　him　until　forced　by　the　cold　to　retire。　No　exclamation；　or　other　sign　of　grief；　however；　escaped　her　for　what　had　happened。

May　1789。　　At　sunset；　on　the　evening　of　the　2d　instant；　the　arrival　the　'Sirius'；　Captain　Hunter；　from　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　was　proclaimed；　and　diffused　universal　joy　and　congratulation。　　The　day　of　famine　was　at　least　procrastinated　by　the　supply　of　flour　and　salt　provisions　she　brought　us。

The　'Sirius'　had　made　her　passage　to　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　by　the　route　of　Cape　Horn；　in　exactly　thirteen　weeks。　　Her　highest　latitude　was　57　degrees　10　minutes　south；　where　the　weather　proved　intolerably　cold。　　Ice；　in　great　quantity；　was　seen　for　many　days；　and　in　the　middle　of　December　（which　is　correspondent　to　the　middle　of　June；　in　our　hemisphere）；　water　froze　in　open　casks　upon　deck；　in　the　moderate　latitude　of　44　degrees。

They　were　very　kindly　treated　by　the　Dutch　governor；　and　amply　supplied　by　the　merchants　at　the　Cape；　where　they　remained　seven　weeks。　　Their　passage　back　was　effected　by　Van　Diemen's　Land；　near　which；　and　close　under　Tasman's　Head；　they　were　in　the　utmost　peril　of　being　wrecked。

In　this　long　run；　which　had　extended　round　the　circle；　they　had　always　determined　their　longitude；　to　the　greatest　nicety；　by　distances　taken　between　the　sun　and　moon；　or　between　the　moon　and　a　star。　　But　it　falls　to　the　lot　of　very　few　ships　to　possess　such　indefatigable　and　accurate　observers　as　Captain　Hunter；　and　Mr。　（now　Captain）　Bradley；　the　first　lieutenant　of　the　'Sirius'。

I　feel　assured；　that　I　have　no　reader　who　will　not　join　in　regretting　the　premature　loss　of　Arabanoo；　who　died　of　the　smallpox　on　the　18th　instant；　after　languishing　in　it　six　days。　　From　some　imperfect　marks　and　indents　on　his　face；　we　were　inclined　to　believe　that　he　had　passed　this　dreaded　disorder。　　Even　when　the　first　symptoms　of　sickness　seized　him；　we　continued　willing　to　hope　that　they　proceeded　from　a　different　cause。　But　at　length　the　disease　burst　forth　with　irresistible　fury。　It　were　superfluous　to　say；　that　nothing　which　medical　skill　and　unremitting　attention　could　perform；　were　left　unexerted　to　mitigate　his　sufferings；　and　prolong　a　life；　which　humanity　and　affectionate　concern　towards　his　sick　compatriots；　unfortunately　shortened。

During　his　sickness　he　reposed　entire　confidence　in　us。　　Although　a　stranger　to　medicine；　and　nauseating　the　taste　of　it；　he　swallowed　with　patient　submission　innumerable　drugs；*　which　the　hope　of　relief　induced　us　to　administer　to　him。　　The　governor；　who　particularly　regarded　him；　caused　him　to　be　buried　in　his　own　garden；　and　attended　the　funeral　in　person。

＇*Very　different　had　been　his　conduct　on　a　former　occasion　of　a　similar　kind。　Soon　after　he　was　brought　among　us　he　was　seized　with　a　diarrhoea；　for　which　he　could　by　no　persuasion　be　induced　to　swallow　any　of　our　prescriptions。　　After　many　ineffectual　trials　to　deceive；　or　overcome　him；　it　was　at　length　determined　to　let　him　pursue　his　own　course；　and　to　watch　if　he　should　apply　for　relief　to　any　of　the　productions　of　the　country。　　He　was　in　consequence　observed　to　dig　fern…root；　and　to　chew　it。　　Whether　the　disorder　had　passed　its　crisis；　or　whether　the　fern…root　effected　a　cure；　I　know　not；　but　it　is　certain　that　he　became　speedily　well。

**The　regard　was　reciprocal。　　His　excellency　had　been　ill　but　a　short　time　before；　when　Arabanoo　had　testified　the　utmost　solicitude　for　his　case　and　recovery。　　It　is　probable　that　he　acquired；　on　this　occasion；　just　notions　of　the　benefit　to　be　derived　from　medical　assistance。　A　doctor　is；　among　them；　a　person　of　consequence。　　It　is　certain　that　he　latterly　estimated　our　professional　gentlemen　very　highly。＇

The　character　of　Arabanoo；　as　far　as　we　had　developed　it；　was　distinguished　by　a　portion　of　gravity　and　steadiness；　which　our　subsequent　acquaintance　with　his　countrymen　by　no　means　led　us　to　conclude　a　national　characteristic。　In　that　daring；　enterprising　frame　of　mind；　which；　when　combined　with　genius；　constitutes　the　leader　of　a　horde　of　savages；　or　the　ruler　of　a　people；　boasting　the　power　of　discrimination　and　the　resistance　of　ambition；　he　was　certainly　surpassed　by　some　of　his　successors；　who　afterwards　lived　among　us。　　His　countenance　was　thoughtful；　but　not　animated：　his　fidelity　and　gratitude；　particularly　to　his　friend　the　governor；　were　constant　and　undeviating；　and　deserve　to　be　recorded。　Although　of　a　gentle　and　placable　temper；　we　early　discovered　that　he　was　impatient　of　indignity；　and　allowed　of　no　superiority　on　our　part。　He　knew　that　he　was　in　our　power；　but　the　independence　of　his　mind　never　forsook　him。　　If　the　slightest　insult　were　offered　to　him；　he　would　return　it　with　interest。　　At　retaliation　of　merriment　he　was　often　happy；　and　frequently　turned　the　laugh　against　his　antagonist。　He　did　not　want　docility；　but　either　from　the　difficulty　of　acquiring　our　language；　from　the　unskillfulness　of　his　teachers；　or　from　some　natural　defect；　his　progress　in　learning　it　was　not　equal　to　what　we　had　expected。　　For　the　last　three　or　four　weeks　of　his　life；　hardly　any　restraint　was　laid　upon　his　inclinations：　　so　that　had　he　meditated　escape；　he　might　easily　have　effected　it。　　He　was；　perhaps；　the　only　native　who　was　ever　attached　to　us　from　choice；　and　who　did　not　prefer　a　precarious　subsistence　among　wilds　and　precipices；　to　the　comforts　of　a　civilized　system。

By　his　death；　the　scheme　which　had　invited　his　capture　was　utterly　defeated。　Of　five　natives　who　had　been　brought　among　us；　three　had　perished　from　a　cause　which；　though　unavoidable；　it　was　impossible　to　explain　to　a　people；　who　would　condescend　to　enter　into　no　intercourse　with　us。　　The　same　suspicious　dread　of　our　approach；　and　the　same　scenes　of　vengeance　acted　on　unfortunate　stragglers；　continued　to　prevail。




CHAPTER　V。