Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

vious confumption had been very great. It was obferved, that the king, on being informed they were about to depart fhortly, made a kind of proclamation throughout the vil lages, requiring the people to bring in their hogs and vegetables, that his majefty might prefent them to the Orono, (a title of high honour, which had been bestowed on captain Cook) before he took his leave of the country.

Captain Cook, on the 4th of February, quitted Karakakooa Bay, with an intention of finishing the furvey of Owhyhee, and of proceed ing afterwards to the reft of the iflands, in queft of fome road which might afford better fhelter to the veffels; but a gale of wind arifing, the Refolution, in the courfe of a few days, had the misfortune to fpring the head of her foremaft in fo dangerous a manner, that it was was found neceffary to return to Karakakooa, to have it repaired. It does not clearly appear, from the accounts given of captain Cook's death, whether or not the natives were difpleafed with this fecond vifit. Captain King fays, "That our voyagers, upon coming to anchor, were furprised to find their reception very different from what it had been on their first arrival;" but Mr. Samwell, whofe veracity feems unquestionable, afferts, that he faw nothing which could induce him to believe, that there was any change in the difpofition or behaviour of the inhabitants. It is, however, certain, that fome acts of theft committed by the islanders, and the attempts of the English to punish them, and recover their property, were the preludes to that unhappy commotion, which deprived the British navy of one of its brighteft or naments, and our illuftrious navigator of his life.

Thefe people had, it feems, a ftrong propenfity to thieving; and

one of them having been detected in carrying off the armourer's tongs from the forge, was punifhed with a pretty fevere flogging, and fent out of the fhip. But this example did not deter another, who, having fnatched the tongs and chiffel from the fame place, jumped overboard with them, and fwam for the fhore. The mafter and a midshipman were inftantly dispatched after him in the fmall cutter, upon which the Indian made for a canoe, where he was taken on board by one of his coun trymen; and though feveral muskets were fired at them, they foon got out of the reach of the fhot, and efcaped. Pareah, one of their chiefs, afterwards brought back the stolen articles, but on his return, being met by the Refolution's pinnace, with five men in her, who infifted upon having the thief delivered up, or the canoe which had taken him in, a fcuffle enfued, and the natives began topelt the English with stones. This commotion, was, however, quelled by the interference of Pareah; but another circumstance of the fame kind foon after occurred, which widened the hoftile breach. Some of the iflanders found means in the night-time to take away the Difcovery's large cutter, which lay fwamped at the buoy of one of her anchors, and he was not miffed till the next morning, Sunday, February 14th. When captain Clerk had informed captain Cook of this event, he returned on board, with orders for the launch and fmall cutter to go, under the command of the fecond lieutenant, and to lie off the eaft fide of the bay, to intercept all canoes that might attempt to get out; and, if found neceffary, to fire upon them. The third lieutenant of the Refolution, with the launch and fmall cutter, was fent on the fame fervice, at the fame time, to the oppofite fide of the bay, and the mafter was dispatched in the large

cutter,

cutter, in purfuit of a double canoe already under fail, and making the best of her way out of the harbour.

It having been captain Cook's ufual custom in all the islands of the South Seas, when any thing of confequence had been stolen, to fecure the king, or fome of the principal crees, and to detain them as hoftages, until the property was restored, he refolved to adopt this method on the prefent occafion. For this purpose he left the fhip about feven o'clock, attended by the lieutenant of marines, a ferjeant, a corporal, and feven private men; the pinnace's crew were alfo armed, under the command of Mr. Roberts. As they rowed towards the fhore, captain Cook ordered the launch to leave her ftation at the weft point of the bay, in order to affift his own boat, which clearly fhews, that he was not wholly unapprehenfive of meet ing with refiftance. The natives, when he landed, flocked round him in great crowds, and fhewed him the ufual marks of refpect, by proftrating themselves; and being ig, norant of his intention, frequently afked him if he wanted hogs or provifions. The king, at length, came out of a houfe without hefitation, where he had been afleep, when the captain taking him by the hand, invited him, in a moft friendly manner, to go on board, to which he readily confented. In a little time, however, the islanders were obferved bufy in arming themselves with long fpears, clubs, and daggers, and in putting on thick mats, which they ufed as armour. This hoftile appearance became more alarming on the arrival of two men in a canoe, from the oppofite fide of the bay, with news of a chief having been killed by one of the Discovery's boats. By this time, the captain was furrounded by a great crowd, and thinking his fituation rather hazardous, ordered the lieutenant of

[ocr errors]

marines to march his small party to the water fide, where the boats lay, within a few yards of the fhore; the Indians readily let them pass, without offering the least moleftation. The distance they had to go might be about fifty or fixty yards; and captain Cook followed, having hold of the king's hand, who cheerfully followed, attended by his wife, two fons, and several chiefs. The younger fon, when they reached the pinnace, immediately ftepped in, expecting his father to follow; but just as the prince arrived at the water fide, his wife threw her arms about his neck, and with the affistance of two chiefs, forced him to fit down by the fide of a double canoe. Captain Cook expoftulated; but they would by no means fuffer the king to proceed, telling him that he would be affuredly put to death if he went on board.

A chief having been feen lurking near, with a dagger partly concealed, and another of the natives having made an attempt to wrench a mufket from the ferjeant of marines, captain Cook concluded, that as the Indians were becoming more daring, and tumultous, he could not take the king off by force without facrificing the lives of many of his people, he therefore refolved to act only on the defenfive; and to fecure a fafe embarkation for his fmall party, who were now clofely preffed by a body of feveral thoufand people. One man attempted to dart his fpear at captain Cook, who thereupon fired in his own defence; but miffing the perfon he aimed at, happened to kill another clofe to him, but who was equally forward in the tumult. The ferjeant, telling the captain of his mistake, received orders to fire at the affaffin, which he immediately did, and killed him. The impetuofity of the iflanders was by this time fomewhat repreffed; they fell back in feeming confufion, but beY 2

ing

ing pushed on by those behind, returned eagerly to the charge, and poured a volley of stones among the marines, who, without waiting for orders, returned it with a general difcharge of mufquetry, which was inftantly followed by a fire from the

boats.

Captain Cook, at this, was heard to express his aftonishment; he waved his hand to the boats, defired them to cease firing, and bade them come nearer in to receive the marines.What followed after this feems to have been a confufed fcene. The Indians, after the marines had fired, rufhed among them, and forced them into the water, where four of them were killed; and their lieutenant wounded.

We are now arrived at the affecting period of captain Cook's death; which, in our next, we fhall give in the exact words of Dr. Kippis.

MEMOIRS

OF

FREDERICK PILON, ESQ
[By our Correfpondent L.]

MR. PILON was born at Cork, in Ireland, 1750; and, at a very early age, was diftinguished, not only for claffical attainments, but for great oratorical abilities: he frequented a forum in Cork, where the force of his arguments, and the brilliancy of his elocution, frequently aftonished his hearers; although he was the youngest man belonging to that inftitution.

Before he reached his twentieth year, he was fent to Edinburgh, to tudy medicine: but finding little gratification in his attendance on lectures, and lefs in the infpection of anatomical fubjects, he at length turned to purfaits more congenial to his feelings; and Celfus and Cullen were neglected for Shakefpeare and Congreve: the dif-tafte

he had fhewn to medical studies was by this means turned into averfion; the reftraints of prudence were all forgotten, and he determined to indulge his ftrong propenfity to become a votary of Thalia, by going on the ftage. To his fuccefs, however, in this path, there were obstacles which genius could not fubdue, nor even industry remove; his voice was deficient in harmony, and his figure wanted grace and importance. He made his first appearance, at the Edinburgh theatre, in the character of Oronooko: his conception was good, and his difcrimination far be yond the medium of general acting; but his defects were fo obvious, that very fhort experience convinced him he could not fucceed.

Mr. Pilon now felt the confe quences of his imprudence, in the difpleafure of his friends; he was left without refource. But, though the itage denied him fame, he endeavoured to derive from it a com petence; he therefore continued to play, for three or four years, at most of the provincial theatres in the northern parts of England. At length, he returned to Cork, and appeared, one night only, in the Earl of Effex. It was now, that, yielding to the advice of fome judicious friends, he abandoned a profeffion for which Nature had not formed him.

In 1775, Mr. Pilon repaired to London, and, commencing literary adventurer, was engaged as paragraph writer by the late Mr. Griffin, a bookfeller in Catherine-ftreet, and then printer of two newfpapers; but, fcarcely had he congratulated himfelf on the comfortableness of his fituation, when the death of his employer again involved him in difficulty and diftrefs.

He still turned his thoughts to literary purfuits; and, foon after the death of his friend Griffin, he publifhed a critical effay on the character

character of Hamlet, as performed by Mr, Henderfon. That this was written with much judgment and acumen, need scarcely be faid; it procured him the friendship and patronage of the elder Colman, which he long retained.

After having publifhed feveral mifcellaneous productions, which afforded him neither fame por profit, he at length turned his thoughts to dramatic writing, in which he was encouraged by feveral principal performers, particularly Wilfon, late of Covent Garden theatre, for whofe benefit he compofed feveral trifling pieces. Encouraged in thefe, by a more than moderate portion of fuc cefs, he extended his plan; and, having luckily excited the manager's attention, in 1778, he produced his Invafion, or Trip to Brighthelmftone. In this piece, a well-timed ridicule was introduced, at the ex, pence of those who at that time feared a defcent from the French, on our coafts. A mock proceflion of fervants, armed with clubs and rakes, a thought fuggefted by Mr. Garrick, contributed much to the fuccefs of this piece; without taking, as may be conceived, from the merit of the author.

From this time, Pilon continued to woo the sprightly mufe, with va rious fuccefs: he generally caught whatever was floating in the public mind, and immediately adapted it to the stage. There appears, of courfe, in thofe productions more ingenuity than correcmefs; and more temporary allufion, than permanent humour. Of the pieces of this defcription, the following is a tolerably accurate lift. The Invafion, or Trip to Brighthelmftone, 1778;-Liverpool Prize, 1779;

The Illumination, or Glazier's Con fpiracy, a prelude, occafioned by the rejoicings on the acquital of admifal Keppel, 1779;-Deaf Lover, 780; Siege of Gibraltar, 1780;

Humours of an Election, 1780;

Thelypthora, a farce, written to ridicule Dr. Madan, 1780;Fair American, 1781;-Harlequin Touchstone, 1781;-Aerostation, a farce, 1784;-Barataria, an alteration from D'Urfey;-Don Quixote, 1785. Mr. Pilon was alfo author of the two alterations of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, and Winter's Tale; both of which were fuccefsfully played in 1786. He next prefented his much-admired comedy of He wou'd be a Soldier, to the Covent Garden manager; and I need not mention with what eclat it was received. Its novelty, and originality of character, rank it with the best comedies that have lately been produced.

Pilon was alfo author of the ode performed at Freemafon's Tavern, on the institution of the Irish Benevolent Society; various epilogues to different productions; and an unfinifhed play, entitled The Ward in Chancery-of which, owing to his ill ftate of health, not more than three acts are completed-which is left in poffeffion of his widow, a young lady of much merit, to whom he was united about five months previous to his decease.

I cannot defend his private failings; it must be acknowledged, that many of his years were spent in the purfuits of diffipation; those who live on the precarious revenues of chance, are often tempted to anticipate what fortune may not afterwards realize; thus lofing fight of that juftice which every man ought to render those who adminifter to his wants. Pilon frequently experienced the lofs of that half guinea which had been given to the luxury of the preceding day; and his at-tachment to venifon and turbot, has often compelled the omiffion of a more neceffary meal. His diffipation, however, was not of that kind which Johnfon has afcribed to Sa

vage-lonely, felf-gratifying, and obfcene; Pilon loved the festivity of the table: but, what is ftill better, he could fubdue his ruling paffion at the call of either friendship or neceffity. His feelings were tender, compaffionate, and huimane. His converfation was not diftin

guifhed by frequent fallies of wit yet thofe who had no cause for mirth, found much for admiration; he inftructed, if he did not enliven; his reafon was clear, and his diction copious.

He was buried at Lambeth in Jas nuary 1788.

REVIEW OF HISTORICAL BOOKS.

MEMOIRS AND TRAVELS OF MAU-
RITIUS AUGUSTUS COUNT DE

BENYOWSKY; MAGNATE OF THE
KINGDOMS OF HUNGARY AND PO-
LAND, ONE OF THE CHIEFS OF
THE CONFEDERATION OF PO-
LAND, &c. WRITTEN BY HIM-
SELF. TRANSLATED FROM THE

ORIGINAL MS. 2 VOLS. 4to. 21. 25.

ROBINSONS. 1790.

TH

HE tranflator of this work (Mr. Nicholson, author of an effay on Natural Philofophy and on Chymiftry) confcious that many circumftances in thefe Travels would admit of ferious matter of doubt, has added a Preface of his own; in which he has drawn feveral forcible conclufions, from Voyages and Travels of undeniable authenticity, with a view to establish the credibility of the Memoirs of count Benyowfky. How far he has fucceeded, we shall not here attempt to determine; it would be unfair to raise fufpicion, without proof: if the count, and the tranflator, have mifled, it is probably counterbalanced by the intereft and the entertainment with which thefe voJumes are replete.

The count gives a detail of his military operations in Poland; his exile into Kamchatka; his efcape and voy age from that peninfula through the northern Pacific Ocean, touching at Japan and Formofa, to Canton in China; and an account of the French fettlement he was appointed to form upon the island of Madagascar.

Mauritius Auguftus count de Benyowfky was born at Verbowa in Hun gary in 1741, of a noble family: at the age of fourteen he made choice of the profeffion of arms. He was prefent at the battles Lobolitzs, Prague, &c, in

756 and 1757, in the quality of lieu tenant. Some time in the year 1758, he was invited by his uncle into Poland, and became his heir. Soon after this event his father died; his brothers-inlaw oppofed by force his poffeffion of his Hungarian effates, but he had the addrefs to arm a part of his vassals against difpoffefs them. The delinquents were, them, and was fortunate enough to however, poffeffed of too ftrong an inAuence at the court of Vienna; and he was, by an unjult decree, not only dif poffeffed of his paternal eftate, but ba nished the realm.

In

In July 1767, he joined the confederation at Warfaw. He married the daughter of Mr. Henfkey; and was prefently called upon, unknown to his bride, to join the confederates. July 1768, he conducted a Polish regiment from Novitary to Cracow; and foon after, by very mafterly conduct, defeated a body of Ruffians at Kremenka, who had just repulfed the prince Lubominiky. This advantage was followed by the reduction of Lendfcroen, which the prince had in vain been fent to attack. By his great gallantry and addrefs, he was the means of introducing fupplies into Cracow, when befieged by the Ruffians; but while engaged in this fervice, he unfortunately, after receiving two wounds, fell him felf into the hands of the enemy. After rejecting the intreaties of general Apraxin to enter into the Ruffian fervice, he was ranfomed by his friends for nine hundred and fixty-two pounds; and conceiving himfelf, by this tranfaction, releafed from his parole, he again entered Cracow. As this city was judged to be no longer tenable by the confederates, count Benyowsky was commiffioned to feize the fortrets

of

« ForrigeFortsæt »