and pine-apple plantations luxuriating in the dark damp shady nooks.
Then there are large fields of the most vivid hues; the bird's-eye
pepper and tumeric are found growing like common weeds; while the piper
betel, the leaf of which is chewed with ripe or green pieces of the
areca-nut, is a most graceful plant, especially when loaded with its
long spikes of fruit. Sometimes it runs like a creeper along the
ground, and at others it climbs the stems of the palmyra and areca palms
in little patches, which are carefully guarded by rough paling. Great
attention is paid to the irritation of these spots, to insure a good
flavour in the leaves.

The cultivation of these various productions of the earth was certainly
very rude; but wherever I went I observed a greater approach to the arts
of civilisation than I expected, but more especially I was struck with
the immense resources of the country, the extreme fertility which
Providence has so bountifully bestowed on it, and the great reciprocal
advantages which the inhabitants would reap by a free commercial
intercourse with civilised countries.

When I became better acquainted with the people, I felt convinced that,
notwithstanding their many barbarous and cruel customs, they possessed
dispositions which, if properly cultivated by the introduction of the
true spirit and tenets of Christianity, and a firm and judicious
government, would form them into prosperous and happy communities. They
appeared to me, when I saw them unexcited by war, to be of a very mild
character, and most anxious to act rightly and honestly, according to
their notions, towards each other. Of course, I judged them by their
own standard of right and wrong, as I conceive the only fair way to form
a just estimate of the character of a people is to calculate the
advantages they possess. Alas! I fear that, were the behaviour of
Englishmen thus to be judged, their characters would often sink very
very much below the standard at which, in our conceit, we are too proud
of rating them.

We travelled on for several days into the interior. I tried to keep up
my spirits and an appearance of indifference, as I knew that thus I
should have a much better chance of being well treated by the natives,
than if I had appeared sick or out of humour. I trudged on, singing
when I could manage to screw my voice up to the proper pitch, sometimes
chewing a piece of cocoa-nut, and at others whittling away, as the
Americans