ART. V.

Voyage de la Nouvelle Guinée, &c.-A Voyage to New Guinea, containing a Defcription of the Country, philofophical and moral Obfervations, and an Account of feveral Things relative to Natural Hiltory in the Animal and Vegetable Claffes. By M. SONNERAT, Under-Commiffary of the Marine. Enriched with 120 Plates. Paris, 1776.

TH

HIS Author, having defired to accompany the Chevalier Coetivi, who was fent in 1769 by M. Poivre, Superinten dent of the Ifles of France and Bourbon, to New Guinea, to procure a fupply of provifions and marine ammunition for thefe colonies, has given us here an inftructive and entertaining journal of his voyage. His ftyle is as lively and agreeable as his obfervations feem accurate and judicious, and we have read with pleasure his account of the productions of the different countries which he visited.

Paffing from the Ifle of France to the Manillas, or Philippine Ilands, he took occafion from the ftay the fhip's crew made there, to travel into the inland parts of the country, where the inhabitants (at least a great part of them) are free, and even live in a complete ftate of anarchy and independence. Such, among others, are the Negrilloes, who are fuppofed to be the original inhabitants, and are the most enthufiaftic lovers of liberty in the world; in confequence of which principle, they live without any fort of government. But this independence is far from contributing to their well-being, and their cafe fhews that even LIBERTY muft have its limits and modifications, without which, in the present state of human nature, it cannot be either a fource or an inftrument of felicity. For thefe free Manilians are not, on the whole, lefs miferable than their countrymen who crouch under the iron fceptre of the defpotic Spaniard. The two ftates are different; but they both exhibit fcenes of degradation and wretchedness. Man is neither in his natural ftate, when left to himself, nor when he is fubjected to a defpotic mafter; and our Author, who had obferved these two ftates, during his refidence among the inhabitants of this country, defcribes them thus, with great spirit and energy:

I knew (fays he) that one part of this people, who had been forced under the Spanish yoke, exhibited fome traits of an half-civilized nation; that the other, fierce, proud, and independent, were intirely favage; that the former languished in a ftate of indolence, without fufficient vigour either to perform virtuous deeds, or to perpetrate crimes, that laziness and timoroufnels conftituted their character, and that their permanent ftate was wretchedness; that the latter, impatient of all fubjection, and shocked at the very idea of any thing that looked

constraint, lived at the expence of the former, tore from the provisions that were neceffary to prolong their miferexistence, while they had neither ftrength nor courage to nd themselves; and that treachery, impudence, barbarity, rapacity, formed the character of this part of the nation. I knew all this, I ufed the precautions that were neceffary in >untry where one part of the inhabitants are always attackthe other, who never defend themfelves. I fet out from nilla the 26th of October, accompanied with fix Indians an interpreter: having made choice of the most resolute n I could find to escort me. About a day's journey from the ital we met with woods, without any traces of human society. mewhat farther, a few ftraggling Indians interrupted the proind filence of nature in this rude uncultivated region. Their ulders were covered with a goat's fkin, the reft of their boes was naked, they had a bow in the left hand, and a quiver arrows on their back. This race have haggard eyes, and an xious unsettled look: they live independent of all rule; and ough they poffefs nothing, yet either the idea of their having caped the yoke, that has been laid upon others, or some other rcumftance, infpire them with a kind of vanity, or some fenment which carries that appearance. They betake themselves

flight when a ftranger appears: they even fly from each ther; they live in no kind of fociety, but wander alone, stop where they happen to be when the darkness of the night approaches, and lodge in the hollow of the first tree they meet. They have not even any domeftic fociety, and know not either the endearments or even the name of a family. Nothing but the invincible force of nature can bend their intractable character to that temporary union that is neceflary for the propagation of the fpecies, and then the impulfe of appetite attaches them to the first female that they happen to meet with no charms of love embellish the fenfual moment, no sentiments of esteem render its after-tafte pleafing, though calm.-And is this (cries our Author, no doubt, with Rouffeau and fome others in his eye) that ftate, that has been fo extolled, as the natural and primitive ftate of man, for which alone he was created! O ye, who have uttered this ftrange paradox, do you think that the Wife and Benevolent Hand, to which he owes his existence, endowed him with fo many faculties, formed in his mind the fources of knowledge, and in' his heart the feeds of fo many noble affections, and all for no purpose but that he fhould lead the life of a brute.'

Our Traveller found, about two leagues from Calamba, in a fmall village, a rivulet, whose water was boiling hot, for Reaumur's thermometer being plunged into it, even at the distance of a league from its fource, rofe to 69 degrees. It was natural

to

to imagine that fuch a degree of heat would deftroy all the pro ductions of nature on the borders of this rivulet, and yet the Author found there, to his inexpreffible furprife, plants and fhrubs in the fulleft vigour, though their roots were steeped per petually in this boiling water, and their branches were furrounded with the thick vapour it fent forth, a vapour fo fuffocating the the fwallows, which ventured to pass over the ftream, even a the height of feven or eight feet, fell down motionlefs. The Spanish Governor has built feveral baths along the courfe of this rivulet, and M. Sonnerat was aftonished to see fish fwinming in a water, whofe heat was fo active and intenfe that he could not put his hand in it. He ufed all poffible means to procure fome of thefe fith, that he might fee to what species or clafs they belonged; but their extreme agility, and the want of dexterity in the Savages of that Canton, put it out of his power to catch even one; fo that all he could obferve was, that these fish had brown fcales, and were, generally fpeaking, about four inches in length. This account will, perhaps, appear incredible to fome; but to prevent their unbelief, the Traveller remarks, that if no body is furprised to see a man who has been ufed to from 20 to 25 degrees of cold in Ruffia, bear 60 degrees of heat within the Tropics, and 70 under the Line; what is there fo incredible in the cafe of an animal whofe natural point of temperature is 30 degrees?

The defcriptions which M. SONNERAT gives of the birds, fruits, plants, and other natural productions which he had obferved in the vaft archipelago of the Philippines, at Luçon, Cavité, Samboangan, Mindanoa, Xolo, and Pulo, are exceedingly curious; they are written with a masterly pen, and are illuftrated by above an hundred plates. The fertility and riches of this region are immense. The most delicious fruits of the West Indies, as well as of the East, grow there in the greatest plenty; and many that are no where else to be found are here in abundance. Forty different kinds of palm-trees, the mot excellent cocoas, and the best caffia enrich their vallies, cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves grow wild upon the mountains, woods of ebony, and other excellent timber, are common in thefe iflands, amber is thrown upon their coafts, and frequently ambergrife alfo, in prodigious quantities, and in pieces fome times of fifty pounds weight; while, in every part of the Manillas, gold is to be found on the mountains, in the mould of the vallies, and alfo in the fand and the mud of their lakes, brooks, and rivers. That we may not be tempted to extend this extract beyond due bounds, we must refer to the book for a more cir cumftantial account of thefe natural productions. The Reader will find, in perufing this entertaining voyage, a ftrange contraft between the appearances of material and intellectual nature, phy

C

cal and moral beings in these famous iflands. But we cannot help ›mmunicating the account of the prefent king of the ifle of Yolo, hich forms a very agreeable digreffion in the work before us. Yolo, or Xolo, is an island of no great extent, at the difnce of about 60 leagues from Samboangon; but it is remarkole for its ftrength, and for the happiness of its inhabitants nder the government of a prince, who is attentive to their well-being, and is the object of their affection. This prince as, by his capacity and spirit, rendered himself formidable to is neighbours, and has fubjected to his dominion the people hat inhabit the coafts of the Ifle of Borneo. All the kings of he neighbouring iflands are his tributaries. The Ifle of Baittan or Bafilan, which is fituated between Xolo and Mindaoa, belongs to him, and he has vefted the fovereignty of that fland in one of his fons. The king of Xolo, were he poffeffed of more extenfive territories, would probably make the fame Agure in India that the Ruffian Czar Peter I. made in Europe. These two men, both born chiefs of a rude unpolished people, both deftitute of the advantages of a good education, without any model to form their fentiments or direct their conduct, infpired by a kind of inftinet, and guided by native genius alone, conceived the fame ideas, and ftruck out the fame plan, in fimilar circumftances, and only unequal in power and poffeffions. The king of Xolo defcended from his throne, that he might learn the art of government, and thus re-afcend it with new dignity. He employed the first years of his reign in travelling. He went first to Batavia, the capital of the Dutch fettlements in the Moluccas, and there he concealed his name, and his rank, with the greatest care. He affociated firft with the failors to learn the art of piloting. He afterwards ferved in the shop of a carpenter, to make himself thoroughly acquainted with all the branches of that bufinefs. He bought all the inftruments and tools used by carpenters and mafons, and particularly thofe employed in hufbandry and agriculture; and carried with him this truly precious treasure into his island; and having himself learned the manner of employing them, taught it to his fubjects, like a new Triptolemus. After he had thus furnished the inhabitants of his ifland with the means of fupplying the most urgent wants and demands of nature, he turned his views to their improvement in knowledge, and in the arts and occupations of civilized life. He made a voyage to Mecca; learned there the Arabic tongue, ftudied the law of Mahomet, and on his return home brought with him the cyphers and characters that are employed in writing; and introduced the ufe of coin, which is unknown in the reft of the Philippine lands.

In the Isle of Borneo is a mine of diamonds, which has been long known. The Dutch, in quality of protectors of the

prince to whom this mine belonged, affumed the exercife d his authority, and with it also took the mine into their hand. As the king of Xolo, after he had finished his travels, extenda his power at home, made conquefts among his neighbours, and became mafter of a part of the coafts of the Ifle of Borneo, be formed the project of feizing upon this mine of diamonds, which, in fact, has been placed in the hands of the Dutch, though it belongs ftill, nominally, and in appearance, to its lawful proprietor. With a view to the execution of this project the king of Xolo declared war againft the monarch of Bor. neo; but he was repulfed by the Dutch, who appeared in the field only as auxiliaries, though in reality they fought for themfelves. The king of Xolo foon became fenfible that without cannon, or fire-arms of any kind, it was impoffible to fucceed against an enemy well furnished with thefe inftruments of deftruction. Accordingly he fufpends the execution of his project, returns into his country, affembles his council, and propofes to purchase fire arms from the Spaniards, with whom he had lately concluded a treaty of peace. His defign being applauded he fets out for Manilla, with his wife, his children, who were all young, the captain of his guards, fix warriors, and carries along with him feveral commodities to traffic with by exchange. He could not conceive that fuch an inconfiderable retinue would render him formidable, or even create fufpicion. Nevertheless, no fooner did he land on the Spanish territories, than he was invefted, feized, accufed of a defign to furprise the city of Manilla, and in confequence thereof tried and condemned to prifon. This unhappy prince was an Indian, and had brought with him great riches; and this was fufficient to make him pafs for guilty. He was even efteemed guilty in the judgment of the pretended minifters of peace,, whom the European princes fent to preach Chriftianity in these parts of the globe. Among others the Jefuits were his moft inveterate and cruel enemies.

M. Poivre was touched with compaffion at this cruel treatment of a prince in whofe conduct there were neither proofs nor appearances of guilt; he fupplied the perfecuted prifoner with money, vifited him frequently, and procured him all the affiftance in his power. In the mean time the subjects of the confined prince, whofe furprise at his long abfence grew into fufpicion, affliction, and refentment, took arms, fet out in queft of him, and proceeded to the very neighbourhood of Manilla, plundering and laying wafte the places through which they paffed. The adjacent ifles became the theatre of their vengeance, and the inhabitants of the country fuffered for the injustice and cruelty of the capital. The governor of Manilla, intimidated even in the midft of his fortrefs, complained of thefe proceedings