because Schovten acknowledges that they had been engaged in commerce with
the Spaniards; as appeared by their having iron pots, glass beads, and
pendants, with other European commodities, before he came thither. He
also tells us that they were a very civilised people, their country well
cultivated and very fruitful; that they had a great many boats, and other
small craft, which they navigated with great dexterity. He adds also,
that they gave him a very distinct account of the neighbouring islands,
and that they solicited him to fire upon the Arimoans, with whom it seems
they are always at war; which, however, he refused to do, unless provoked
to it by some injury offered by those people. It is therefore very
apparent that the inhabitants of Moa are a people with whom any
Europeans, settled in their neighbourhood, might without any difficulty
settle a commerce, and receive considerable assistance from them in
making discoveries. But perhaps some nations are fitter for these kind
of expeditions than others, as being less apt to make use of their
artillery and small arms upon every little dispute; for as the
inhabitants of Moa are well enough acquainted with the superiority which
the Europeans have over them, it cannot be supposed that they will ever
hazard their total destruction by committing any gross act of cruelty
upon strangers who visit their coast; and it is certainly very unfair to
treat people as savages and barbarians, merely for defending themselves
when insulted or attacked without cause. The instance Captain Tasman
gives us of their delivering up the man who wounded his sailor is a plain
proof of this; and as to the diffidence and suspicion which some later
voyagers have complained of with respect to the inhabitants of this
island, they must certainly be the effects of the bad behaviour of such
Europeans as this nation have hitherto dealt with, and would be
effectually removed, if ever they had a settled experience of a contrary
conduct. The surest method of teaching people to behave honestly towards
us is to behave friendly and honestly towards them, and then there is no