The Sun.
London, England, 1806-02-06 00:00:00

A ccp T.,7sr: of the
_viva of the. §'4:YpTV.TCIZ

IsLANDs.

Tres' Sandwich Kinds are at this period, under
the don-Ili-lion of Tarpahlma, another Bonaparte-and.
Peter the Great Conjoined in one, whois at once ex.-
tending his power' over -all
this neighbours; and `urg-'
fbrward the civilization Of hispcople With amaz-
ing aaivity. .:All the Sandwich Islands are now re-
duced under *his pewer, with the exdeption of two
small ones to -the north Ward, .✓[iich are still held by'
the rightful king, a pritice rendered moderate and'
just by adversity..
Among other remarkable particulars of this'Un-
fortunate monarch, Our author Mentions 'that he
spoke the. English .languag-6;wit4_considerable ease.,
He professed' a high . . ion,,
and as proof of it had taken. to himseleihe rarne'of
King George, and to his children, who were Mime-
rous, he had given those of the present Royal
Family' in Britain, beginning with the Prince- of
Wales, and desCenlng to the, youngest branch of
that Fainly.
. . . .
This prinde and his folloWers, by the assistance of
some Enzlishmen.residing ainong them, Constructed
a ship in which they in-tend to .emigrate to China,
or to some other island, .in case Tamahama should
invade and 'overpower them. ,
, . .
Tamahama is one Of those remarkable charaaers
o'xing to . a combination of fortunate
cit-
cuinstances, become, as it Nvere, land-marks in the
history of their-species, _ , • -
We shall extractthe account giien of him for the
entertainment of our-Readers : - •
"His palace is built after the European
.style, of
brick, and,,glazO haVing Eiiiopnn an'd
American artificers about him of ahnost, every de-
' scription. Indeed his:own subjeas, from their.in-
tercourse with Europeans, have acquired a, great
knowledge 'Of several of the mechanicM arts, and
have thus-enabled him to. increase his navy, a very
favourite obje& with him. '• I• have no doubt that in
a very few years he' will ere& among these Islands
a power very far from despicable.
.The circumstances of this enterprising Chief
were greatly changed since the visit of Capt. Van-
couvre, to whom, as to 'the servant and:representa-
tive -of Great Britain,' wit h much 'formality and cere-
mony, he had made a conveyance of the sovereignty of
Owhyhee, in the hopes of being thus more strongly
confirmed in his authority, an supplied with the
means of resisting his enemies.
His' dominion seems now to 'be compietety
established. is not only a great Warrior and'poli-
ticiati, but a Very acute trader, and a match -tiff any
European for driving-a bargain, and is et er ready to
take the advantage of the- necessities of those-who
apply to him or his people for supplies„
" His subjeas have already. made consideiable
progress in civilization, biltare held in the most ab-
Jed submission, as Tamahama is inflexible in punish-
ing all offences which seem to countera& his supreme
command.
It was Only; in 170 that capt..Vatlcouvre- laid'
down the keel, of Tamahama's first irewiei,-6r. rather'.
craft; butso.assiduously has he applied himself to
effect his grand and favourite objet, the-establish-,
ment of a naval ibrce, that at the period of our ar-
rival he had upwards of twenty vessels of different'•
sizes, from 25 to 50 tons ; some of their' were even;
copper. bottothed. • • , •
He was,, however, at this time much in want of
naval stores, and, to have his navy quickly placed on
a respeaable footing, would,pay.well for them.---,He
has also a.certain number of body guardsto.attend
him, independently of the number who are re-
quired to accompany him on all his journeys and
expeditions. _ .

" In viewing this man my imagination suggested
to me that I beheld in its first
,progress one of those
extraordinary natures which, under , other circum--
, stances of fortune and situation, would Dave ripened
into the future hero, and caused the world to resound
with his feats_ of glory. What other was Philip of
Macedon, as pictured, by the Grecian historians
A man whO overcame every disadvantage Of slight
, resources and powerful rivals, and extended the: nar-
row'sOvereignty of 'MacetlOn into a universal
mo-
nar of Greece and the known' world.
" Some convias from' Rotany.Bay having effea'
ed their escape to the Sandwich Islands; rendered
themselves at first serviceable to Tamahama, arid
in reconipenee were put in possession of small
portions of laud for cultivation. On these they
had' 'raised some sugar-canes, and at last con-
trived to distil a sort of spirit, with which they
entertained each other by turns, keeping birth-days
and other holidays; until Tamahama, finding that
such festivities greatly retarded ' his work, made
some gentle representations on the subjea:
" This lenity, howder,. produced no good effea,
but the drinking, idleness, and quarrels among the
new settlers seeming rather to become more fre-
quent than before, and their insolence being carried
so far as 'to insult and Maltreat Many of the natives,
Tainahatna gave the strangers to understand, that in
their next fighting party he would make one of the
company; and see Who could best acquit himself on
the occasion. This hint produced the, desired effect;
the 'Botany Bay settlers were soon brought into
complete' sainiSsion, and'a due sense of their situa-
tion.
" These partieulara were Colleaed from Mr.
Young---a Man of stria veracity, who, having been
long in the country, had the bestopportunity to:
know the truth. He has been long in the confi-
dence of Tamahama, Whose fortunes he has con-
stantly folloWed from the beginning, and who giVes
him daily ptoot's of the 'sincerity of his attachment.,
He added, that for several yeal-s Tan:mita:lla had
adopted it as a rule to request from all Europeans
who touched within hi§ doniinions a certificate or
testimonial of his good condud towards them ; but
that npw conidering his chatader for honesty- and
civility to be eStablished, he no longer deems such
certificates of any important use.
Tamahama's ardent desire to obtain a ship from
Captain Vancouvte, was in all probability first ex.-
' cited by the stio-o-estions.of Young and his country-
Man Davies ; hitt such 'was the effeetof this under-
taking, that Tamahama became immediately More
sparing of his visits on board the DiseoVery ; his time
being now chiefly emplOyed in attending to the car-

peuters at work oii bisnelm man of war, which, when
finished, 'was named the Britannia. This was the