The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-11-10
TIE KING PUZZLED.

1G AIN0 wa LIAD'
Tho difficulty with which the inhabitants of
countries where the All of writing is unknown,
can comprehend the mode of communicating
ideas in that manner, may be understood by the
following aneedoto related by Capt. Mariner in
his account of the Tonga Islands:
"This mode of communicating senti-
ments was an inexplicable puzzle to Finow,
he took the letter again and examined it,
bat it afforded him no information. He con-
siderea the matter little within himself ;
but his thoughts reflected no light upon the
subject. At length he sent for Mr.. Mari
ner, and desired him to write down some
thing the latter asked himwh at he would
choose to have wfitten he replied, put
down me he accordingly wrote " Feenow,"
spelling it after the strictest English or
biography: the chief then sent for another
Englishman who had not been present, and
commanded Mr.. Mariner to turn his back
and look another way, he gave the man the
paper, and desired him TO tell him what that
was: he accordingly pronounced aloud the
name of the king, upon which Fihow snatch
ed the paper from his hand, and with aston
ishment looked at it, turned it round and
examined it in all directions at length he
exclaimed, This is neither like myself, nor
any body else where are my legs? how
do you know it to be | ?" and then, without
stopping for any attempt at an explanation,
he Immediately ordered Mr.. Mariner to
write something else, and thus employed
him for three or four hours in putting down
the names of different persons, places, and
things. and making the other man read them.
This afforded extraordinary diversion to FL
now, and to all the men and women pres
ent, particularly as he now and then whis-
pered little love anecdote, which was
strictly written dswn, and audibly read by
the. other, not little 20 the confusion of one
or other of the ladies present. 1t was all
taken in good humor, however, for curiosity
and astonishment were the prevailing pas
sions. How their names and circumstan-
ces could be communicated through so mys-
terions q channel, was altogether past their
comprehension. Finow had long ago form
ell his opinion of books and papers, and this
as much resembled witchcraft as any thing
he had ever seen or heard of. Mr.. Mari
ner in vain attempted to explain. He had
yet too slender knowledge of their Ian
guage to make himself clearly understood !:
and, indeed, it would not have been an ca
sy matter to have explained the composition
of elementary sounds and of arbitrary signs
expressive OF them, to people whose minds
were already formed to o:her modes of
thinking, and whose language had few ex-
pressions but what concerned the ordinary
affairs ct life. Finow, at length, thought be
had got a notion Of it, and explained to those
about him that it was very possible to put
down mark or sign Of something that had
been seen both by the writer and reader.
md .xtf,a ak -6.0 h.
by them; but Mr.. Mariner Immediately in
formed him that he could write down any
thing that he had never seen. The King
directly whispered to him to put Toog6o
Ahoe, the king Of Tonga, whom he and
Toobo Nuha had assassinated many years
before Mr. Mariners arrival. This was ac-
cordingiy done, and the other read it:when
Finow was yet more astonished. He then
desired him TO write " Tarky," the chief of
the garrison at Bea, whom MIR. Mariner and
his companions had not yet seen; this chief
was blind in one eye. When "Tarky" was
read, Finow inquired whether he was blind
OF not. This was putting writing to an I'M
fair test, and Mr. Mariner told him that he
had only written down the sign standing
for the sound of his name, and not for the
description of his person. He was then or
deFed in whisper TO write, +" Tarky, blind
In his left eyc,' which was done and read
by the other man to the increased astonish-
ment Of every body. Mr.. Mariner then told
him that, in several parts Of the world, mes
sages were sent to great distances through
tho same medium; and, being folded and
fastened up, the bearer could know nothing
of the contents ; and that the histories OF
whole nations were thus handed down to
posterity, without spelling by being kept, as
he chose to express himself. Finow ac-
knowledged this to be q most noble inven-
ton, but added. that it would not at all dc
for the Tonga Islands that there would be
nothing but disturbances and conspiraces,
and he should not be sure Of his life, per
haps another month. He said, however.
jocnlarly, that he should like to know il
himself, and for all the women to know ii
that he might make love with less risk Of
discovery, and not so much chance of in
curing the vengeance of their husbands
In making toys the Chinese arc exceedingly
expert. Out of solid ball Of ivory, with hole
ia H. not larger than half an inch in diameter
they will cut from nine to fifteen distinct hollow
globes, one within another, all loose, and capa
Bile Of being turned round in every direction
and each Of them carved full OF the same kint
ofopen work that appears on tho fans. very
small sum Of money is the price Of ono of thess
difficult tFines.