[Footnote 65:  Dr Hawkesworth is much given to this silly sort of cant, more gratifying to vulgar prejudice, than becoming a scholar, or a man of science.  One knows not how to show its absurdity better than, by merely directing the reader to consider for a moment, the things that are put in contrast or compared together.  If he cannot be at the trouble of this, or, if attempting it, he finds his optics will not penetrate the mist, let him ask himself whether dame Nature is a good setter of bones, or is very expert in stopping dangerous bleedings from wounded arteries;—­or if a simple diet, say for example hasty-pudding and water-gruel, personified by any fertility of poetic fancy, can smooth one’s pillow when his head aches, or bathe one’s body when burning with fever?  No good surgeon pretends to heal wounded parts, but he is positively useful nevertheless, by placing them so as to render the efforts of nature efficient towards healing:  And no nurse, however conceited, ever had the least inclination to be stewed down into jelly, or made a fricasee of, for the nourishment of her patient, though she can help him to his candle and wine very delectably!  But, to be sure, where a wound gave neither pain nor apprehension, as is mentioned in the text, it is very likely, that both nature and diet are quite different beings from what are so called in our corner of the world.  If so, Dr H. ought to have given their history, as a genus incognitum.  But this is idle.—­E.]

Having one day landed in a very distant part of the bay, the people immediately fled, except one old man, who accompanied us wherever we went, and seemed much pleased with the little presents we made him.  We came at last to a little fort, built upon a small rock, which at high water was surrounded by the sea, and accessible only by a ladder:  We perceived that he eyed us with a kind of restless solicitude as we approached it, and upon our expressing a desire to enter it, he told us that his wife was there:  He saw that our curiosity was not diminished by this intelligence, and after some hesitation, he said, if we would promise to offer no indecency he would accompany us:  Our promise was readily given, and he immediately led the way.  The ladder consisted of steps fastened to a pole, but we found the ascent both difficult and dangerous.  When we entered we found three women, who, the moment they saw us, burst into tears of terror and surprise:  Some kind words, and a few presents, soon removed their apprehensions, and put them into good humour.  We examined the house of our old friend, and by his interest two others, which were all that the fortification contained, and having distributed a few more presents, we parted with mutual satisfaction.