Feb 14, 1789 Home Logbook Feb 16, 1789
Revised Jun 29 2021
205)
Fresh Breezes with intervals of light Winds, squalls with Rain and heavy Thunder and Lightning. Wind ENE Variable Southly and ENE. Thermr. 79° and 84°. This afternoon to oblige Tynah and some of his freinds of Attahooroo I fired one of the four pounders. I would have fired a second but the Sample was sufficient as our freinds fears checked their curiosity.
In the morning I performed divine Service at which were present Teppahoo, Odiddee and several of his acquaintances.
I now have no cause to doubt but these people discovered that these people have no knowledge of the System of the Habitable Globe. Comparative distances must be explained to them by certain spaces of time which either would take up to perform according to their rate of travelling, and when this happens to be many months they are lost in a maze. They see a horizon but have no Idea of its extent, yet they have a very obstinate opinion that it has a termination in a direct line. I have used my endeavors to convince them to the contrary. To go to England they know very well from me that the time it takes up is about nine months. In reducing this to distance it becomes immense, and there from our accounts of the lands being very considerable, they imagine is the termination of the Horizon. Their abstract way of reasoning is very confined it cannot therefore be expected without a fluent knowledege of the language I could lead them farther. Many pertinent enquiries might certainly be made it has however been only in my power to discover that they have no knowledge of the universal system, if we except their knowledge of the direction, rising and setting of particular stars, but these with the whole firmament they beleive the Habitation of their God.
(206
To give their Ideas of the World therefore in a few words they extend no farther than to consider it a vast plain with the Sun Moon and Stars in motion round it. I have however hopes that I made them understand so much that they may investigate and improve upon it.
I have been often asked if I had never been as far as the sun or moon, having an Idea that we were such great Travellers as certainly to have been there.
Feb 14, 1789 Home Logbook Feb 16, 1789