Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 55. Mr. P. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood

Hector – 15th. Aug't. 1792

These few Lines my dear & honor'd Mother are only to inform you that Lord Hoods Fleet is arrived at Spithead & the amiable Mrs. Bertie sent to inform me that my Trial will now as she imagines soon take Place, the Fleet being to wait till it is over — nothing that can give me Comfort is she inattentive to, — in short her whole Behaviour to me is unequalled! — The Question my dear Mother in one of your Letters concerning my swimming off to the Pandora is one Falsity among the too many in which I have often thought of undeceiving you & as frequently forgot — The story was this — On the Morning she arrived, I, accompanied by two of my Friends (the Natives) was going up the Mountains; & having got about an hundred Yards from my own House, another of my Friends (for I was an universal Favorite amongst those Indians & perfectly conversant in their Language) came running after me & informed me that there was a ship coming; – I immediately went up on a rising Ground & saw with the utmost Joy a ship laying to off Hapiano (a District two or three Miles to windward of Matavie where I lived) — it was just after Daylight; & thinking Coleman might not be awake, & therefore Ignorant of such pleasing News (living a Mile & half from me) & wishing to give any one such Satisfaction as that, I sent one of my servants to inform him of it; upon which he immediately went off in a single Canoe — there was a fresh Breeze, & the ship working into the Bay, he no sooner got along-side than the ripling Capsized the Canoe, & he being obliged to let go the tow-rope to get her righted, went astern & was picked up in the Canoe next Tack, & taken on board the Pandora — he being the first person. — I, along with Stewart my Messmate, was then standing upon the Beach with a double Canoe Mann'd, with twelve Paddles ready for launching; therefore just as she made her last Tack into her Birth (for we did not think it requisite to go off sooner) we put off, & got along-side just as they streamed the Buoy & being dressed in the Country Manner, tanned as brown as themselves, & I, tattowed like them in the most curious Manner I do not in the least wonder at their taking us for Natives. — I was tattowed, not to gratify my own Desire, but their's — for it was my constant Endeavour to acquiesce in any little Custom which I thought wou'd be agreeable to them, tho' painful in the Process, provided I gained by it their Friendship & Esteem, which you may suppose is no inconsiderable Object in an Island where the Natives are so numerous: — the more a Man or Woman there is tattowed, the more they are respected, , & if a Person has none of those Marks he is looked upon as bearing a most indignant Badge of disgrace & considered as a mere Outcast of Society — you may suppose then that my Disposition, ever anxious to gain the Good-will of all People whoever they are, wou'd not suffer me to be long out of Fashion — I always made it a Maxim "when I was in Rome to act as Rome did," provided it did not interfere with my Morals or religion — & by this Means I was the greatest Favorite of any Englishman on shore, & treated with respect by every Person on the Island, in whose Mouths my Name ever was, as an Object of their Love & Esteem. — Perhaps you may think I flatter myself, but I really do not. — Adieu my dearest Mother, believe me your truly dutiful

& most obedient Son

    Peter Heywood