A o S 2 V O Y A G E R O UN D THE WO RUB.
.A1774. ugust, of aflerting his liberty of walking where he pleafed. The
Ten try drove him back once more, with a rude thruft fuffi-
cient to roufe a man much lefs irafcible than a favage. He,
to vindicate his right, laid an arrow on his bow, which he
aimed at the aggreffor ; but the foldier inflantly levelled his
mufket and fhot him dead. Captain Cook landed in the
fame moment; he faw the native fall, and many of his
■ countrymen running off to hide themfelves from the cruel
and treacherous people who had polluted their ifiand. He
commanded the foldier to be loaded with irons, and fent
him on board the fliip. He next endeavoured to appeafe
the natives, and the natural excellence of the human heart
is fuch, that feveral, efpecially thofe who came from the
'flat eaftern hill, were ;perfuaded to flay, and once more to
truft thofe who had fo grievoufly violated the laws of hof-
pirality. Dr. Sparrman and myfelf were flruck with the
moderation of the people, who had fuffered us to pafs by
them unmolefted, when they might eafily have taken a fevere
revenge for the murder of their countryman. We went on
board with captain Cook, greatly apprehenfive for the fafety
of my father, who ft ill remained in the woods, accompanied
by a Tingle failor. We had, however, the fatisfaffion to
Tee him fafe about a quarter of an hour after, among the
party of marines who were left on the beach to protedl
Tome of our water-caiks. A boat was immediately fent off,
which brought him on board. He had met with the fame
good
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD.
good treatment from the natives as ourfelves ; they had
learnt to know our difpolition, and feemed to be too good
tempered to confound the innocent with the guilty. Thus
one dark and deteftable aftion effaced all the hopes with
which I had flattered myfelf. The natives, inftead of looking
upon us in a more favourable light than upon other
ftrangers, had reafon to deleft us much more, as we came
to deftroy under the fpecious maik o f friendfliip; and fome
amongft us lamented that inftead of making amends at this
place for the many rafh a<5ts which we had perpetrated at
almoft every ifland in our courfe, we had wantonly made it
the fcene of the greateft cruelty. Captain Cook refolved to
punifh the marine with the utmbft rigour for having tranf-
greffed his pofitive orders, according to which the choleric
emotions of thefavage were to be reprefled with gentlenefs,
and prudently fuffered to cool. But the officer who commanded
on fltore, declared that he had not delivered theft
orders to the fentry, but given him others which imported,
that the leaft threat was to be punifhed with immediate
death. The foldier was therefore immediately cleared, and
the officer’s right to difpofe of the lives of the natives remained
uncontroverted.
We came on fhore again after dinner, where our people
hauled the feine, and caught a few fifh, The natives on
the beach were very few in number, and chiefly without
arms; the murder of their countryman feemed to be for-
- You. II. Z z gotten,
35 3
■ 77t- Au c u&t .