Marcji Neither myfelf nor my officers difcovered any reafon, from the refult
— v— j of this further examination, to retract or alter our former opinion of
their guilt, or o f delivering them over to their own people, to be dealt
with according to the directions o f their chief.
Before they went from the fhip, they were placed in irons on the quarter
deck ; where, in the prefence o f all the Chip’s company. I recapitulated
the crime which they had committed, the evidence that had been
adduced again!! them, and the condemnation o f their chiefs, and ftated
the punifhment that was now to be inflicted. A ll this was likewife made
known to the Indian fpeciators who were prefent.
That the ceremony might be made as folemn and as awful as pof-
Cble, a guard o f feamen and marines were drawn up on that fide of
the fhip oppofite to the fhore, where, alongfide of the !hip, a canoe was
Rationed for the execution. The reft o f the crew were in readinefs at
the great guns, left any difturbance or commotion fhould arife. One
ceremony however remained yet to be performed. One o f thefe unfortunate
men had long hair; this it was neceffary fhould be cut from his
head before he was executed, for the purpofe o f being prefented, as a
euflomary tribute on fuch occafions, to the king of the ifland. I was
fhocked at the want o f feeling exhibited by the two chiefs at-this awful
moment, who in the rudeft manner not only cut off the hair, but, in
the prefence o f the poor buffering wretch, without the leaft compaffion
for his fituation, difputed and ftrove for the honor o f prefentino- the
prize to the king. The- odious conteft being at length fettled, the criminals
were taken one by one into a double canoe, where they were
lafhed hand and foot, and put to death by Tennavee, their own chief,
who blew out their brains with a piftol; and fo dexteroufly was the melancholy
office performed, that life fled with the report o f the piece,'
and mufcular motion feemed almoft inftantly to ceafe.
I f fteadinefs and firmnefs, totally devoid of the leaft agitation, can
be confidered, in the performance o f fuch a duty, as a proof of con-
fcious reftitude; or that the forfeiture of thefe three men’s lives was
confidered as no more than what the ftrift principles of retributive juftice
demanded, it fhould feem that Tennavee’s mind had been completely
made
made up, not only as their judge, but their executioner; and that he lt93-
was perfeflly convinced his condufil was unimpeachable, in executing ■ _ — ‘
an office that juftice demanded.
The whole o f Tennavee’s deportment, on this fad occafion, afforded
us additional caufe to believe, that the perfons executed were wholly
guilty o f the murder, and that the chiefs had not punifhed the innocent
to fcreen themfelves.
This public example, made fo long after the crime was committed, we
had reafon to hope, would convince the iflanders, that no intervention
o f time would,, in future, prevent juftice taking its regular courfe; and
that any one who fhould dare to commit fuch barbarities would, fooner
or later, fuffer punifhment.
The dead bodies were taken to the fhore, attended by moil of the
natives who were prefent at the execution, and who, on this occafion,
obferved fome fmall degree o f folemnity, by paddling flowly towards
the ifland. When they had gained about half the diftance between the
fhip and. the fhore, they flopped, and fome lamentations were heard, that
continued, I believe, until they were landed,
I had propofed that the dead bodies fhould each be hung upon a
tree near the fhore, to deter others from committing the like offences;
but Tomohomoho informed me, that fuch fpeftacles would be confidered
as very improper, Contrary to their religious rites, and would greatly
offend the whole o f the priefthood. That fuch an expofure was totally
unneceffary, as all the inhabitants would become fully acquainted with
every circumflance attendant on their trial and execution, and the
c-rime for which they had juflly fuffered; and- that he verily believed
their fate would have the good effeft o f reftraining the ilMifpofed in
future. I inquired of him, why fo few o f the natives had attended on
this awful occafion? He replied, it was in confequence of the meffage
I had fent on fhore to require it. This had created fulpicions, arifing,
he faid, from the former condufil o f Europeans, on difputes or mifun-
derflandings taking place between the chiefs and the commanders.
Some of thefe, under the pretext o f re-eflablifhed friendfhip,.would prevail
on many o f the inhabitants to come off to their fhips, where they
E e 2 would