'779- fore impoffible to perform this fervice, till their aflailants
were driven to a greater diftance, the Difcovery was ordered
to diflodge them, w ith h er great guns ; w hich be in g effe&ed
b y a few difcharges, the men landed with ou t moleftation.
However, the natives foon a fter made their appearance again,
in their u fu a l mode o f a tta c k ; and it was n ow found abfo-
lu te ly neceffary to b u rn down fome ftra g g lin g houfes, near
the w a ll, behind w h ich they had taken fhelter. In executin
g thefe orders, I am forry to add, that our people were
hurried into a ils o f unneceffary c ruelty and devailation.
Something ou ght certainly to be allowed to their refentment
. o f the repeated infults, and contemptuous behaviour, o f the
iflanders,' and to the natural defire o f re v en g in g the lofs o f
their Commander. But, at the fame time, their con d u it
ferved itron gly to convince me, that the utmo il precaution
is neceffary in tra ilin g , thou gh but fo r a moment, the d is cretionary
u fe o f arms, in the hands o f private feamen, or
foldiers, on fuch occafions. T h e rig ou r o f difcipline, and
th e habits o f obedience, b y w h ich their force is kept di-
re ited to its proper objects, lead them n aturally enou gh to
conceive, that whatever they have the power, they have alfo
s the right to do. A t lu a l difobedience be in g almoft the on ly
crime for w h ich they are accuitomed to e xp e il punifhment,
they learn to confider it as the on ly meafure o f right and
w ron g ; and hence are apt to conclude, that w hat they can
do w ith impunity, they m a y do w ith juftice and honour.
So that the fe e lin g s o f humanity, w h ich are infeparable
from us a ll, and that generofity toward an unrefiiling
enemy, w h ich , at other times, is the diftinguiffiing ma rk o f
brave men, become bu t w e a k reilraints to the exercife o f
violence, when oppofed to the defire they n aturally have o f
ih ew in g their own independence and power.
I have already mentioned, that orders had been g iv en to
burn only a few ftra g g lin g huts, w h ich afforded ihelter to
the natives. We were therefore a good deal furprized to fee
the whole villa ge on f i r e ; and before a boat, that was
fent to flop the progrefs o f the m ifchie f, could reach the
fliore, the houfes o f our old and conftant friends, the priefts,
were all in flames. I cannot enough lament the illnefs, that
confined me on board this day. T h e priefts had always
been under m y p ro te& ion ; and, u n lu ck ily , the officers who
were then on duty, h a v in g been feldom on fhore at the
Morai, were not much acquainted with the circumftances o f
the place. Had I been prefent m y fe lf, I m igh t probably
have been the means o f fa v in g their little fociety from
deftruaion.
Several o f the natives were ffiot, in m a k in g their efcape
from the flam e s ; and our people cut off the heads o f two
o f them, and b rou ght them on board. T h e fate o f one
poor iflander was m u ch lamented b y us all. As he was
coming to the well fo r water, he was ffiot at b y one o f the
marines. T h e ball ftruck his calibaffi, w h ich he immed iately
threw from h im and fled. He was purfued into one
o f the caves I have before defcribed, and no lion could have
defended his. den with grea ter courage and fie rcen e fs ; till
at laft, after ha vin g kept two o f our people at bay fo r a
confiderable time, he expired, covered with wounds It was
this accident, that firft brought us acquainted with the ufe
or thefe caverns.
At this time, an elderly man was taken prifoner, bound
and fent on board in the fame boat w ith the heads o f his
two countrymen. I never faw horror fo ftrongly pictured
as in the face o f this man, nor fo violent a lrm f it io iT to
2 * extravagant -
I779. •
February^