70 COOK'S VOYAGE TO FEB. 



orders, I am sorry to add, that our people were hur- 

 ried into acts of unnecessary cruelty and devastation. 

 Something ought certainly to be allowed to their re- 

 sentment of the repeated insults, and contemptuous 

 behaviour of the islanders," and to the natural desire 

 of revenging the loss of their commander. But, at 

 the same time, their conduct served strongly to con- 

 vince me, that the utmost precaution is necessary in 

 trusting, though but for a moment, the discretionary 

 use of arms, in the hands of private seamen, or sol- 

 diers, on such occasions. The rigour of discipline, 

 and the habits of obedience, by which their force is 

 kept directed to its proper objects, lead them natu- 

 rally enough to conceive, that whatever they have 

 the power, they have also the right to do. Actual 

 disobedience being almost the only crime for which 

 they are accustomed to expect punishment, they 

 learn to consider it as the only measure of right and 

 wrong; and hence are apt to conclude, that what 

 they can do with impunity, they may do with justice 

 and honour. So that the feelings of humanity, which 

 are inseparable from us all, and that generosity to- 

 ward an unresisting enemy, which, at other times, is 

 the distinguishing mark of brave men, become but 

 w r eak restraints to the exercise of violence, when op- 

 posed to the desire they naturally have of showing 

 their own independence and power. 



I have already mentioned, that orders had been 

 given to burn only a few straggling huts, which af- 

 forded shelter to the natives. We were therefore a 

 good deal surprized to see the whole village on fire ; 

 and before a boat that was sent to stop the progress 

 of the mischief could reach the shore, the houses of 

 our old and constant friends the priests were all in 

 flames. I cannot enough lament the illness that con- 

 fined me on board this day. The priests had always 

 been under my protection ; and, unluckily, the offi- 

 cers who were then on duty, having been seldom 

 on shore at the Moral, were not much acquainted 



