PROPENSITY TO PLUNDER. 139 
were present at a review of his naval force by 
the King O Tu. From the number of warriors 
who manned this fleet, the elder Forster esti- 
mated the entire population at not less than a 
hundred and thirty thousand souls. According 
to his opinion, Tahaiti was capable of containing 
and supporting an infinitely greater number of 
inhabitants, and he therefore conjectured that 
in a short time it would be found greatly in- 
creased. Experience has unfortunately proved 
this iaference to be erroneous, as will appear in 
the sequel. 
Notwithstanding their usually gentle cha- 
racter, they treated their prisoners of war with 
barbarity, but in their defence may be urged 
the well-known fact, that in the heat of battle an 
unwonted rage will sometimes take possession of 
the best disposed minds, even amongst civilized 
nations; and it was only while this unnatural 
excitement lasted that the conduct of the Ta- 
haitians laid them open to the imputation of 
cruelty. 
Both sexes and all ranks were given to steal- 
ing; and so dexterous were they in plundering 
the Europeans, that notwithstanding the utmost 
