APR. 1769 THIEVING OF THE NATIVES 83 



which they got off with two. Lycurgus and Hercules were 

 the only two who had not yet been found guilty ; but they 

 stood in our opinion but upon ticklish ground, as we could 

 not well suppose them entirely free from a vice their country- 

 men were so much given to. 



Last night Dr. Solander lent his knife to one of 

 Lycurgus's women, who forgot to return it ; this morning 

 mine was missing. I resolved to go to Lycurgus, and ask 

 him whether or not he had stolen it, trusting that if he had 

 he would return it. On taxing him with it, he denied 

 knowing anything concerning it. I told him I was resolved 

 to have it returned ; on this a man present produced a rag 

 in which were tied up three knives. One was Dr. Solander's, 

 the other a table-knife, and the third no one claimed. With 

 these he marched to the tents to make restitution, while I 

 remained with the women, who much feared that he would 

 be hurt. Arrived there, he restored the two knives to the 

 proper owners, and began immediately to search for mine in 

 all the places where he had ever seen it. One of my 

 servants seeing what he was about brought it to him ; he 

 had, it seems, laid it aside the day before without my 

 knowledge. Lycurgus then burst into tears, making signs 

 with my knife that if he was ever guilty of such an action 

 he would submit to have his throat cut. He returned 

 immediately to me with a countenance sufficiently upbraid- 

 ing me for my suspicions ; the scene was immediately 

 changed, I became the guilty and he the innocent person. 

 A few presents and staying a little with him reconciled him 

 entirely ; his behaviour, however, has given me a much 

 higher opinion of him than of his countrymen. 



2*7A. Lycurgus and a friend of his (who ate most 

 monstrously, and was accordingly christened Epicurus) dined 

 with us. At night they took their leave and departed ; but 

 Lycurgus soon returned with fire in his eyes, seized my 

 arm, and signed to me to follow him. I did, and he 

 soon brought me to a place where was our butcher, who, he 

 told me by signs, had either threatened or attempted to cut 

 his wife's throat with a reaping-hook he had in his hand. 



