EBAMANOA. 305 



Sifu, to see if they could get any tidings of the effects of 

 the firing upon the natives in the way of either injury or 

 intimidation, but they came back saying that the natives 

 had not returned, so they had not been able to see any. 

 Mr. Gordon thought the present time a ciisis, as far as he 

 was concerned ; but if able to weather it now, he trusted 

 things would go on very well eventually, and that there 

 might be some hopes. The Commodore asked the 

 missionary to send him a report of the results of the 

 hostihties, addressed to him, ' On H.M,'s Service, New 

 Caledonia, to be forwarded.' 



Before taking leave of these disagreeable proceedings, I 

 wUl avail myself of the opportunity, as these pages are pre- 

 paring for press, to make a comment or two upon them. 

 It is manifest that public opinion in this country is 

 beginning to be more cautious and exacting respecting the 

 accui'acy of the statements which ai'e made the grounds 

 and justification of these peual inflictions, and that there is 

 an increasing disposition to be humanely and justly critical 

 with respect to the causes of the outrages committed by the 

 natives of these various islands. A memorable illustration 

 of this is to be found in the impression produced by the 

 murder of Bishop Patteson. If there was ever a case in 

 which public sympathy might be expected to manifest itself 

 with an angry spirit, and to demand severe retaliatory acts, 

 this decidedly was one. The esteem everywhere felt for 

 this admirable prelate ; the remembrance of his unswerving, 

 untiring devotion to his self-elected dutj ; of his gentle, 



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