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 burt. 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. lLycurgus 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. 
27th. 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. 
