114 FEELINGS TOWARDS NATIVES. 



ceived sentimental affection for them, that I believe 

 is not uncommon. I had been inclined to suppose 

 that they were rarely the aggressors, and were 

 always more sinned against than sinning. One 

 such practical example as this, however, wrought a 

 great change in my feelings on these points ; and 

 though far, I hope, from abetting cruelty, I could 

 make great allowances for any one who, under such 

 circumstances as I have detailed, took a larger re- 

 venge than the strict justice of the case demanded. 

 I felt that the life of one of my own shipmates, 

 whatever his rank might be, was far dearer to me 

 than that of a wilderness of savages, and that to 

 preserve his life or avenge his death I could wil- 

 lingly shoot a dozen of these black fellows ; and I 

 could read the same feelings in the eyes of those 

 around me. Nor was this feeling very transient ; 

 for many days or weeks after, it would have been 

 felt as a relief by all those who saw Bayley's fall, to 

 have come into collision with any party of black 

 fellows they could have been justified in firing on. 



