PREFACE. 



prehensive that they would take it by force. They 

 permitted us to visit them in their shadj recesses, 

 and we sat down in their domestic circles with that 

 harmony which befits the members of one great fa- 

 mily. In a few days they began to feel a pleasure in 

 our conversation ; and a new, disinterested sentiment, 

 of more than earthly mould — even friendship^ filled 

 their hearts."* While indulging in reflecrions arising 

 from this pleasing state of affairs, and communica- 

 ting his feelings to Dr. Sparman, " we beheld," says 

 he, " two natives seated on the grass, holding one 

 of their brethren dead in their arms They pointed 

 to a wound in his side, which had been made by a 

 musket ball, and with a most affecting look, they 

 told us, " he is killed."! The story of this poor victim 

 to Captain Cook's " honour and generosity," was as 

 follows : " A sentinel," continues Mr. Forster, " had 

 been posted, as usual, to keep the natives at a dis- 

 tance from our party ; but the sailors took the liberty 

 of walking and trading freely among them. A 

 native who, in all likelihood, had never been on the 

 beach before, came through the crowd, and began 

 to walk across the space which our people occupied. 

 The sentry pushed him back among the rest of his 

 brethren, who were already accustomed to this inju- 

 rious treatment, and acquiesced in it. The new- 

 comer, however, refused to be controlled on his own 

 island, by a stranger ; he prepared once more to 

 cross the area, perhaps with no other motive at pre- 

 sent, than that of asserting his liberty of walking 

 where he pleased. The sentry drove him back 

 once more, with a rude thrust, sufficient to rouse a 

 man much less irascible than a savage. He, to 

 vindicate his right, laid an arrow on his bow, which 

 he aimed at the aggressor ; but the soldier instantly 



^ Forster, vol. 2. p. 35.0. \ Ibid. vol. 2. p. 351 , 



VOL. I. 7 



