PREFACE. 



liii 



heard a musket fired oflt the instant after ; and, re- 

 pairing on deck, saw the native, who had received 

 some small shot, very deliberately laying by his ar- 

 row, which was only pointed with wood, and select- 

 ing one of those believed to be poisoned. As soon 

 as he had taken aim, the third Lieutenant fired at 

 him again : The small-shot, which he received in 

 his face, obliged him to give up all thoughts of fight- 

 ing ; and he paddled quickly towards the shore,"* 

 &c. 



" We had not been long on board," says Mr. For- 

 ster, on another occasion, " before we heard a 

 musket fired, and saw the natives disturbed. How- 

 ever they were soon pacified, and returned to their 

 former station. All our people came off about three 

 o'clock, in order to dine on board. We then heard 

 that one of the inhabitants had offended the officer, 

 by making the same unmannerly gesture, with 

 which he had been challenged the day before. 

 Upon this, he was shot in the thigh, and got off into 

 the woods."t No reprimand or punishment for 

 this wanton barbarity ! 



" The harmless disposition of these good people," 

 says Mr. Forster, on another occasion, " could not 

 secure them against those misfortunes which are too 

 often attendant upon all voyages of discovery. Our 

 goods tempted them as much as they had tempted 

 the Taheiteans ; and they were, consequently, 

 equally disposed to pilfer. The Captains had not 

 been long ashore the next day, when one of the 

 natives took an opportunity of stealing a jacket out 

 of the boat. In a few minutes no less than seven 

 muskets were fired without the Captain's orders, 

 though in his presence^ at the thief, who first dived 

 into the water, and at last ran into the crowd, by 



"Forster^vol. 2. p. 210, fcc. 



f Ibid. p. 283. 



