PREFACE. 



course was soon changed to a scene of desolation^ 

 which no injuries we received from the pilfering dis- 

 position of the natives could justify. The people 

 brought us every thing the Island afibrded, and had 

 left it to the generosity of the purchasers to give in 

 return whatever the} pleased. But unfortunately, 

 a goat from our live stock was missing. It had been 

 secretly conveyed away in the night, from the pas- 

 tures in which they were placed to feed, notwith- 

 standing the vigilan e of the guard appointed to 

 look after them. With the loss of this animal, no 

 doubt a great prize to the thief, an Earee was made 

 acquainted by Captain Cook, and a peremptory 

 requisition made to have it restored, on pain of 

 having his country laid w aste, his shipping destroy- 

 ed, and himself personally punished for the crime 

 of his subject. The king promised his assistance, 

 and required time for the inquiry ; but as soon as 

 he was set at liberty, he absconded, and was no 

 more to be seen. The goat being still missing, and 

 no means used for recovering and restoring it, a 

 party from both ships, with the marines in a body, 

 were ordered out to carry the threats of our Com- 

 mander into execution. For three days successively^ 

 they continued their devasf ations ; burning and de- ' 

 stroying two hundred of the best houses of the inhabi- 

 tants^ and as many of their large ivar canoes ; at the 

 same time cutting down their fruit-trees, and destroy- 

 ing their plantations. The natives who lived at a 

 distance, hearing of the hivock that was made near the 

 Bay, filled their canoes with stones, and sunk them, 

 with a view to their preservation ; but that availed 

 them nothing ; for the Captain ( Cook ) ordered boats 

 to be manned and armed ; the canoes to be weighed up 

 and destroyed : in short, a general desolation to be 

 carried through the whole Island, should the goat be 

 withheld. Add to this, that two young natives of 



