PREFACE. 



Ixv 



overawed. He tried the former, and failed. The 

 Typees, whom he is accused of having treated with 

 wanton and unnecessary cruehy, were the enemies 

 of his friends ; and all those who have ever had any 

 intercourse with savages, know, that with them 

 there is no neutrality. We must be either for or 

 against them. The hostile natives had taunted his 

 friends with cowardice, in submitting to be on good 

 terms with them ; and by these means were aliena- 

 ting their affections, and undermining their good 

 will towards the Americans. They had carried 

 their hostilities against the friendly tribes within 

 reach of the musketry; and daily became more 

 bold, turbulent, and threatening. The safety of his 

 people, and the interests confided to his care, de- 

 pended upon the measures pursued on this occasion ; 

 and it may safely be asserted, that those adopted by 

 Captain Porter, in the end, saved not only the blood 

 of his own people, but that of the natives. Instead 

 of being perpetually resorting to the most severe 

 and disproportionate punishments for the slightest 

 offences, as was the case with Cook, the succeeding 

 intercourse with all the natives was of the most 

 peaceable character. Not a single punishment was 

 inflicted upon them from that time to the period of 

 Captain Porter's departure ; and he defies the most 

 bitter of his revilers, to mention any navigator, iu 

 similar circumstances with himself, who attained to 

 similar objects, at the price of so little blood. The 

 fate of Langle, La Perouse, Hergest, Magelhaens — 

 nay of Cook himself, may be traced to the want of 

 similar precautions to those adopted by Captain Por- 

 ter. He made it the interest of those around him 

 to watch over his people : they warned him of dan- 

 ger, and aided in accompHshing a mutual security. 

 Where is there an instance of rigour towards a 

 friendly Islander? Where was blood shed, except in 



VOL* h ^ 



