PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
35 
theft when clearly ascertained to go unpunished ; or to act as Perouse CHAP, 
did with the inhabitants of Easter Island, and suffer every thing to 
be stolen without resistance or remonstrance. Perhaps the happy 
medium of shutting the eyes to those it is not necessary to observe, 
and punishing severely such as it is imperative to notice, will prove 
the wisest policy. 
Among the foremost of the crowd were two men, crowned with 
pelican's feathers, who, if they were not chiefs, assumed a degree of 
authority, and with the two demons above mentioned attempted to 
clear the way by striking at the feet of the mob; careful, however, so 
to direct their blows, that they should not take effect. Without their 
assistance, it would have been almost impossible to land; the mob 
cared very little for threats ; a musket presented at them had no effect 
eyoiid the moment it was levelled, and was less eilicacious than some 
water thrown upon the bystanders by those persons who wished to for- 
ward the views of our party. 
I he gentleman who disembarked first, and from that circumstance 
probably was considered a person of distinction, was escorted to the top 
o the bank and seated upon a large block of lava, which was the pre- 
scribed limit to the party’s advance. An endeavour was then made to 
orm a ring about him ; but it was very difficult, on account of the 
islanders crowding to the place all in expectation of receiving some- 
applicants were impatient, noisy, and urgent : they pre- 
si fTnill 1 "^l^lch they had carefully emptied for the purpose, and 
irHEnf r they practised every 
> an stole what they could in the most careless and open manner : 
A 1 4^ fi • farther, and accompanied their demands by threats. 
lou ns time one of the natives, probably a chief, with a cloak and 
head-dress of feathers, was observed from the ship hastening from the 
uts to t e an mg-place, attended by several persons with short clubs 
This hostile appearance, followed by the blowing of the conch-shell, a 
sound which Cook observes he never knew to portend good keut our 
glasses for a while riveted to the spot. To this chief if r 
It was impossible to distinguish amongst the crowd, Mr Peard made a 
handsome present, with which he was very well pleased, and no ap- 
F 2 
