HIS CHARACTER. 
243 
rushed in, and dragging him out by the legs, seized their 
spears, and inflicted innumerable wounds upon his body ; 
after which, they threw it into deep water, and the sea-tide 
carried it away. 
Such, we have every reason to believe, was the untimely 
fate of this amiable and talented man. It is a melan- 
choly satisfaction to me thus publicly to record his worth ; 
instrumental, as I cannot but in some measure consider my 
last journey to have been in leading to this fatal catastrophe. 
Captain Barker was in disposition, as he was in the close 
of his life, in many respects similar to Captain Cook. Mild, 
affable, and attentive, he had the esteem and regard of every 
companion, and the respect of every one under him. Zealous 
in the discharge of his public duties, honourable and just in 
private life ; a lover and a follower of science ; indefatigable 
and dauntless in his pursuits ; a steady friend, an enter- 
taining companion ; charitable, kind-hearted, disinterested, 
and sincere — the task is equally difficult to find adequate 
expressions of praise or of regret. In him the king lost 
one of his most valuable officers, and his regiment one 
of its most efficient members. Beloved as he was, the 
news of his loss struck his numerous friends with sincere 
grief, but by none was it more severely felt than by the 
humble individual who has endeavoured thus feebly to 
draw his portrait. 
From the same source from which the particulars of his 
death were obtained, it was reported that the natives 
who perpetrated the deed were influenced by no other 
r 2 
