6o 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779. In favour of more conciliatory meafures, it was juftly 
urged, that the mifchief was done, and irreparable; that 
the natives had a ftrong claim to our regard, on account of 
their former friendfhip and kindnefs ; and the more efpe- 
cially, as the late melancholy accident did not appear to 
have arifen from any premeditated defign: that, on the 
part of Terreeoboo, his ignorance of the theft, his readi- 
nefs to accompany Captain Cook on board, and his having 
actually fent his two fons into the hoat, muft free him 
from the fmalleft degree of fufpicion : that the conduct of 
his women, and the Erees , might eafily he accounted for, 
from the apprehenfions occafioned by the armed force 
with which Captain Cook came on fhore, and the hoftile 
preparations in the bay ; appearances fo different from the 
terms of friendfhip and confidence, in which both parties 
had hitherto lived, that the arming of the natives was 
evidently with a defign to refill the attempt, which they 
had fome reafon to imagine would be made, to carry 
off their king by force, and was naturally to be expeCted 
from a people full of affection and attachment to their 
Chiefs. 
To thefe motives of humanity, others of a prudential 
nature were added; that we were in want of water, and 
other refrefhments: that our foremaft would require fix 
or eight days work, before it could be ftepped: that the 
fpring was advancing apace; and that the fpeedy profecu- 
tion of our next Northern expedition ought now to be our 
foie objedt: that therefore to engage in a vindictive conteft 
with the inhabitants, might not only lay us under the im¬ 
putation of unneceffary cruelty, but would occafion an un¬ 
avoidable delay in the equipment of the fhips. 
In this latter opinion Captain Clerke concurred; and 
though 
