74 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779. 
February. 
'---- 
were driven to a greater diftance, the Difcovery was or¬ 
dered to diflodge them with her great guns ; which being 
effected by a few difcharges, the men landed without mo- 
left at ion. However, the natives foon after made their ap¬ 
pearance again, in their ufual mode of attack; and it was 
now found abfolutely neceftary to burn down lome ftrag- 
gling houfes, near the well, behind which they had taken 
fhelter. I11 executing thefe orders, I am forry to add, that 
our people were hurried into adts of unneceftary cruelty 
and devaluation. Something ought certainly to be allowed 
to their refentment of the repeated infults, and contemptu¬ 
ous behaviour, of the iflanders, and to the natural deftre of 
revenging the lofs of their Commander. But, at the fame 
time, their condudt ferved ftrongly to convince me, that 
the utmoft precaution is neceftary in trufting, though but 
for a moment, the difcretionary ufe of arms, in the hands 
of private feamen, or foldiers, on fuch occafions. The 
rigour of difcipline, and the habits of obedience, by which 
their force is kept diredted to its proper objedts, lead them 
naturally enough to conceive, that whatever they have the 
power, they have alfo the right, to do. Adtual difobedience 
being almoft the only crime for which they are accuftomed 
to expedt punilhment, they learn to confider it as the only 
meafure of right and wrong; and hence are apt to con¬ 
clude, that what they can do with impunity, they may do 
with juftice and honour. So that the feelings of humanity, 
which are infeparable from us all, and that generality to¬ 
ward an unreftfting enemy? which, at other times, is the 
diftinguilhing mark of brave men, become but w~eak re- 
ftraints to the exercife of violence, when oppofed to the 
delire they naturally have of Ihewing their own indepen¬ 
dence and power. 
I have 
