ings, on the death of a beloved and honoured friend, may
be suspected to have had some share in this opinion, yet there were
certainly other reasons, and those of the most serious kind, that had
considerable weight with me. The confidence which their success in
killing our chief, and forcing us to quit the shore, must naturally
have inspired; and the advantage, however trifling, which they had
obtained over us the preceding day, would, I had no doubt, encourage
them to make some further dangerous attempts; and the more especially,
as they had little reason, from what they had hitherto seen, to dread
the effects of our fire-arms. Indeed, contrary to the expectations
of every one, this sort of weapon had produced no signs of terror in
them. On our side, such was the condition of the ships, and the state
of discipline amongst us, that had a vigorous attack been made on
us in the night, it would have been impossible to answer for the
consequences.

In these apprehensions, I was supported by the opinion of most of the
officers on board; and nothing seemed to me so likely to encourage the
natives to make the attempt, as the appearance of our being inclined
to an accommodation, which they could only attribute to weakness or
fear.

In favour of more conciliatory measures, it was justly urged, that
the mischief was done, and irreparable; that the natives had a
strong claim to our regard, on account of their former friendship and
kindness; and the more especially, as the late melancholy accident did
not appear to have arisen from any premeditated design; that, on
the part of Terreeoboo, his ignorance of the theft, his readiness to
accompany Captain Cook on board, and his having actually sent his
two sons into the boat, must free him from the smallest degree of
suspicion; that the conduct of his women and the _Erees_ might easily
be accounted for, from the apprehensions occasioned by the armed force
with which Captain Cook came on shore, and the hostile preparations
in the bay; appearances so different from the terms of friendship and
confidence, in which both parties had hitherto lived, that the arming
of the natives was evidently with a design to resist the attempt,
which they had some reason 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 these motives of humanity, others of a prudential nature were
added; that w