[8] Mr G.F. Has Spoken Of The Atrocious Deed Above Recited With Much Indignation, And The More So Apparently,

As it broke in on a very pleasing series of reflections he was indulging, on the felicity of these islanders

And the friendly intercourse with them that had been at last effected. He concludes his account of it in the following manner. - "Thus one dark and detestable action effaced all the hopes with which I had flattered myself. The natives, instead of looking upon us in a more favourable light than upon other strangers, had reason to detest us much more, as we came to destroy under the specious mask of friendship; and some amongst us lamented that instead of making amends at this place for the many rash acts which we had perpetrated at almost every island in our course, we had wantonly made it the scene of the greatest cruelty. Captain Cook resolved to punish the marine with the utmost rigour for having transgressed his positive orders, according to which the choleric emotions of the savages were to be repressed with gentleness, and prudently suffered to cool. But the officer who commanded on shore, declared that he had not delivered these orders to the sentry, but given him others which imported, that the least threat was to be punished with immediate death. The soldier was therefore immediately cleared, and the officer's right to dispose of the lives of the natives remained uncontroverted." The reader must have long ago perceived in the sentiments and language of this certainly eloquent writer, very sufficient grounds for much of the offence which his account of this voyage gave in England at the time of its publication.

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