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60                                          AVOYAGETO
1779.          In favour of more conciliatory meafures, it was juftly
^Z    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 boat, muft free him
from the fmallefl degree of fufpicion : that the conduct of
his women, and the Krees^ might eafily be 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 refift the attempt, which they
had fome reafon to imagine would be made, to carry
off their king by force, and was naturally to be expe&ed
from a people full of affe&ion 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
fole object: that therefore to engage in a vindicative 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