Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

560 CAUTIONS— TREACHKIJY. NoV. but have established themselves in some authority among the natives. A man known by the name of Charles, was more respected than almost any of their own chieftains, on account of his extraordinary valour : and so highly was he consider- ed by all of them, that he was allowed to have a hundred wives.* No small vessel ought to venture near any of the Feejee islands without being armed, and prepared to act defensively. Boarding nettings, if she has them, should be triced up ; and no professions, or appearance of friendship, ought ever to put strangers off their guard. In case of an unavoidable rupture, a chief, the highest in rank that can be secured, should, if possible, be made prisoner — by force if fair means fail ; and he should be made to understand that his life depended upon the conduct of his countrymen. Of course no right-minded man would act otherwise than to avoid or prevent any hostilities with ignorant savages, so long as he could do so without risk- ing the lives of his own countrymen ; but he must remember that, in hand to hand fighting, a band of fierce savages, armed with a variety of weapons, are more than a match for seamen unused, perhaps, to muskets, and equally awkward with pistols or swords : however brave and determined they may be, if dispersed, as usually happens, they are sure to be by far the greatest sufferers. I here allude to those savages who are really warriors. At some islands, and other places, they are compara- tively timid, though seldom less treacherous. Remarking on the criticisms of such as have animad- verted on officers who found themselves obliged to take harsh measures in self-defence — La Perouse, whose humanity and good sense not one individual among the nations who regret his untimely loss, ever questioned, says, " I am, how- ever, a thousand times more angry with the philosophers who extol the savages, than with the savages themselves. The unfortunate Lamanon, whom they massacred, told me the very * Only chieftains of note are able to maintain many wives : very few had so large a number as that man : scarcely any had more.