Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/476

410 hence such strong measures became almost necessary in a state of society like that *. But it would be rather severe to consider cruelty so great a crime among these people as it would be among us : the evil to society may be per- haps quite as great, but the demerit certainly falls not so heavy upon the perpetrator, nor does the victim, in all probability, feel it so much. To return to the subject, Finow was by no means destitute of the spark of humanity : it was remarkable in him that, although he was rather arbitrary, he hated to see oppression in others, and would frequently take the part of the oppressed, against those who were punish- ing them harshly ; and this Mr. Mariner is con- fident did not arise from caprice, nor from pride, as- willing to make himself ^the only per- son to be feared, but from far better motives. As a proof of his sentiments in this respect, the following anecdote is worthy of notice : When Mr. Mariner was first able to explain himself in their language, young chiefs and warriors would frequently flock about him, (particularly duct j on the other hand, I should be sorry to represent him a worse man than he really was. His character no doubt was a very extraordinary one, and I have endeavoured to weigh duly and without prejudice every circumstance that might tend to throw a light upon it.
 * It is very far from my wish to extenuate Finow's con -