Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/247

] were very audacious thieves. Among their different tricks I shall relate one which these knaves played me. One of them offered to sell me a little bag, which held stones cut into an oval shape, and which was fastened to his waist. He untied it, and held it out as if ready to deliver it to me with one hand, while he received the price agreed upon with the other; but at the very instant another savage, who hast posted himself behind me, gave a great scream, which made me turn my head round, and immediately the rogue his comrade ran away with his bag and my things, endeavouring to conceal himself in the crowd. We were unwilling to punish him, though most of us were armed with firelocks. It was to be feared, however, that this act of forbearance would be considered as a mark of weakness by the natives, and render them still more insolent. What happened soon after seemed to confirm this: several of them were so bold as to throw stones at an officer, who was not above two hundred paces from us. We would not yet treat them with severity; for we were so much prejudiced in their favour, from the account given of them by Forster, that more facts were necessary to destroy the good opinion we entertained of the gentleness of their dispositions: but we had soon incontestable proofs of their ferociousness. One of them hav-