The boatswain defended this quarrel when we were afterwards onboard. He said it was true that we seemed to break the truce, butreally had not; and that the war was begun the night before by thenatives themselves, who had shot at us, and killed one of our menwithout any just provocation; so that as we were in a capacity tofight them now, we might also be in a capacity to do ourselvesjustice upon them in an extraordinary manner; that though the poorman had taken a little liberty with the girl, he ought not to havebeen murdered, and that in such a villainous manner: and that theydid nothing but what was just and what the laws of God allowed tobe done to murderers. One would think this should have been enoughto have warned us against going on shore amongst the heathens andbarbarians; but it is impossible to make mankind wise but at theirown expense, and their experience seems to be always of most use tothem when it is dearest bought.…