many well authenticated instances of their horrible cruelty have come to my knowledge. In the present instance, it is evident, that the story is exceedingly confused; and this occurrence may be the cause of the destruction of the next Europeans who land on the island;—as these savages, cherishing revenge, will probably inflict it on the first Europeans that fall within their power.
It is the duty of every one (and it ought to be enforced) to behave with great caution and mildness in his intercourse with the natives; but more particularly with those, whose abode lies in the track of ships, the crews of which, by a misfortune common in these seas, may be (as they frequently have been) entirely at the mercy of these ignorant, but not naturally evil-disposed savages.
I was also informed by the master, who had touched at Hammond's Island on a former occasion, that the natives are cannibals, as they felt the fleshy part of his arms with apparent delight: this he observed to be a general action among cannibals. But, perhaps, the Malays, who accuse the Aborigines of Raffles' Bay of being cannibals, because they eat snakes, may be equally right in their surmises.
On Tuesday afternoon, 11th of August, we were gratified by a visit from three natives; Jacama, alias Waterloo, Marambal, alias Alligator, (so named on account of his immense mouth, and long white teeth,) and Mimaloo, alias One-eye. Orders were given to
