Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/148

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120
VOYAGE IN SEARCH
[1793.

cult to prevent him from doing justice on the prisoner before our eyes. At length, however, he delivered him into the hands of the General, imagining, no doubt, that he was desirous of keeping him, to inflict on him himself the punishment due to his crime. The prisoner too, supposing that his last hour was come, already stretched out his neck, when our sentry, whom he had knocked down, begged the life of the offender. On this he was dismissed, with a few stripes on the back with a rope's end: but Feenou, thinking this punishment far too little, again raised his club, to put an end to his existence. The General bawled out as loud as he could, icaï maté, (that he should grant him his life); but Feenou declared, nevertheless, that he should not escape the punishment he deserved. As we were examining several marks on his head, from blows this man had received with a club, before he had been brought to us, we were informed, that these had been given to him when he was taken. The General ordered our surgeon to dress his wounds, and then removed him to the Esperance, intending to set him ashore in the night, to endeavour to save his life.

King Toubou received as a present from the General's hands a suit of scarlet, in which he dressed himself immediately, and a large hatchet.Feenou,