ntered into the water to surround the
boats, he would have prevented his own death as well as those of eleven
other victims of savage ferocity. Twenty persons more were severely
wounded; and this event deprived us for the time of thirty men, and the
only two boats we had large enough to carry a sufficient number of men,
armed, to attempt a descent. These considerations determined my
subsequent conduct. The slightest loss would have compelled me to burn
one of my ships in order to man the other. If my anger had required
only the death of a few natives, I had had an opportunity after the
massacre of sinking and destroying a hundred canoes containing
upwards of five hundred persons, but I was afraid of being mistaken in
my victims, and the voice of my conscience saved their lives."

It was then that Laperouse resolved to sail to Botany Bay, of which he
had read a description in Cook's Voyages. His long-boats had been
destroyed by the natives, but he had on board the frames of two new
ones, and a safe anchorage was required where they could be put
together. His crews were exasperated; and lest there should be a
collision between them and other natives he resolved that, while
reconnoitring other groups of islands to determine their correct
latitude, he would not permit his sailors to land till he reached
Botany Bay. There he knew that he could obtain wood and water.

On December 14 Oyolava (now called Upolu) was reached. Here again the
ships were surrounded by canoes, and the angry French sailors would
have fired upon them except for the positive orders of their commander.
Throughout this unfortunate affair the strict sense of justice, which
forbade taking general vengeance for the misdeeds of particular people,
stands out strongly in the conduct of Laperouse. He acknowledged in
letters written from Botany Bay, that in future relations with
uncivilised folk he would adopt more repressive measures, as experience
taught him that lack of firm handling was by them regarded as weakness.
But his tone in all his writings is humane and kindly.

The speculations of Laperouse concerning the origin of these
peoples, are interesting, and deserve consideration by those who speak
and write upon the South Seas. He was convinced that they are all
derived from an ancient common stock, and that the race of
woolly-haired men to be found in the interior of Formosa were the
far-off parents of the natives of the Philippines, Papua, New Britain,