[Footnote 49:  It seems impossible to justify the transaction.  Let conscience and the law of nature speak.  Palliating circumstances may be allowed their full influence, but still there will remain enough in the deed, to spot the memory of our great and certainly humane navigator.  The life of man is the most sacred property under the heavens—­its value is perhaps incalculable by any other means than an appeal to the consciousness of its dignity and importance, which every one who enjoys it possesses.  It is worse than vain to set about considering the comparative value of different lives, in order to ascertain the momentum of the guilt of violating them in particular instances; and thus to depreciate the existence of savages, by comparing their habits, their manners, their enjoyments, and sufferings, with those of civilized people.  A man’s life is always valuable to himself, in the proportion of what he would give to secure and prolong it.  Is not this the basis of the law, which excuses homicide when committed in self-defence?  Does not that law imply the equality of lives in all cases, without disparagement of rank, station, or circumstances?  Yet even that law, recognised in all countries worthy of notice for their intelligence and cultivation, required something of the nature of a purgation of the person, whom it at the same time absolved of the deadly guilt of the action.  Dr Hawkesworth, in his General Introduction, which it was quite unnecessary to give entire in this work, argues the question of the lawfulness of such aggression as has been mentioned, on the abstract principle that the advantages of discoveries overbalance the evils attendant on the making of them.  But admitting all that he says on the subject, which is something more than he proves—­admitting, in this case, that the end justifies the means—­still it may be contended with propriety, that those who have been entrusted with such commands are amenable to the fundamental laws of humanity and all good governments—­Let it be proved that they have not exceeded their instructions, or availed themselves of a concession only problematically and in fact eventually just, to use force and deal out slaughter in conferring their favours.  Let there be no relaxation of the solemnity and imposing aspect of the law in such cases, whatever there be of its retributive severity.  Sailors in general, and our own in particular, as we may see even in the course of this narrative, are not to be trusted with the smallest discretionary power, where the lives of naked men are concerned.  The obvious contrast is too much for their pride; mercifulness of disposition does not mitigate its pungency.  An abatement in the rigour of the law unfortunately flatters their prejudices, and loosens the tie by which their passions are feebly bound under a sense of duty and fear.  The consequences are shocking and unavoidable.  Abrogate entirely from these at all times unthinking