It’s 1580 A.D. 

You are on a trade route carrying spice from Bali back to Damascus.  You take a detour through the archipelago in search of mango seedlings to bring back (though how you will grow a mango tree in the desert, I don’t know…). 

A storm forces you to take shelter off Komodo Island, a small island by the main route. A local village welcomes you, brings you and your men food and water. You stay for the night. 

The next day, the villagers are preparing a feast.  Lots of commotion. A young man on the island speaks Arabic (sort of) and quite a bit of English and French.  You know some English and quite a lot of French, so you’re able to get most of his story (you think). 

He tells you that a young girl’s husband died penniless.  By the village custom, she will be buried alive today with him.

You have a ship full of young men with plenty of guns and munitions. Your men will follow your orders, but, you must admit, they came seeking trade, not war.  You are outnumbered, though with your technological advantage, should be able to win if it came to a fight, albeit with considerable losses on your side.

What do you do?