296 JOHN LEDYARD. 



hundred people, and above half of them chiefs. 

 Cook grew uneasy when he observed this, and was 

 the more urgent in his persuasions with Teraiobu 

 to go on board, and actually persuaded the old man 

 to go at length, and led him within a rod or two of 

 the shore ; but the just fears and conjectures of the 

 chiefs at last interposed. They held the old man 

 back, and one of the chiefs threatened Cook when 

 he attempted to make them quit Teraiobu. Some 

 of the crowd now cried out that Cook was going to 

 take their king from them to kill him; and there 

 was one in particular that advanced toward Cook in 

 an attitude that alarmed one of the guard, who pre- 

 sented his bayonet and opposed him, acquainting 

 Cook in the mean time of the danger of his situa- 

 tion, and that the Indians in a few minutes would 

 attack him, that he had overheard the man whom 

 he had just stopped from rushing in upon him say 

 that our boats which were out in the harbor had 

 just killed his brother, and he would be revenged. 

 Cook attended to what this man said, and desired 

 him to show him the Indian that had dared to 

 attempt a combat with him ; and, as soon as he was 

 pointed out, Cook fired at him with a blank. The 

 Indian, perceiving he received no damage from the 

 fire, rushed from without the crowd a second time, 

 and threatened any one that should oppose him. 



