298 JOHN LEDYARD. 



der -blade, and it passed quite through his body. 

 Cook fell with his face in the water and immediately 

 expired. Mr. Phillips, not being able any longer 

 to use his fusee, drew his sword, and, engaging the 

 chief whom he saw kill Cook, soon despatched him. 

 His guard in the mean time were all killed but two, 

 and they had plunged into the water and were 

 swimming to the boats. He stood thus for some 

 time the butt of all their force, and, being as com- 

 plete in the use of his sword as he was accomplished, 

 his noble achievements struck the barbarians with 

 awe ; but being wounded, and growing faint from 

 loss of blood and excessive action, he plunged into 

 the sea with his sword in his hand and swam to the 

 boats ; where, however, he was scarcely taken on 

 board, before somebody saw one of the marines 

 that had swam from the shore lying flat upon the 

 bottom. Phillips, hearing this, ran aft, threw him- 

 self in after him, and brought him up with him to 

 the surface of the water, and both were taken in. 



" The boats had hitherto kept up a very hot fire, 

 and, lying off without the reach of any weapon but 

 stones, had received no damage ; and, being fully at 

 leisure to keep up an unremitted and uniform 

 action, made great havoc among the Indians, par- 

 ticularly among the chiefs, who stood foremost in 

 crowd and were most exposed; but whether it 



