174 COOK'S SECOND VOYAGE SEPT. 



out to me, completely equipped in the war habit with 

 a club in each hand, as he seemed bent on mischief, 

 I took these from him, broke them before his eyes, 

 and, with some difficulty forced him to retire from 

 the place. As they told me that he was a chief, this 

 made me the more suspicious of him, and occasioned 

 me to send for a guard, which till now I had thought 

 unnecessary. About this time, Mr. Sparrman, having 

 imprudently gone out alone, botanizing, was set upon 

 by two men, who stripped him of every thing he had 

 about him, except his trowsers, struck him several 

 times with his own hanger, but happily did him no 

 harm. As soon as they had accomplished their end, 

 they made off; after which another of the natives 

 brought a piece of cloth to cover him, and conducted 

 him to the trading place, where were a great number 

 of the inhabitants. The very instant Mr. Sparrman 

 appeared in the condition I have just mentioned, 

 they fled to a man with the utmost precipitation. 

 My first conjectures were, that they had stolen some- 

 thing ; but we were soon undeceived, when we saw 

 Mr. Sparrman, and the affair was related to us. As 

 soon as I could recall a few of the natives, and had 

 made them sensible that I should take no step to 

 injure those who were innocent, I went to Oree to 

 to complain of this outrage, taking with us the man 

 who came back with Mr. Sparrman, to confirm the 

 complaint. As soon as the chief heard the whole 

 affair related, he wept aloud, as did many others. 

 After the first transports of his grief were over, he 

 began to expostulate with his people, telling them, 

 (as far we could understand) how well I had treated 

 them, both in this and my former voyage, and how 

 base it was in them to commit such actions. He then 

 took a very minute account of the things Mr. Sparr- 

 man had been robbed of, promised to do all in his 

 power to recover them, and rising up, desired me to 

 follow him to my boat. When the people saw this, 

 being, as I supposed, apprehensive of his safety, they 



