1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 205 



without reserve, and like men who are under no 

 dread of punishment for a crime of which they are 

 not guilty. For we already knew that none of them 

 had been concerned in the unhappy transaction. 

 They told us, that while our people were sitting at 

 dinner, surrounded by several of the natives, some of 

 the latter stole, or snatched from them, some bread 

 and fish, for which they were beat. This being re- 

 sented, a quarrel ensued, and two New Zealanders 

 were shot dead, by the only two muskets that were 

 fired. For before our people had time to discharge 

 a third, or to load again those that had been fired, the 

 natives rushed in upon them, overpowered them with 

 their numbers, and put them all to death. Pedro 

 and his companions, besides relating the history of 

 the massacre, made us acquainted with the very spot 

 that was the scene of it. It is at the corner of the 

 cove on the right hand. They pointed to the place 

 of the sun, to mark to us at what hour of the day it 

 happened ; and, according to this, it must have been 

 late in the afternoon. They also showed us the 

 place where the boat lay ; and it appeared to be 

 about two hundred yards distant from that where the 

 crew were seated. One of their number, a black 

 servant of Captain Furneaux, was left in the boat to 

 take care of her. 



We were afterward told that this black was the 

 cause of the quarrel, which was said to have hap- 

 pened thus : One of the natives stealing something 

 out of the boat, the negro gave him a severe blow 

 with a stick. The cries of tfre fellow being heard by 

 his countrymen at a distance, they imagined he was 

 killed, and immediately began the attack on our 

 people ; who, before they had time to reach the 

 boat, or to arm themselves against the unexpected 

 impending danger, fell a sacrifice to the fury of their 

 savage assailants. 



The first of these accounts, was confirmed by the 

 testimony of many of the natives, whom we conversed 



