1777' THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 211 



enough, having no weight with me, I desired him to 

 ask the chief, why he had killed Captain Furneaux's 

 people ? At this question, Kahoora folded his arms, 

 hung down his head, and looked like one caught in 

 a trap; and, I firmly believe, he expected instant 

 death. But no sooner was he assured of his safety, 

 than he became cheerful. He did not, however, 

 seem willing to give me an answer to the question 

 that had been put to him, till I had, again and 

 again, repeated my promise that he should not 

 be hurt. Then he ventured to tell us, that one of 

 his countrymen having brought a stone-hatchet to 

 barter, the man to whom it was offered took it, and 

 would neither return it nor give any thing for it; 

 on which the owner of it snatched up the bread as 

 an equivalent ; and then the quarrel began. 



The remainder of Kahoora's account of this un- 

 happy affair differed very little from what we had 

 before learned from the rest of his countrymen. He 

 mentioned the narrow escape he had during the 

 fray, a musket being levelled at him, which he 

 avoided by skulking behind the boat ; and another 

 man, who stood close to him, was shot dead. As 

 soon as the musket was discharged, he instantly 

 seized the opportunity to attack Mr. Rowe, who 

 commanded the party, and who defended himself 

 with his hanger (with which he wounded Kahoora 

 in the arm), till he was overpowered by numbers. 



Mr. Burney, who was sent by Captain Furneaux 

 the next day* with an armed party, to look for his 

 missing people, upon discovering the horrid proofs 

 of their shocking fate, had fired several vollies 

 amongst the crowds of natives who still remained as- 

 sembled on the spot, and were, probably, partaking 

 of the detestable banquet. It was natural to sup- 

 pose that he had not fired in vain; and that, there- 

 fore, some of the murderers and devourers of our, 



* See his Narrative, Vcl. IV. p. 232.. 



p 



