212 COOK'S VOYAGE TO FEB. 



unhappy countrymen had suffered under our just re- 

 sentment. Upon enquiry, however, into this matter, 

 not only from Kahoora, but from others who had oppor- 

 tunities of knowing, it appeared that our supposition 

 was groundless, and that not one of the shot fired by 

 Mr. Burney's people had taken effect, so as to kill, 

 or even to hurt, a single person. 



It was evident, that most of the natives we had 

 met with since our arrival, as they knew I was fully 

 acquainted with the history of the massacre, ex- 

 pected I should avenge it with the death of Kahoora. 

 And many of them seemed not only to wish it, but 

 expressed their surprise at my forbearance. As he 

 could not be ignorant of this, it was a matter of won- 

 der to me, that he put himself so often in my power. 

 When he visited us while the ships lay in the Cove, 

 confiding in the number of his friends that accompa- 

 nied him, he might think himself safe. But his two 

 last visits had been made under such circumstances, 

 that he could no longer rely upon this. We were 

 then at anchor in the entrance of the Sound, and at 

 some distance from any shore ; so that he could not 

 have any assistance from thence, nor flatter himself 

 he could have the means of making his escape, had 

 I determined to detain him. And yet, after his first 

 fears, on being interrogated, were over, he was so 

 far from entertaining any uneasy sensations, that, on 

 seeing a portrait of one of his countrymen hanging 

 up in the cabin, he desired to have his own portrait 

 drawn ; and sat till Mr. Webber had finished it, 

 without marking the least impatience. I must con- 

 fess, I admired his courage, and was not a little 

 pleased to observe the extent of the confidence he 

 put in me. For he placed his whole safety in the 

 declarations I had uniformly made to those who soli- 

 cited his death, that I had always been a friend to 

 them all, and would continue so, unless they gave 

 me cause to act otherwise ; that as to their inhuman 

 treatment of our people, I should think no more of 



