162 cook's FIRST VOYAGE JULY, 



both by looks and gestures, great disappointment and 

 anger. At this time we happened to have no victuals 

 dressed, but I offered one of them some biscuit, 

 which he snatched and threw overboard with great 

 disdain. One of them renewed his request to Mr. 

 Banks, and upon a refusal stamped with his foot, and 

 pushed him from him in a transport of resentment 

 and indignation. Having applied by turns to almost 

 every person who appeared to have any command in 

 the ship, without success, they suddenly seized two 

 of the turtles, and dragged them towards the side of 

 the ship where their canoe lay : our people soon 

 forced them out of their hands, and replaced them with 

 the rest. They would not however relinquish their 

 enterprise, but made several other attempts of the 

 same kind, in all which being equally disappointed, 

 they suddenly leaped into their canoe in a rage, and 

 began to paddle towards the shore. At the same 

 time, I went into the boat with Mr. Banks and five 

 or six of the ship's crew, and we got ashore before 

 them, where many more of our people were already 

 engaged in various employments. As soon as they 

 landed, they seized their arms, and before we 

 were aware of their design, they snatched a brand 

 from under a pitch -kettle which was boiling, and 

 making a circuit to the windward of the few things 

 we had on shore, they set fire to the grass in their 

 way, with surprising quickness and dexterity : the 

 grass, which was five or six feet high, and as dry as 

 stubble, burnt with amazing fury ; and the fire made 

 a rapid progress towards a tent of Mr. Banks's, 

 which had been set up for Tupia when he was sick, 

 taking in its course a sow and pigs, one of which it 

 scorched to death. Mr. Banks leaped into a boat, 

 and fetched some people from on board, just time 

 enough to save his tent, by hauling it down upon the 

 beach ; but the smith's forge, at least such part of it 

 as would burn, was consumed. While this was doing, 

 the Indians went to a place at some distance, where 



