Dec. 

 1825. 



. PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 79 



natives who accompanied them from Otaheite over- chap 

 heard this conspiracy, and instantly swam off to the 

 ship and apprised the crew of their danger. Instead, 

 therefore, of proceeding to their work at the fort, as 

 usual, the following morning, they made an attack 

 upon the natives, killed and wounded several, and 

 obliged the others to retire inland. 



Great dissatisfaction and difference of opinion now 

 arose among the crew : some were for abandoning 

 the fort and returning to Otaheite ; while others 

 were for proceeding to the Marquesas ; but the 

 majority were at that time for completing what they 

 had begun, and remaining at Tobouai. At length 

 the continued state of suspense in which they were 

 kept by the natives made them decide to return to 

 Otaheite, though much against the inclination of 

 Christian, who in vain expostulated with them on 

 the folly of such a resolution, and the certain detec- 

 tion that must ensue. 



The implements being embarked, they proceeded 

 therefore a second time to Otaheite, and were again 

 well received by their friends, who replenished their 

 stock of provision. During the passage Christian 

 formed his intention of proceeding in the ship to 

 some distant uninhabited island, for the purpose of 

 permanently settling, as the most likely means of 

 escaping the punishment which he well knew awaited 

 him in the event of being discovered. On commu- 

 nicating this plan to his shipmates he found only a 

 few inclined to assent to it ; but no objections were 

 offered by those who dissented, to his taking the 

 ship ; all they required was an equal distribution 

 of such provisions and stores as might be useful. 

 Young, Brown, Mills, Williams, Quintal, M'Coy, 



