144 VOYAGE TO THE 



a cask of sour krout, though considerably more over- 

 powering. We soon perceived they had a previous 

 knowledge of iron, but they had no idea of the use of 

 a musket. When one was presented to induce them 

 to desist from their riotous conduct, instead of evad- 

 ing the direction of the fatal charge, they approached 

 it ; and imagining the gun was offered to them, they 

 innocently held out their hands to accept it. Before 

 we came close to them, they tempted us with cocoa- 

 nuts and roots, performed ludicrous dances, and in- 

 vited our approach ; but as soon as we were within 

 reach, the scene was changed to noise and confusion. 

 They seized the boat by the gunwale, endeavoured 

 to steal every thing that was loose, and demanded 

 whatever we held in our hand, without seeming in 

 the least disposed to give any thing of their own in 

 return. At length some of them grasped the boat's 

 yoke, which was made of copper, and others the 

 rudder, which produced a scuffle, and obliged me to 

 fire my gun over their heads. Upon the discharge, 

 all but four instantly plunged into the sea; but 

 these, though for a moment motionless with astonish- 

 ment, held firmly by the rudder, until they were 

 rejoined by their companions, and then forcibly 

 made it their prize. We could only have prevented 

 this by the use of fire-arms, but I did not choose to 

 resort to such a measure for so trifling an end, espe- 

 cially as the barge was approaching, and afforded the 

 most likely means of recovering our loss without 

 the sacrifice of life on their part, or the risk of being 

 upset on our own. As I intended to remain some 

 days at these islands, I wished by all means to avoid 

 a conflict ; at the same time it was essential to our 

 future tranquillity to show a resolution to resist such 



