176'9. ROUND THE WORLD. 151 



as it is among us ; and as I was not willing to ex- 

 pose them to fire-arms, loaded with shot, neither 

 could I perfectly approve of firing only with pow- 

 der. At first, indeed, the noise and the smoke would 

 alarm them, but when they found that no mischief 

 followed, they would be led to despise the weapons 

 themselves, and proceed to insults, which would 

 make it necessary to put them to the test, and from 

 which they would be deterred by the very sight of a 

 gun, if it was never used but with effect. At this 

 time an accident furnished me with what I thought 

 a happy expedient. It happened that above twenty 

 of their sailing canoes were just come in with a sup- 

 ply of fish : upon these I immediately seized, and 

 bringing them into the river behind the fort, gave 

 public notice, that except the rake, and all the rest 

 of. the things which from time to time had been 

 stolen, were returned, the canoes should be burnt. 

 This menace I ventured to publish, though I had no 

 design to put it into execution, making no doubt but 

 that it was well known in whose possession the stolen 

 goods were, and that as restitution was thus made a 

 common cause, they would all of them in a short 

 time be brought back. A list of the things was 

 made out, consisting principally of the rake, the 

 musket which had been taken from the marine when 

 the Indian was shot ; the pistols which Mr. Banks 

 lost with his clothes at Atahourou ; a sword belong- 

 ing to one of the petty officers, and the water-cask. 

 About noon, the rake was restored, and great solicit- 

 ation was made for the release of the canoes ; but I 

 still insisted upon my original condition. The next 

 day came, and nothing farther was restored, at which 

 I was much surprised, for the people were in the ut- 

 most distress for the fish, which in a short time would 

 be spoilt ; I was, therefore, reduced to a disagreeable 

 situation, either of releasing the canoes, contrary to 

 what I had solemnly and publicly declared, or to de- 

 tain them, to the great injury of those who were in- 



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