172 cook's first voyage JULY, 



the right owners, who, supported by the other In- 

 dians, clamorously reproached him for invading their 

 property, and prepared to take the canoe from him 

 by force. Upon this, he desired to be heard, and 

 told them, that the canoe did, indeed, once belong 

 to those who claimed it ; but that I, having seized it 

 as a forfeit, had sold it to him for a pig. This silenced 

 the clamour: the owners, knowing that from my 

 power there was no appeal, acquiesced ; and Po- 

 tattow would have carried ofFhis prize, if the dispute 

 had not fortunately been overheard by some of our 

 people, who reported it to me. I gave orders im- 

 mediately that the Indians should be undeceived ; 

 upon which the right owners took possession of their 

 canoe, and Potattow was so conscious of his guilt, 

 that neither he nor his wife, who was privy to his 

 knavery, could look us in the face for some time 

 afterwards. 



