290 cook's first voyage oct. 



armed, who, though they could not reach us, shouted 

 defiance, and brandished their weapons, with many 

 gestures of menace and insult. 



In the morning we had a view of* the mountains 

 inland, upon which the snow was still lying: the 

 country near the shore was low and unfit for culture, 

 but in one place we perceived a patch of somewhat 

 yellow, which had greatly the appearance of a corn- 

 field, yet was probably nothing more than some dead 

 flags, which are not uncommon in swampy places : 

 at some distance we saw groves of trees, which ap- 

 peared high and tapering, and being not above two 

 leagues from the south-west cod of the great bay, in 

 which we had been coasting for the two last days, I 

 hoisted out the pinnace and long-boat to search forfresh 

 water; but just as they were about to put off, we saw 

 several boats full of people coming from the shore, 

 and, tlierefore, I did not think it safe for them to 

 leave the ship. About ten o'clock, five of these 

 boats having drawn together, as if to hold a consult- 

 ation, made towards the ship, having on board between 

 eighty and ninety men, and four more followed at 

 some distance, as if to sustain the attack : when the 

 first five came within about a hundred yards of the 

 ship, they began to sing their war-song, and brandish- 

 ing their pikes, prepared for an engagement. We 

 had now no time to lose, for if we could not prevent 

 the attack, we should come under the unhappy 

 necessity of using our fire-arms against them, which 

 we were very desirous to avoid. Tupia, was therefore, 

 ordered to acquaint them that we had weapons 

 which, like thunder, would destroy them in a mo- 

 ment ; that we would immediately convince them of 

 their power by directing their effect so that they 

 should not be hurt ; but that if they persisted in any 

 hostile attempt, we should be obliged to use them 

 for our defence : a fou^-pounder, loaded with grape- 

 shot, was then discharged wide of* them, which pro- 

 duced the desired eflect ; the report, the flash, and 



