1769. ROUND THE WORLD. 353 



manned and armed, accompanied by Mr. Banks and 

 Dr. Solander, and landed upon the island, which 

 was about three quarters of a mile distant : we ob- 

 served that the canoes which were about the ship, 

 did not follow us upon our leaving her, which we 

 thought a good sign ; but we had no sooner landed 

 than they crowded to different parts of the island and 

 came on shore. We were in a little cove, and in a 

 few minutes were surrounded by two or three hundred 

 people, some rushing from behind the heads of the 

 cove, and others appearing on the tops of the hills : 

 they were all armed, but they came on in so con- 

 fused and straggling a manner that we scarcely 

 suspected they meant us any harm, and we were 

 determined that hostilities should not begin on our 

 part. We marched towards them, and then drew a 

 line upon the sand between them and us, which we 

 gave them to understand they were not to pass: at 

 first they continued quiet, but their weapons were held 

 ready to strike, and they seemed to be rather irresolute 

 than peaceable. While we remained in this state of 

 suspense, another party of Indians came up, and 

 now growing more bold as their number increased, 

 they began the dance and song, which are their pre- 

 ludes to a battle : still, however, they delayed the 

 attack, but a party ran to each of our boats, and at- 

 tempted to draw them on shore ; this seemed to be 

 the signal, for the people about us at the same time 

 began to press in upon our line: our situation was 

 now become too critical for us to remain longer in- 

 active, I therefore discharged my musket, which was 

 loaded with small shot, at one of the forwardest, and 

 Mr. Banks and two of the men fired immediately 

 afterwards: this made them fall back in some con- 

 fusion, but one of the chiefs, who was at the distance 

 of about twenty yards, rallied them, and running 

 forward, waving his patoo-patoo, and calling loudly 

 to his companions, led them to the charge. Dr. 

 Solander, whose piece was not yet discharged, fired 



VOL. I. A A 



