THEPACIFICOCEAN. 8j 



on my learnina; from them, that a boat mieht sro and re- '777- 



turn the lame day, I lent one, with two petty officers, Mr. < .r—' 



Roberts and Mr. Shuttleworth ; one to remain with the boat, 

 in cafe flie could not get to the place, while the other 

 fhould go with the guides, and one or two of our people. 



Late in the evening, the boat returned, and the officers 

 informed me, that after proceeding as far in the boat as 

 rocks and fhoals would permit, Mr. Shuttleworth, with two 

 marines, and one of the guides^ landed and travelled to 

 Watea, to the houfe of Hamoa, where the people of the 

 place amufed them for fome time, by telling them, that the 

 goat would foon be brought, and pretended they had lent 

 for it. It however never came ; and the approach of night 

 obliged Mr. Shuttleworth to return to the boat without it. 



I was now very forry, that I had proceeded fo far; as I 

 could not retreat with any tolerable credit, and without giv- 

 ing encouragement to the people of the other iflands we had 

 yet to vifit, to rob us with impunity. I afked Omai and the 

 two old men, what methods I Ihould next take ; and they, 

 without heiitation, advifcd me to go with a party of men 

 into the country, and fhoot every foul I Ihould meet with. 

 This bloody counfel I could not followj but I refolved to 

 march a party of men crofs the ifland ; and, at day-break Thurfday 9. 

 the next morning, fet out with thirty-five of my people, ac- 

 companied by one of the old men, by Omai, and three or four 

 of his attendants. At the fame time, I ordered Lieutenant 

 William fon, with three armed boats, round the Weflern part 

 of the ifland, to meet us. 



I had no fooner landed with my party, than the few natives 



who rtill remained in the neighbourhood, fled before us. The 



firft man that we met with upon our march, run fome rifk of 



3 his 



