27-1 



A VOYAGE TO 



''"?• fong, in which all in the canoe joined, witli a very plcafing^ 

 \-— V ' harmony. 



During thcfe vifits, they gave us no other trouble, 

 than to guard againft their thievifh tricks. But, in the 

 Saturday 4. moming of thc 4th, we had a ferious alarm. Our party 

 on fhore, who were employed in cutting wood, and filling 

 water, obferved, that the natives all around them were 

 arming themfelves in the beft manner they could ; thofe, 

 who were not poflcfTed of proper weapons, preparing fticks^ 

 and collefting flones. On hearing this, I thought it prudent 

 to arm alfo; but, being determined to act upon the defen- 

 five, I ordered all our workmen to retreat to the rock, upon 

 which we had placed our obfervatories ; leaving the natives 

 in quiet pofTeflion of the ground where they had aiTembled, 

 which was within a Hone's throw of the Refolution's flern. 

 Our fears were ill-groimdcd : thefe hofiile preparations were 

 not dirccfted againft us, but againft a body of their own. 

 countrymen, who were coming to fight them ; and our 

 friends of the Sound, on obferving our apprehenfions, ufed 

 their beft endeavours to convince us that this was the cafe. 

 We could fee, that they had people looking out, on each 

 point of the cove, and canoes frequently pafi^ed between 

 them and the main body afl^cmbled near the fliips. At 

 length, the adverfc party, in about a dozen large canoes, 

 appeared off" the South point of the cove, where they flop- 

 ped, and lay drawn up in line of battle, a negociation hav- 

 ing commenced. Some people in canoes, in conducting thc 

 treaty, palled between the two parties, and there was fome 

 fpeaking on both fides. At length, the difTercncc, what- 

 ever it was, feemcd to be compromifed ; but the ftrangers 

 were not allowed to come along-fide tlic fhips, nor to have 

 any trade or intcrcourfe with us. Probably we were the 



caufe 



