44 cook's second voyage august, 



to throw stones from behind the trees and bushes, 

 and, every now and then, to pop out and throw a 

 dart. Four lay, to all appearance, dead on the shore ; 

 but two of them afterwards crawled into the bushes. 

 Happy it was for these people, that not half our 

 muskets would go off, otherwise many more must have 

 fallen. We had one man wounded in the cheek with 

 a dart, the point of which was as thick as my finger, 

 and yet it entered above two inches ; which shews 

 that it must have come with great force, though in- 

 deed we were very near them. An arrow struck Mr. 

 Gilbert's naked breast, who was about thirty yards 

 off; but probably it had struck something before ; for 

 it hardly penetrated the skin. The arrows were 

 pointed with hard wood. 



As soon as we got on board, I ordered the anchor 

 to be weighed, with a view of anchoring near the 

 landing-place. While this was doing, several people 

 appeared on the low rocky point, displaying two oars 

 we had lost in the scuffle. I looked on this as a sign 

 of submission, and of their wanting to give us the 

 oars. I was, nevertheless, prevailed on to fire a four 

 pound shot at them, to let them see the effect of our 

 great guns. The ball fell short, but frightened them 

 so much, that none were seen afterwards ; and they 

 left the oars standing up against the bushes. 



It was now calm ; but the anchor was hardly at 

 the bow before a breeze sprung up at north, of which 

 we took the advantage, set our sails, and plyed out 

 of the bay, as it did not seem capable of supplying 

 our wants, with that conveniency I wished to have. 

 Besides, I always had it in my power to return to this 

 place, in case I should find none more convenient 

 farther south. 



These islanders seemed to be a different race from 

 those of Mallicollo, and spoke a different language. 

 They are of the middle size, have a good shape, and 

 tolerable features. Their colour is very dark, and 

 they paint their faces, some with black, and others 



