THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 127 



are under no dread of punifliment for a crime of which „ \i~i- 



rebruary. 



they are not guihy. For we already knew that none of 

 them had been concerned in the unhappy tranfacftion. They 

 told us, that while our people were fitting at dinner, fur- 

 rounded by feveral of the natives, fome of the latter ftole, or 

 fnatched from them, fome bread and fifh, for which they 

 were beat. This being refented, a quarrel enfued, and two 

 New Zealanders were fhot dead, by the only two mufquets 

 that were fired. For before our people had time to dif- 

 charge a third, or to load again thofe that had been fired, 

 the natives rufhed in upon them, overpowered thern with 

 their numbers, and put them all to death. Pedro and his 

 . companions, befides relating the hiflory of the mafTacre, 

 made us acquainted with the very fpot that was the fcene of 

 it. It is at the corner of the cove on the right-hand. They 

 pointed to the place of the fun, to mark to us at what hour 

 of the day it happened ; and, according to this, it muft have 

 been late in the afternoon. They alfo fliewed us the place 

 where the boat lay ; and it appeared to be about two hun- 

 dred yards diltant from that where the crew were feated. 

 One of their number, a black fervant of Captain Furneaux, 

 was left in the boat to take care of her. 



We were afterv/ard told that this black was the caufe of 

 the quarrel, which was faid to have happened thus: One of 

 the natives dealing fomething out of the boat, the Negro 

 gave him a fevere blow with a flick. The cries of the fel- 

 low being heard by his countrymen at a diftance, they 

 imagined he was killed, and immediately began the attack 

 on our people; who, before they had time to reach the 

 boat, or to arm themfelves againfl tlie unexpecfled impend- 

 ing danger, fell a facrifice to the fury of their favage afTail- 



ants. 



The 



