128 ■ A V O Y A G E T O 



1777- The firfl: of thefe accounts, was confirmed by the teflimony 



February. ■^ 



' . ' of many of the natives, whom we converfed with, at differ- 

 ent times, and who, I think, could have no interefl in de- 

 ceiving us. The fecond manner of relating the tranfa(5tion, 

 refts upon the authority of the young New Zealander, who 

 chofe to abandon his country and go away with us, and 

 who, confequently, could have no poffible view in difguif- 

 ing the truth. All agreeing that the quarrel happened when 

 the boat's crew were fitting at their meal, it is highly pro- 

 bable that both the accounts are true, as they perfedtly co- 

 incide. For we may very naturally fuppofe, that while 

 fome of the natives were Healing from the man who had 

 been left in the boat, others of them might take the fame 

 liberties with the propertj^ of our people who were on fliore. 



Ee this as it will, all agree, that the quarrel firft took its 

 rife from fome thefts, in the commiffion of which the na- 

 tives were detected. All agree, alfo, that there was no pre- 

 meditated plan of bloodflied, and tliat, if thefe thefts had 

 not been, unfortunately, too haftily refented, no mifchief 

 would have happened. For Kahoora's greatefl enemies, 

 thofe who folicited his deflrudlion mod earneftly, at the 

 fame time confelTed tliat he had no intention to quarrel, 

 much lefs to kill, till the fray had actually commenced. It 

 alfo appears that the unhappy vicTtims were under no fort of 

 apprehenfion of their fate ; otherwife they never would have 

 ventured to fit down to a rdpail: at fo confiderable a dhlance 

 from their boat, amongfl people who were the next moment 

 to be their murderers. What became of the boat I never 

 could learn. Some faid flie was pulled to pieces and burnt; 

 others told us that flie was carried, they knew not whither, 

 by a party of flrangers. 



We 



