1770. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 37 



rine along with him, but suffered him to take only his 

 side-arms. In a short time the officer returned, and, 

 on his acquainting me that the islanders had armed 

 themselves with stones and were growing very tumul- 

 tuous, I went myself to the spot, attended by a ma- 

 rine, with his musket. Seeing us approach, they 

 threw away their stones, and, on my speaking to 

 some of the chiefs, the mob were driven away, and 

 those who chose it, were suffered to assist in filling 

 the casks. Having left things quiet here, I went to 

 meet Captain Cook, whom I saw coming on shore, 

 in the pinnace. I related to him what had just passed y 

 and he ordered me, in case of their beginning to 

 throw stones, or behave insolently, immediately to 

 fire a ball at the offenders. I accordingly gave or- 

 ders to the corporal, to have the pieces of the senti- 

 nels loaded with ball, instead of small shot. 



Soon after our return to the tents, we were alarmed 

 by a continued fire of muskets from the Discovery, 

 which we observed to be directed at a canoe, that we 

 saw paddling toward the shore in great haste, pur- 

 sued by one of our small boats. We immediately 

 concluded, that the firing was in consequence of some 

 theft, and Captain Cook ordered me to follow him 

 with a marine armed, and to endeavour to seize the 

 people as they came on shore. Accordingly we ran 

 toward the place where we supposed the canoe would 

 land, but were too late ; the people having quitted 

 it, and made their escape into the country before our 

 arrival. 



We were at this time ignorant, that the goods had 

 been already restored; and as we thought it probable, 

 from the circumstances we had at first observed, that 

 they might be of importance, were unwilling to re- 

 linquish our hopes of recovering them. Having 

 therefore inquired of the natives, which way the 

 people had fled, we followed them till it was near 

 dark, when judging ourselves to be about three miles 

 from the tents, and suspecting that the natives, who 



d 3 



