!jQ COOK S VOYAGE TO FEB. 



Moral, they took possession of it, and some of them 

 threw a few stones; but without doing us any mis- 

 chief. 



It was, half an hour past eleven o'clock when I got 

 on board the Discovery, where I found no decisive 

 plan had been adopted for our future proceedings. 

 The restitution of the boat, and the recovery of the 

 body of Captain Cook, were the objects which, on all 

 hands, we agreed to insist on ; and it was my opinion 

 that some vigorous steps should be taken, in case the 

 demand of them was not immediately complied with. 



Though my feelings, on the death of a beloved and 

 honoured friend, may be suspected to have had some 

 share in this opinion, yet there were certainly other 

 reasons, and those of the most serious kind, that had 

 considerable weight with me. The confidence which 

 their success in killing our chief, and forcing us to 

 quit the shore, must naturally have inspired; and the 

 advantage, however trifling, which they had obtained 

 over us the preceding day; would, I had no doubt, 

 encourage them to make some further dangerous 

 attempts; and the more especially, as they had little 

 reason, from what they had hitherto seen, to dread 

 the effects of our fire-arms. Indeed, contrary to the 

 expectations of every one, this sort of weapon had 

 produced no signs of terror in them. On our side, such 

 was the condition of the ships, and the state of discipline 

 amongst us, that, had a vigorous attack been 

 made on us in the night, it would have been impos- 

 sible to answer for the consequences. 



In these apprehensions, 1 was supported by the 

 opinion of most of the officers on board; and nothing 

 seemed to me so likely to encourage the natives to 

 make the attempt, as the appearance of our being 

 inclined to an accommodation, which they could 

 only attribute to weakness or fear. 



In favour of more conciliatory measures, it was 

 justly urged, that the mischief was done, and irre- 



