S(j cook's voyage to march, 



advantageously disposed, could have made but a poor 

 resistance. On the other hand, I thought it of some 

 consequence to shew the natives, that we were under 

 no fears ; and, what was still more material, the 

 crowd was, by this means, kept divided, and a con- 

 siderable part of them fully employed in bartering 

 provisions. 



It is probable that their dread of the effects of our 

 arms, was the principal cause of their backwardness 

 in attacking us ; and indeed the confidence we 

 appeared to place in this advantage, by opposing only 

 five marines to their whole force, must have raised in 

 them a very high idea of our superiority. It was our 

 business to keep up this opinion as much as possible ; 

 and in justice to the whole party, I must observe, 

 that no men could possibly behave better, for the 

 purpose of strengthening these impressions. What- 

 ever could be taken in jest, they bore with the utmost 

 temper and patience ; and whenever any serious 

 attempt was made to interrupt them, they opposed 

 it with bold looks and menaces. By this manage- 

 ment, we succeeded so far, as to get all the casks 

 down to the water side, without any material acci- 

 dent. 



While we were getting them into the launch, the 

 natives, perceiving the opportunity of plundering 

 would soon be over, became every moment more 

 daring and insolent. On this occasion, I was indebted 

 to the serjeant of marines for suggesting to me, the 

 advantage that would arise from sending off his party 

 first into the boats ; by which means, the muskets 

 of the soldiers, which, as I have already mentioned, 

 were the objects the islanders had principally in view, 

 would be removed out of their reach ; and in case of 

 an attack, the marines themselves might be employed 

 more effectually in our defence, than if they were on 

 shore. 



We had now got every thing into the boats, and 

 only Mr. Anderson the gunner, a seaman of the boat's 



