1779- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 87 



crew, and myself, remained on shore. As the pin- 

 nace lay beyond the sur£ through which we were 

 obliged to swim, I told them to make the best of 

 their way to it, and that I should follow them. 



With this order I was suprised to find them both 

 refuse to comply ; and the consequence was a contest 

 amongst us who should be the last on shore. It 

 seems, that some hasty words I had just before used 

 to the sailor, which he thought reflected on his 

 courage, was the cause of this odd fancy in him; and 

 the old gunner, finding a point of honour started, 

 thought he could not well avoid taking a part in it. 

 In this ridiculous situation we might have remained 

 some time, had not our dispute been soon settled by 

 the stones that began to fly about us, and by the cries 

 of the people from the boats, to make haste, as the 

 natives were following us into the water with clubs 

 and spears. I reached the side of the pinnace first, 

 and finding Mr. Anderson was at some distance 

 behind, and not yet entirely out of danger, I called 

 out to the marines to fire one musket. In the hurry 

 of executing my orders, they fired two; and when I 

 got into the boat, I saw the natives running away, 

 and one man, with a woman sitting by him, left 

 behind on the beach. The man made several attempts 

 to rise, without being able; and it was with much 

 regret, I perceived him to be wounded in the groin. 

 The natives soon after returned, and surrounded the 

 wounded man, brandishing their spears and daggers 

 at us, with an air of threatening and defiance ; but 

 before we reached the ships, we saw some persons, 

 whom we supposed to be the chiefs, now arrived, 

 driving them away from the shore. 



During our absence, Captain Clerke had been 

 under the greatest anxiety for our safety. And these 

 apprehensions were considerably increased, from his 

 having entirely mistaken the drift of the conversation 

 he had held with some natives who had been on board. 



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