A VOYAGE TO 

 •779- two four-pounders to be fired at them. Fortunately thefe 



.ury. 



v % - guns, though well aimed, did no mifchicf, and yet gave 



the natives a convincing proof of their power. One of the 

 balls broke a cocoa-nut tree in the* middle, under which a 

 party of them were fitting; and the other fhivercd a rock, 

 that flood in an exact line with them. As I had, juft before, 

 given them the ftrongeft affuranccs of their fafety, 1 was 

 exceedingly mortified at this act of hoftility ; and, to pre- 

 vent a repetition of it, immediately difpatched a boat to ac- 

 quaint Captain Clerke, that, at prefent, I was on the moll 

 friendly terms with the natives ; and that, if occafion mould 

 hereafter arife for altering my conduct toward them, I 

 would hoift a jack, as a fignal for him to afford us all the 

 afliftance in his power. 



We expected the return of the boat with theutmoft impa- 

 tience ; and after remaining a quarter of an hour, under 

 the moft torturing anxiety and fufpence, our fears were at 

 length confirmed, by the arrival of Mr. Bligh, with orders 

 to lliike the tents as quickly as poffible, and to fend the 

 fails, that were repairing, on board. Juft at the fame mo- 

 ment, our friend Kaireekcea having alio received intelli- 

 gence of the death of Captain Cook, from a native, who had 

 arrived from the other fide of the bay, came to me, with 

 great forrow and dejection in his countenance, to inquire, 

 if it was true ? 



Our fituation was, at this time, extremely critical and im- 

 portant. Not only our own lives, but the event of the ex- 

 pedition, and the return of at lead one of the fhips, being 

 involved in the fame common danger. We had the mall of 

 the Refolution, and the gicateft part of our fails, on fhore, 

 under the protection of only fix marines : their lofs would 



have 



