THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 7 t 



iflanders ; they ftill kept in force on the fhore, as if deter- '7:9- 

 mined to refill any attempts we- might make to land ; and »- — „ — — * 

 yet the attempt was become abfolutely necefTary, as the 

 completing our fupply of water would not admit of any 

 longer delay. 



However it muft be obferved, in juftice to the conduct of 

 Captain Clerke, that it was very probable, from the great 

 numbers of the natives, and from the refolution with 

 which they feemed to expect us, an attack could not have 

 been made without fome danger ; and that the lofs of a 

 very few men might have been feverely felt by us, during 

 the remaining courfe of our voyage. Whereas the delaying 

 the execution of our threats, though, on the one hand, it 

 leffened their opinion of our prowefs, had the effect of 

 caufing them todifperfe, on the other. For, this day, about 

 noon, finding us perfifl in our inactivity, great bodies of 

 them, after blowing their conchs, and ufing every mode of 

 defiance, marched off, over the hills, and never appeared 

 afterward. Thofe, however, who remained, were not the 

 lefs daring and infolent. One man had the audacity to 

 con.e within mufquet-fhot, a-head of the fhip; and, after 

 flinging feveral flones at us, he waved Captain Cook's hat 

 over his head, whilft his countrymen on fhore were exult- 

 ing, and encouraging his boldnefs. Our people were all in 

 a flame at this infult, and coming in a body on the quarter- 

 deck, begged they might no longer be obliged to put up 

 with thefe repeated provocations ; and requeued me to ob- 

 tain permiflion for them, from Captain Clerke, to avail 

 themfelves of the firfl fair occafion of revenging the death 

 of their Commander. On my acquainting him with what 

 was palling, he gave orders for fome great guns to be fired 

 at the natives on fhore; and promifed the crew, that if thev 



fhould . 



