THE PACIFIC OCEAN. yi 



found means to fteal the cooper's bucket, and took away '779- 



his bag by force ; but the objects they were mod eager to v~ — „ > 



poflefs themfelves of, were the mufquets of the marines, 

 who were, every inftant, complaining of their attempts to 

 force them out of their hands. Though they continued, for 

 the mod part, to pay great deference and refpect to me, yet 

 they did not fuffer rac to efcape without contributing my 

 fliare to their flock of plunder. One of them came up to 

 me with a familiar air, and with great management di- 

 verted my attention, whilit another, wrenching the hanger, 

 which I held carelefly in my hand, from me, ran off with 

 it like lightning. 



It was in vain to think of repelling this infolcncc by force; 

 guarding therefore againft its effects, in the beft manner wc 

 were able, we had nothing to do but to fubmit patiently to 

 it. My apprehenfions were, however, a little alarmed, by the 

 information I foon after received from the ferjeant of ma- 

 rines, who told me, that, turning fuddenly round, he faw 

 a man behind me holding a dagger in the pofition of mik- 

 ing. In this he might poflibly be miflaken ; yet our fitua- 

 tion was certainly alarming and critical, and the fmalleft 

 error on our fide might have been fatal to us. As our 

 people were feparated into three fmall parties, one at the 

 lake, filling cafks ; another rolling them down to the more; 

 and the third, at fome diftance, purchafing provifions ; it 

 had once occurred to me, that it might be proper to collect 

 them all together, and to execute and protect one duty at a 

 time. But on fecond thoughts, I judged it more advifeablc 

 to let them continue as they were. In cafe of a real attack, 

 our whole force, however advantageoufly difpofed, could have 

 made but a poorreliftance. On the other hand, I thought it 

 of fome confequence to mew the natives, that we were 



N 2 under 



