9 2 



A VOYAGE TO 



1779- under no fears;' and, what was ftill more material, the 

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

 ablc part of them fully employed in bartering provificns. 



It is probable, that their dread of the effects of our arms, 

 was the principal caufe of their backwardness in attacking 

 us ; and indeed the confidence we appeared to place in this 

 advantage, by oppofing only five marines to their whole 

 force, muft have raifed in them a very high idea of our fu- 

 periority. It was our bufinefs to keep up this opinion as 

 much as poffible; and in juftice to the whole party, I mufl 

 obfervc, that no men could poffibly behave better, for the 

 purpofe of ftrengthening thefe impreflions. Whatever could 

 be taken in jeft, they bore with the utmoft temper and pa- 

 tience ; and whenever any ferious attempt was made to in- 

 terrupt them, they oppofed it with bold looks and menaces. 

 By this management, we fucceeded fo far, as to get all 

 the caiks down to the water fide, without any material 

 accident. 



While we were getting them into the launch, the natives, 

 perceiving the opportunity of plundering would foon be 

 over, became every moment more daring and infolent. On 

 this occafion, I was indebted to the ferjeant of marines for 

 iuggefting to me, the advantage that would arife from fend- 

 ing off his party firit into the boats ; by which means, the 

 mufquets of the foldiers, which, as I have already men- 

 tioned, were the objects the iflanders had principally in view, 

 would be removed out of their reach ; and in cafe of an at- 

 tack, the marines themfelves might be employed more ef- 

 fectually in our defence, than if they were on more. 



We had now got every thing into the boats, and only Mr. 

 Anderfon the gunner, a feaman of the boat's crew, and 



myfelf, 



