io8 



Menzics' Journal. 



Nootka. 



1792. 

 Aug. 28th. 



toons that skipped into the Stancheons on the sides of the 

 Boats). On which some altercation took place between 

 them, & Mr. Hergist finding him persist in his conditions, 

 rather than allow more fire arms, went himself accompanied 

 by Mr. Gooch the Astronomer & a Native whom they had 

 brought down from some of the Windward Islands, who 

 strongly importund them not to go on shore unarmd, as they 

 were bad people. This indued Mr. New the Master of the 

 Ship to slip two Muskets with Ammunition into the Boat 

 unknown to Mr. Hergist, & thus equipped they pulled for 

 the Shore with the Water Casks, & on Landing the two 

 Gentlemen accompanied by two of the Seamen walked up 

 the banks of the Rivulet till they found a convenient place 

 for filling the Casks which was at no great distance from 

 the Boat. Here the two Seamen were left employd in filling 

 the Casks with some of the Natives, while the two Gentle- 

 men took a stroll back into the neighbouring Plantation, 

 where their Indian Friend again & again implored them not 

 to venture unarmd, but all to no purpose, for they crossed 

 the Rivulet a little higher up & made towards a Village on 

 the opposite side. Not long after a group of the Natives 

 were seen arming themselves with daggers &c & assembling 

 on a small eminence close to the Watering place, among 

 which they observd a resolute fellow swaggering with a large 

 knife in his hand & haranguing the Natives that assisted in 

 filling the Water Casks in a hasty speech, on which they / 

 all went away & began to remove their effects from the 

 adjacent houses. Alarmd at such hostile appearances & 

 dreading the safety of the Officers, one of the Seamen calld 

 out as loud as he could for them to return, but unfortunately 

 they were too far off, on which the Natives on the adjacent 

 eminence rushd down hastily towards the two Seamen brand- 

 ishing their Arms & a short scuffle ensued, from which the 

 Seamen endeavourd to extricate themselves by running off to 

 the Boat. And here let me relate with pleasure an instance of 

 heroism & presence of mind in one of these Seamen Thomas 

 Franklin seldom to be met with. The other was a Portu- 

 guese & falling a little behind was soon overtaken in their 

 retreat — his shrieks made Franklin look round when he saw 

 one of the Natives grasping him from behind round the 

 middle with his left hand, while uplifting the other with a 

 large dagger in the act of Stabbing him, & notwithstanding 



