40 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



understanding with the natives ; but in this he was mis- 

 taken. Two foreign sailors having been out, one of them 

 was robbed of his knife, and striving to recover it, the 

 Indians attacked and wounded him in a dangerous manner 

 with a stone ; his companion also received a slight wound 

 in the head. As Captain Cook would have been unwilling 

 to have taken further notice of the transaction, he was not 

 sorry the offenders had made their escape. 



Another affair, equally disagreeable, soon after happened. 

 Between the 8th and 9th, in the evening, two young marines 

 retired secretly from the fort, and in the morning were not to 

 be met with. Notice having been given for all the company 

 to go on board the next day, and that the ship would sail on 

 that or the ensuing day, Captain Cook began to fear that the 

 marines intended to remain on shore. He was apprized 

 that no effectual steps could be taken to recover them, 

 without risking the harmony and good fellowship which, at 

 present, subsisted between the English and the natives ; 

 and, therefore, resolved to wait a day in hopes of their 

 returning. 



The 10th, in the morning, the marines not having returned, 

 an inquiry was made after them, when the Indians declared 

 that they did not propose returning, having taken refuge in 

 the mountains, where it was impossible to discover them ; 

 and that each had taken a wife. In consequence of which 

 it was intimated to several chiefs, who were in the fort with 

 their women, among whom were Tubora Tumaida, Tomio, 

 and Oberea, that they would not be suffered to quit it till 

 the deserters were produced. They received the intimation 

 with very little signs either of fear or discontent, assuring 

 the captain that the marines should be sent back ; but 

 night coming on, Captain Cook judged it was not prudent to 

 let the hostages remain at the fort ; and he therefore 

 ordered them to be brought on board. This gave an 

 unusual alarm and several of them, especially the females, 

 testified their apprehensions with great agitation of mind, 

 and floods of tears. 



One of the marines was brought back in the evening by 

 some of the Indians, who reported that the other and the 

 two people who were sent to fetch them back, would be 

 detained till Tootahah, who was one of the confined, should 

 be liberated. Mr. Hicks was immediately despatched, in 

 the longboat, with several men, to rescue the English 

 prisoners ; at the same time, Captain Cook told Tootatah, 

 that it was incumbent on him to assist them with some of 

 his people, and to give orders in his name that the men 

 should be set at liberty, for that he should expect him 

 to answer for the event. Tootahah immediately complied, 



