SECOND VOYAGE 181 



like a weapon in his hand. After this, three fellows came in 

 a canoe under the stern, one of them brandishing a club, 

 with which he struck the ship's side, and committed other 

 acts of defiance, but at last offered to exchange it for a string 

 of beads, and some other triiles. These were sent down 

 to him by a line ; but the moment they were in his posses- 

 sion, he and his companions paddled off in all haste, without 

 giving the club in return. This was what Captain Cook 

 expected, and, indeed, what he was not sorry for, as he 

 wanted an opportunity to shew the multitude on shore 

 the effect of their firearms without materially hurting any 

 of them. Having a fowling-piece loaded with small shot, 

 he gave the fellow the contents ; and when they were 

 above musket-shot off, he ordered some of the musketoons 

 to be fired, which alarmed them much. This transaction, 

 however, seemed to make little or no impression on the 

 people there ; on the contrary, they began to halloo, and 

 to make sport of it. 



After mooring the ship, and placing the guns in such a 

 manner as to command the wholf harbour, he embarked 

 with the marines, and a party of seamen, in three boats, and 

 rowed in for the shore. It has been already mentioned, 

 that the two divisions of the natives were drawn up on each 

 side of the landing-place. They had left a space between 

 them of about thirty or forty yards, in which were laid, to 

 the most advantage, a few small bunches of plantains, a 

 yam, and two or three roots. The old man before men- 

 tioned, and two more, invited them, by signs, to land ; but 

 the former trap was still in their memory, which they were 

 so near being caught in at the last island ; and this looked 

 something like it. In short, everything conspired to make 

 them believe they meant to attack them as soon as they 

 should be on shore. To prevent this, Captain Cook ordered 

 a musket to be fired over the party on the right, which was 

 by far the strongest body ; but the alarm it gave them was 

 momentary. In an instant they recovered themselves, and 

 began to display their weapons. The ship now fired a few 

 great guns, which presently dispersed them ; when the 

 party landed, and marked out the limits, on the right and 

 left, by a line. The natives came gradually to them, 

 seemingly in a more friendly manner ; some even without 

 their weapons, but by far the greatest part brought them ; 

 and when they made signs to lay them down, they gave 

 the English to understand, that they must lay down theirs 

 first. Thus all parties stood armed. Many were afraid to 

 touch what belonged to the visitors, and they seemed 

 to have no notion of exchanging one thing for another. 

 The Captain took the old man (whose name was now found 



