THIRD VOYAGE 233 



accompanied me. We proceeded about three leagues 

 up the sound, and then landed on the east side at a place 

 where I had formerly been. Here we cut as much grass 

 as loaded the two launches. 



" As we returned down the sound, we visited Grass Cove, 

 the memorable scene of the massacre of Captain Furneaux's 

 people. Whilst we were at this place, our curiosity 

 prompted us to inquire into the circumstances attending 

 the melancholy fate of our countrymen, and Omai was 

 made use of as our interpreter for this purpose. The 

 natives present answered all the questions that were put 

 to them on the subject without reserve, and like men 

 who are under no dread of punishment for a crime of which 

 they are not guilty. For we already knew that none of 

 them had been concerned in the unhappy transaction. 

 They told us, that while our people were sitting at dinner, 

 surrounded by several of the natives, some of the latter 

 stole, or snatched from them, some bread and fish, for 

 which they were beat. This being resented, a quarrel 

 ensued, and two New Zealanders were shot dead by the 

 only two muskets that were fired. For before our people 

 had time to discharge a third, or to load again those that 

 had been fired, the natives rushed in upon them, over- 

 powered them with their numbers, and put them all to 

 death. 



" We stayed here till the evening, when, having filled the 

 rest of the boats with grass, celery, and scurvy-grass, we 

 embarked to return to the ships, where some of the boats 

 did not arrive till one o'clock the next morning ; and it was 

 fortunate that they got on board then, for it afterwards 

 blew a perfect storm. In the evening the gale ceased, 

 and the wind having veered to the east, brought with it fair 

 weather. 



" By this time more than two-thirds of the inhabitants of 

 the Sound had settled themselves about us. Great numbers 

 of them daily frequented the ships, while our people were 

 there melting some seal blubber. No Greenlan4er was 

 ever fonder of train-oil than our friends here seemed to be. 

 They relished the very skimmings of the kettle ; but a 

 little of the pure stinking oil was a delicious feast. 



" Having got on board as much hay and grass as we 

 judged sufficient to serve the cattle till our arrival at 

 Otaheite, and having completed the wood and water of both 

 ships, on the 24th we weighed anchor and stood out of the 

 cove. 



" While we were unmooring and getting under sail, many 

 of the natives came to take their leave of us, or rather to 

 obtain, if they could, some additional presents from us 



