THIRD VOYAGE 305 



move off, as if some sudden panic had seized them. I wag 

 ashore, abreast of the ship at the time, and inquired in 

 vain to find out the cause, till our people called to us from 

 the Discovery, and told us that a party of the natives had 

 seized Captain Glerke and Mr. Gore, who had walked out 

 a little way from the ships. Struck with the boldness of 

 this plan of retaliation, which seemed to counteract me 

 so effectually in my own way, there was no time to 

 deliberate. I instantly ordered the people to arm, and 

 in less than five minutes a strong party under the command 

 of Mr. King, was sent to rescue our two gentlemen. At 

 the same time two armed boats, and a party under Mr. 

 Williamson, went after the flying canoes, to cut off their 

 retreat to the shore. These several detachments were 

 hardly out of sight before an account arrived that we had 

 been misinformed, upon which I sent and called them all 

 in. 



" It was evident, however, from several corroborating 

 circumstances, that the design of seizing Captain Clerke 

 had really been in agitation amongst the natives. Nay, 

 they made no secret in speaking of it the next day. But 

 their first and great plan of operations was to have laid 

 hold of me. It was my custom every evening to bathe in 

 the fresh water. Very often I went alone, and always 

 without arms. Expecting me to go as usual this evening, 

 they had determined to seize me, and Captain Clerke too 

 if he had accompanied me. But I had, after confining 

 Oreo's family, thought it prudent to avoid putting myself in 

 their power, and had cautioned Captain Clerke and the 

 officers not to go far from the ships. In the course of 

 the afternoon, the chief asked me three several times if I 

 would not go to the bathing place ; and when he found 

 at last that I could not be prevailed upon, he went off with 

 the rest of his people in spite of all that I could do or say to 

 stop him. But as I had no suspicion at this time of the 

 design, I imagined that some sudden fright had seized 

 them, which would, us usual, soon be over. Finding 

 themselves disappointed as to me, they fixed on those who 

 who were more in their power. It was fortunate for all 

 parties that they did not succeed, and not less fortunate 

 that no mischief was done on the occasion. For not a 

 musket was fired, except two or three, to stop the canoes. 

 To that firing, perhaps, Messrs. Clerke and Gore owed 

 their safety ; for at that very instant a party of the natives 

 armed with clubs, were advancing towards them, and on 

 hearing the report of the muskets they dispersed. 



" Oreo, the chief, being uneasy as well as myself that no 

 account had been received from Bolabola, set out the 



