THIRD VOYAGE 397 



in the pinnace with Mr. Roberts, one of the mates (who then com- 

 manded her), with intention of coming off to the ship at the time 

 the first gun was fired by Captain Cook. The poor boy then said he 

 was frightened, and begged to be put on shore, which was immediately 

 complied with. As to their being armed with their pah'hoo'ahs it 

 was always the case ; those who had them were so proud of the 

 acquisition, that they never went anywhere without them ; and as 

 to their stones, nature has furnished them most abundantly in every 

 part of their country. Upon the whole, I firmly believe matters 

 would not have been carried to the extremities they were, had not 

 Captain Cook attempted to chastise a man in the midst of this 

 multitude, firmly believing, as his last resource in case of necessity, 

 that the fire of his marines would undoubtedly disperse them. This 

 idea was certainly founded upon great experience among various 

 nations of Indians, in different parts of the world, but the unhappy 

 event of to-day proved it in this case, however, fallacious. One 

 very strong argument that they would not have proceeded thus 

 had not Captain Cook first unfortunately fired, is, that but a very 

 few minutes before the fray began, they readily cleared a way for 

 the marines to march down to the water side, just by where the 

 boats lay (as I have observed), had Captain Cook then been disposed 

 to go off. Mr. Phillips is of opinion, from all appearance at that 

 time, they would have given him no interruption. Now, had they 

 been previously determined upon the ensuing business, the attack 

 upon the marines would have been made with more safety to 

 themselves, and efficacy to their cause, when in the midst of the 

 mob than when they were properly drawn up ; this was too obvious 

 an advantage to escape their sagacity. As to their collecting their 

 spears, etc., as Mr. Phillips observed, some time previous to the 

 attack, he is of opinion, and I think very justly that this arose 

 from an apprehension that some force might be used in getting 

 Terre'aboo to the ship, which I believe they were determined to 

 oppose to the last extremity. However, be these matters as they 

 may, the unfortunate business was now done and it behoved me to 

 take the most effectual method I could suggest to prevent more. 

 As I before observed, I sent a strong party of people, which were 

 commanded by Lieutenant King, to the eastern side of the bay to 

 defend the astronomers and the carpenters at work upon the fore- 

 mast. I soon observed a vast concourse of the natives assembling 

 near them, when by a spring upon the Discovery's cable, I was 

 enabled to throw her four-pounders about their quarters, being well 

 within distance, which in a great measure dispersed the association, 

 but I could not do it effectually, they had such retreats behind a 

 number of stone walls with which their villages and all the parts 

 adjacent abound, and which I now suppose are purposed as a place 

 of retirement when annoyed by the enemy. The vast numbers of 

 people I observed collecting in various parts of the bay, and the 

 resolution they had displayed in the attack, as represented by the 

 Lieutenants Williamson and Phillips, rendered them, I thought, 

 rather a formidable enemy, and that the safest and best method we 

 could take would be to get everything from the shore to the ships, 

 where we could work at our leisure, and they could not possibly 

 annoy us without inevitable destruction to themselves. I therefore 

 ordered the observatories and fore-mast to be got off with all 



