OF LA PEROUSE, l6l 



threw a dart at his back; they then fell upon 

 him in great numbers, and beat him till they 

 imagined he was dead. One of them had at- 

 tempted feveral times to fhoot him with the 

 piftol which he had laid hold of, but fortunately 

 the priming had fallen out. They were already 

 parting his clothes, when the affair was per- 

 ceived from the Efperance, whence was imme- 

 diately fired a gun, the fliot from which pafTcd 

 very near the afTafTms, and quickly difperfed 

 them. Our people ran from all quarters to the 

 afHrtance of the unfortunate fmith. One 

 of the Ihip's company having advanced along 

 the beach to fuccour him, was attacked by an 

 iflander, who knocked out two of his teeth 

 with a club ; but this outrage cofl: him his 

 life, for he v,-as immediately killed by a mudvet- 

 fhot. Our fmith was very foon fet on his 

 legs ; and although he had a large aperture in 

 the left frontal Tzw^j-, and fome other very dan- 

 o-crous wounds, he ftill had the refolution to 

 walk to the boat in order to return on board, 

 being fupported only by the arm. 



Several guns loaded with grapc-fliot were 

 fired, for ilic proteclionof thofe of us who were 

 on fliorc. The natives ran from all fides, af- 

 fembling in very numerous groups, in different 

 parts of the ifland; while a detachment, well 

 armed, was fcnt; to endeavour to diipcrfe them, 



^or . IT. \\ and 



