OP LA PE ROUSE. $43 



of a rope-ladder, in order to receive a bow for a 

 piece of red cloth, when it was perceived that, 

 being drifted to the north-weft by the currents, 

 we were already much too near to the coaft. 

 Our fhip would no longer anfwer her helm, on 

 account of the calm; and it was necefTary to 

 hoift out a boat immediately to tow her head 

 round again to port. The favagcs, thinking, no 

 doubt, that our intention was to get hold of 

 them, in order to punifh them for their dif- 

 honefty, made off with the greater! precipita- 

 tion towards their iiland. In return, perhaps, 

 for the patience with which we had fuffered our- 

 felves to be robbed, they did not commit any 

 act of treachery, as they had done towards the 

 Ihip which Bougainville commanded in his 

 voyage round the world. 



Daring all this time four canoes Were com- 

 municating with the Efperance ; one of thefe 

 canoes carried forty natives, fixteen of whom 

 were employed in conducting her, each with a 

 paddle ; the others were warriors. 



We learnt from the Efperance, that this war 

 canoe had kept for a long time at a^iftance, and 

 that fhe had not determined to approach, till after 

 the natives in the fmaller canoes had fhewn 

 their countrymen various articles which they had 

 received. 



The order which prevailed in the diflribution 

 r 2 o 



