41^ DISTURBANCE WITH NATIVES. March 1830. 



heavy squall, with lightning and thunder, passed over the ship 

 this afternoon, depressing the sympiesometer more than I had 

 ever witnessed. Very heavy rain followed. 



" 8th. In the forenoon I was on a height taking angles, when 

 a large smoke was made by natives on a point at the entrance 

 of the harbour ; and at my return on board the ship, I found 

 that two canoes had been seen, which appeared to be full of 

 people. Supposing that they were strangers, I went in a 

 small boat with two men to see them, and find out if they pos- 

 sessed any thing obtained from our lost whale-boat, for I 

 thought it probable she might have been taken along the coast 

 eastward, to elude our pursuit. I found them in a cove very 

 near where our carpenters were at work. They had just landed, 

 and were breaking boughs from the trees. I was surprised to 

 see rather a large party, about fourteen in number, all of whom 

 seemed to be men, except two women who were keeping the 

 canoes. They wanted me to go to them, but I remained at a 

 little distance, holding up bits of iron and knives, to induce 

 them to come to me, for on the water we were less unequal to 

 them. They were getting very bold and threatening in their 

 manner, and I think would have tried to seize me and my boat, 

 had not Lieutenant Kempe come into the cove with six men in 

 the cutter, when their manner altered directly, and they began 

 to consult together. They were at this time on a rock rising 

 abruptly from the water, and the canoes, which I wanted to 

 search, were at the foot of the rock. Under such local disad_ 

 vantages I could not persevere without arms, for they had 

 stones, slings, and spears, ready in their hands. Lieutenant 

 Kempe and myself then returned on board for arms and more 

 men, for I resolved to drive them out of the harbour, as it was 

 absolutely necessary. Already they, or their countrymen, had 

 robbed us of a boat, and endangered the lives of several per- 

 sons ; and had they been allowed to remain near us, the loss of 

 that part of another boat which was already built would have 

 followed, besides many things belonging to the carpenters and 

 armourer, which they were using daily on shore. 



" Another motive for searching the canoes, arose from see- 



