264 HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF NATIVES. 



of full three knots an hour, hut of course we could 

 not proceed in the dark. The canoes ran up 

 beyond us on each side, and then meeting in the 

 middle of the stream, pulled down towards us in a 

 body, against the tide, which they easily stemmed. 



In the largest canoe we counted twenty- 

 five men standing up and paddling, with others 

 sitting down ; in another there were ten men ; in 

 others, five, four, and one. They seemed to be 

 holding a consultation, with much shouting from 

 one to the other, but gradually drew near to us, 

 evidently preparing to make an attack. 



As it would never do to have an unknown number 

 of savages prowling round us all night, shooting 

 probably at the watch on deck, and as we could 

 not tell but some accident might happen to our 

 little vessel up these rivers, making it necessary to 

 return in the boats, or what other circumstances 

 might occur, which would render it advantageous 

 that these people should fully understand and dread 

 the effect of our arms, Captain Blackwood deter- 

 mined to take advantage of the first decided act of 

 hostility on their part, to punish them severely and 

 give them a lesson. He accordingly ordered the 

 muskets to be loaded, called the hands on deck, 

 and directed Grant, the coxswain of the cutter, to 

 hold his boat in readiness, so that, if it became 

 necessary to fire on the natives, he might push 

 off and endeavour to seize one or two of them, to 

 bring them prisoners on board. From them it was 



