THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
39 
obferved to be directed at a canoe, that we' faw paddling 
toward the Ihore, in great hafte, purfued by one of our 
fmall boats. We immediately concluded, that the firing 
was in confequence of fome theft, and Captain Cook or¬ 
dered me to follow him with a marine armed, and to en¬ 
deavour to feize the people as they came on ihore. Ac¬ 
cordingly we ran toward the place where we fuppofed the 
canoe would land, but were too late; the people having 
quitted it, and made their efcape into the country before 
our arrival. 
We were at this time ignorant, that the goods had been 
already reilored ; and as we thought it probable, from the 
circumftances we had at firft obferved, that they might be 
of importance, were unwilling to relinquiih our hopes of 
recovering them. Having therefore inquired of the na¬ 
tives, which way the people had fled, we followed them, 
till it was near dark, when judging ourfelves to be about 
three miles from the tents, and fufpe£ting, that the na¬ 
tives, who frequently encouraged us in the purfuit, were 
amuflng us with f'alfe information, we thought it in vain 
to continue our fearch any longer, and returned to the 
beach. 
During our abfence, a difference, of a more ferious and 
unpleafant nature, had happened. The officer, who had 
been fent in the fmall boat, and was returning on board, 
with the goods which had been reilored, obferving Captain 
Cook and me engaged in the purfuit of the offenders, 
thought it his duty to feize the canoe, which was left drawn 
up on the ffiore. Unfortunately, this canoe belonged to 
Pareea, who arriving, at the fame moment, from on board 
the Difcovery, claimed his property, with many protefla- 
tions of his innocence. The officer refilling to give it up, 
and 
1779. 
February, 
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