where the maft and fails were on fhore, with a guard of 
only fix marines. It is impoflible for me to defcribe the 
emotions of my own mind, during the time thefe tranf- 
adtions had been carrying on, at the other fide of the bay. 
Being at the diflance only of a fhort mile from the village 
of Kowrowa, we could fee diftindtly an immenfe crowd 
collected on the fpot where Captain Cook had juft be¬ 
fore landed. We heard the firing of the mufquetry, and 
could perceive fome extraordinary buftle and agitation in 
the multitude. We afterward faw the natives flying, the 
boats retire from the fhore, and pafiing and repaying, in 
great ftillnefs, between the fhips. I muffc confefs, that my 
heart foon mifgave me. Where a life fo dear and valu¬ 
able was concerned, it was impoflible not to be alarmed, 
by appearances both new and threatening. But, befides 
this, I knew, that a long and uninterrupted courfe of fuc- 
cefs, in his tranfadlions with the natives of thefe feas, had 
given the Captain a degree of confidence, that I was al¬ 
ways fearful might, at fome unlucky moment, put him too 
much off his guard; and I now faw all the dangers to 
which that confidence might lead, without receiving much 
confolation from confidering the experience that had given 
rife to it. 
My firfi: care, on hearing the mufquets fired, was, to afiiire- 
the people, who were aflembled in confiderable numbers,, 
round the wall of our confecrated field, and feemed equally 
at a lofs with ourfelves how to account for what they had 
feen and heard, that they fhould not be molefted; and that,, 
at all events, 1 was defirous of continuing on peaceable 
terms with them. We remained in this pofture, till the 
boats had returned on board, when Captain Clerke, obferv- 
ing, through his telefcope, that we were furrounded by the 
i natives. 
