THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 
g 9 
men began to tell us, that we had left a diforder amongft 1779. 
their women, of which feveral perfons of both fexes had 
died. He was himfelf afflicted with the venereal difeafe, 
and gave a very full and minute account of the various 
fymptoms with which it had been attended. As there was 
not the flighted: appearance of that diforder amongft them 
on our firft arrival, l am afraid it is not to be denied, that 
we were the authors of this irreparable mifchief. 
Our principal object here was to w ater the ftiips with the 
utmoft expedition; and I was lent on fhore early in the af¬ 
ternoon, with the pinnace and launch laden with calks. 
The gunner of the Refolution accompanied me to trade for 
proviflons ; and we had a guard of five marines. We found 
a confiderable number of people colle£ted upon the beach, 
who received us at firft with great kindnefs; but as foon as 
we had got the calks on fhore, began to be exceedingly 
troublefome. Former experience having taught me how 
difficult it was to reprefs this difpofition, without having 
recourfe to the authority of their Chiefs, I was very forry to 
find, that they were all at another part of the ifland. In¬ 
deed we foon felt the want of their affiftance; for it was 
with great difficulty I was able to form a circle, according to 
our ufual practice, for the convenience and fecurity of the 
trading party; and had no fooner done it, and polled guards 
to keep off the crowd, than I faw a man laying hold of the 
bayonet of one of the foldiers mufquets, and endeavouring, 
with all his force, to wrench it out of his hand. On my 
coming up to them, the native let go his hold and retired ; 
but returned in a moment, with a fpear in one hand, and 
dagger in the other; and his countrymen had much ado to 
reftrain him from trying his prowefs with the foldier. This 
fray was occafioned by the latter’s having given the man a 
Vol. III. ' N ’ flight 
