THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
93 
myfelf, remained on fhore. As the pinnace lay beyond the 
furf, through Which we were obliged to fwim, I told them 
to make the belt of their way to it, and that I fhould fol¬ 
low them. With this order I was furprized to find them 
both refufe to comply ; and the confequence was a conteft 
amongft us, who fhould be the laft on fhore. It feems, 
that fome hafty words I had juft before ufed to the failor, 
which he thought refledted on his courage, was the caufe 
of this odd fancy in him; and the old gunner, finding a 
poin^: of honour ftarted, thought he could not well avoid 
taking a part in it. In this ridiculous fituation we might 
have remained fome time, had not our difpute been foon 
fettled by the ftones that began to fly about us, and by the 
cries of the people from the boats, to make hafte, as the 
natives were following us into the water with clubs and 
fpears. I reached the fide of the pinnace firft, and finding 
Mr. Anderfon was at fome diftance behind, and not yet en¬ 
tirely out of danger, I called out to the marines, to fire one 
mufquet. In the hurry of executing my orders, they fired 
two; and when I got into the boat, I faw the natives run¬ 
ning away, and one man, with a woman fitting by him, 
left behind on the beach. The man made feveral at¬ 
tempts to rife, without being able ; and it was with much 
regret, I perceived him to be wounded in the groin. The 
natives foon after returned, and furrounded the wounded 
man, brandifhing their fpears and daggers at us, with an 
air of threatening and defiance; but before we reached 
the fhips, we faw fome perfons, whom we fuppofed to 
be the Chiefs, now arrived, driving them away from the 
fhore. 
During our abfence, Captain Clerke had been under the 
greateft anxiety for our fafety. And thefe apprehenfions 
were 
» 779 - 
March. 
