94 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779. were confiderably increafed, from his having entirely mif- 
__ M ‘ u ; c ^ taken the drift of the converfation he had held with fome 
natives who had been on board. The frequent mention of 
the name of Captain Cook, with other throng and circum- 
ftantial defcriptions of death and deftrucflion, made him 
conclude, that the knowledge of the unfortunate events at 
Owhyhee had reached them, and that thefe were what they 
alluded to; whereas all they had in view was, to make 
known to him the wars that had arifen, in confequence of 
the goats that Captain Cook had left at Oneeheow, and the 
flaughter of the poor goats themfelves, during the ftruggle 
for the property of them. Captain Clerke, applying this 
earneftnefs of converfation, and thefe terrible representa¬ 
tions, to our calamitous tranfadtions at Owhyhee, and to an 
indication of revenge, kept his telefcope fixed upon us, and 
the moment he faw the fmoke of the mufquets, ordered 
the boats to be manned and armed, and to put off to our 
afli fiance. 
tuefday z. The next morning, I was again ordered on fhore, with 
the watering party. The rifk we had run the preceding 
day determined Captain Clerke to fend a confiderable force 
from both ffiips for our guard, amounting in all to forty 
men under arms. This precaution, however, was now un¬ 
necessary ; for we found the beach left entirely to ourfelves, 
and the ground between the landing-place and the lake, 
tabooed with fmall white flags. We concluded, from this 
appearance, that fome of the Chiefs had certainly vifited 
this quarter; and that, not being able to ftay, they had 
kindly and confiderately taken this ftep, for our greater fe- 
curity and convenience. We faw Several men armed with 
long fpears and daggers, on the other fide of the river, on 
our right; but they did not offer to give us the leaft mo- 
% leftation. 
i 
