«773*
-October.
Wcdnefd. 6.
frequently exercifed towards us, becaufe we commonly
found the country quite deferted, the inhabitants being
drawn together towards our trading-place. The hofpitable
man was rewarded with nails and beads, with which
he performed the fagefetai, by laying them on his head, ap.d
accompanied my father back to the beach, carefully carrying
a number of fpears and clubs for him, which he
had purchafed on the road.
The harmlefs difpofition of thefe good people could not^
fecure them againft thofe misfortunes, which are too often
attendant upon all voyages of difcovery. Our goods tempted
them at leaft as much as they had tempted the Taheitians,
and they were confequently equally difpofed to pilfer. The
captains had not been long on fhore the next day, when
one of the natives took an opportunity of ftealing a jacket
out of our boat. In a few moments no lefs than feven
fhot were fired, without the captain’s orders, though in his
prefence, at the thief, who firft dived in the water, and at
laft ran into the croud, by which means feveral innocent
people were wounded. Notwithftanding this feverity, the
good-nature of the people was fuch, that they did not fpr-
fake the trading-place, or take umbrage at our proceeding,
but heard with unconcern the balls whittling about their
ears. A few hours afterwards, one of them was equally
nimble on board our fliip, and luckily flipping into
matter’s cabin ftole from thence feveral mathematical books,
a fword,
a fword, a ruler, and a number of trifles of which he could „O
ctober.
never make the leaft ufe. He was feen making his efcape
in a canoe, and a boat being difpatched after him, he
threw all the Helen effects overboard. Thefe were picked
up by another of our boats, whilft the firft continued in the
purfuit of the thief. Our men fired a mulket into the
ftern of his canoe, upon which he and Lome others with
him jumped into the fea. The thief was Hill hunted with
incredible eagernefs, but difplayed a moft wonderful agility,
diving feveral times under the boat, and once unfhipping
‘the rudder. At laft one of our people darted the boat-hook
at him, and catching him under the ribs, dragged him into
:the boat; but he watched his opportunity, and ■ notwithftanding
his lofs of blood, leaped into the fea again, and
efcaped to fome canoes, which came from the fhore to his
afliftance. It is remarkable that even fuch a difpofition for
cruelty, as had been difplayed in the purfuit of this poor
wretch, did not deprive us of the confidence and affcdtion
of his country-men. The captains brought Attagha and
anothei chief on board with them to dinner, and the trade
was carried on as quietly as if nothing had happened. The
chief who came with Attagha appeared to be of a fuperior
•rank, becaufe the latter, who ufed to fit at table with us on
former occafions, now retreated a few fieps, fat down on the
floor, and could not be prevailed upon to eat in his fight.
He was a blear-eyed, elderly man, and having a great in-
^0L• Iji O q o fluence