10
ï 774*'
A pril. Table-mountain at the Cape of Good Hope. Several vallies,
perfe&ly filled with trees, lead up from two beaches to the
very fummit of the mountain, which appears exceffively
fteep. Along its uppermoft edge we faw a row of flakes or
pallifadoes, clofely conne&ed together, like a fortification,
within which, by the help of our glaffes, we difcerned
fomething like huts. Thefe places we fuppofed to be what
the Spaniards have called intrenchments ; but they bore a
great refemblance to the hippas of the New Zeelanders,
which are commonly fituated on high ridges, and fur-
rounded with pallifades.
The natives, encouraged by the trade which we had begun
the evening before, came off in feveral canoes, foon
after fun-rife, and brought great quantities of bread fruit,
which we bought for fmall nails. They likewife fold
fome bananas, and traded very fair for fome time, but
without venturing to come on board. However, after
breakfaft, it appeared that their difpofition had but too
much fimilarity with that of the Taheitians. Some of
them began to deal difhoneftly with us, receiving the nail
for which they had offered a bread-fruit, without delivering
it in return. The captain, to intimidate them, fired a
mufket over their heads. This had the defired effedt, and
they immediately handed up the fruit for which we had
bargained. Some others, after they had fold their goods,
came on board to be gazed at, and to gaze. While cap.
tain
tain Cook prepared to go into his boat with my father, one Arlti
of thefe natives, finding the large iron ftanchion loofe, to
which the man-ropes on the (hip’ s fide, by which we af-
cended or defcended, were fattened, fnatched it up, leaped
overboard with it, and, notwithftanding its weight, fwam
with great agility to his canoe, where he fecured it. This
hazardous enterprize being reported to captain Cook, who
was juft ftepping into the boat, he ordered a muiket to be
fired over the native’s head, whilft he meant to come round
the fhip, to recover the ftanchion. The mufket was fired,
but the man took no notice of it, looking about him with
great unconcern. The captain hearing it, ordered another
to be fired, and put off from the (hip. The fecond {hot
had no other effeft than the firft ; upon which an officer,
who that moment came upon deck, fnatched up a mufket, ,
and taking exadf aim, fhot the man through the head.
His companion in the fame canoe inftantly threw the iron
into the fea, which had been the caufe of this unfortunate
event. The captain in his boat came up, and faw the canoe
full of blood, and the dead corfe lying in it. The
other native baled the blood out into the fea, and then retired,
to the fhore with all the other canoes, and left us perfectly
alone. The natives on the beach hauled the canoe through
the furf, and carried the corfe up into the woods. Prq-
fently after we heard, drums beating, and faw a confider-
able number of the inhabitants affembled on the beach,
C 2 with