124
fwimming and walking. When he had reached the ducks,
which lay at a confiderable diftance from thefhore, he fwam
off with them to the oppofite fide of the lagoon, perhaps
confcious that he deferved them for the trouble he had
taken. As this did not agree with the feaman’s intentions,
he loaded his muiket with ball, and fired, but fortunately
miffed him. He was preparing to load again, when the
croud about him, feeing the life of their countryman fa
wantonly fported with, feized his arms. He called to his
companions for help, but they were likewife furrounded j
and though one of them fired a load of (hot into the thighs
of a native, this only exafperated them the more ; fo that he
was beaten and bruifed without mercy. Mahine’s attendant,
or fervant, a flout youth, of a very low ftature, accompanied
our gentlemen, and fought defperately in their favour,
but was overpowered by numbers. After this con-
feffion, the cafe was greatly altered ; however, the captairt
refolved to queftion Oree once more, and to that purpofe
defired my father to accompany him to the fhore, being;
convinced that no perfon on board was at this time fo well
verfed in the language of the country. They foon learnt
from Oree, that he intended we fhould march to the dwellings
of the natives who had thus done themfelves juftice-,,
and who feemed to have' withdrawn themfelves even from
his power; and that he wilhed to take all their goods andi
hogs, and give them to us. Captain Cook returned to thefhip).
fhip, and feleaed a party of forty-feven Europeans, includ- gK*
ing the officers, Dr. Sparrman, my father, and myfelf; not
indeed to reduce the rebellious fubjeas of Oree to their
duty, who had fo much reafon to complain of injuftice
from our people, but perhaps to fhew that he did not entirely
approve of their conduit. We landed, and marched
with Oree and a few of the natives towards the diftria
where the robbery was committed. In proportion as we
advanced, the croud at our heels encreafed in number to fe-
veral hundreds, and took up arms in the neighbouring
houfes. Oree himfelf wielded a fpear ten feet long, with
a barbed tail of fling-ray at the point. We halted at the
diftance of about two miles, and were now acquainted by
Mahine that the natives had formed the plan of furrounding
and cutting us off. Oree was defirous to flay behind }
but captain Cook perfuaded him and a few other chiefs to
go with us, whilft the reft of the croud were ordered to proceed
no further, under pretence, that in cafe of an engagement,
we fhould not be able to diftinguifh friends from foes.
We marched about three miles to a place w h e r e , the path divided;
we chafe that which led acrofs a very fteep rock, in preference
to another at the foot of it. Steps were cut in the rock
on the oppofite fide, where we defcended again on the plain.
This pafs was fo dangerous, that captain Cook propofed to
leave a detachment of his petty army here ; but feeing that
the croud advanced flowly after him, in fpite of Oree s orders,