they immediately threw another into the fliip s upon this 3'
mufquet was fired over them, which at once fent them
away.
About tWo, we faw a large opening, or inlet, for Which1
we bore u p ; we had now forty-one fathom water, which
gradually decreafed to nine, at which time we were one
mile and an half diftaht from a high towered rock which lay
near the fouth point o f the inlet • this rock, and the norther-
moft o f the Court of Aldermen being in one, bearing S. 61 E.
About feven in the evening we anchored in feven fathom,
a little within the fouth entrance of the ba y: to this place
we were accompanied by feveral canoes and people like
thofe we had feen laft, and for fome time they behaved
very civilly. While they were hovering about us, a bird was;
fhot from the fliip, as it was fwimming upon the water: at
this they fliewed lefs furprize than we expected, and taking
tip the bird, they tied it to a fifhing line that was towing a-
ilern; as an acknowledgment for this favour we gave them a
piece of cloth: but notwithftanding this effeft of our firearms,
and this interchange of civilities, as foon as it grew
dark they fung their war fong, and attempted to tow away
the buoy of the anchor. Two or three mufkets were theh
fired ovei them, but this feemed rather to make them angry
than afraid, and they went away, threatening that to-morrow
they would return with more force, and be the death o f
ns a ll; at the fame time fending off a boat, which they told
us was going to another part of the bay for affiftahce.
There was fome appearance of generofity, as well as courage,
in acquainting us with the time when they intended’
to make their attack, but they forfeited all credit which this
procured them, by coming fecretly upon us- in the night,
2 When1
R O U N D T H E WORLD. 331
when they certainly hoped to find us alleep: upon approach- 1769.
ing the fliip they found themfelves miftaken, and therefore ,
retired without fpeaking a word, fuppofing that they were Fnday s'
too early; after fome time they came a fecond time, and
being again difappointed, they retired as filently as before.
In the morning, at day-break, they prepared to effedt by Saturday 4.
force what they had in vain attempted by Health and artifice:
no lefs than twelve canoes came againft us, with about a
hundred and fifty men, all armed with pikes, lances, and
ftones. As they could do nothing till they came very near
the fliip, Tupia was ordered to expoftulate with them, and if
poflible divert them from their purpofe: during the conver-
fation they appeared to be fometimes friendly and fometimes
otherwife; at length, however, they began to trade, and we
offered to purchafe their weapons, which fome of them con-
fented to fell: they fold two very fairly, but having received
what had been agreed upon for the purchafe of a third, they
refufed to fend it up, but offered it for a fecond price; a
fecond was fent down, but the weapon was Hill detained,
and a demand made of a third; this being refufed with
fome expreflions of difpleafure and refentment, the offender,
with many ludicrous tokens of contempt and defiance, pad-
died his canoe off a few yards from the fhip. As I intended
to continue in this place five or fix days, in order to make an
obfervation of the tranfit of Mercury, it was abfolutely ne-
ceffary, in order to prevent future mifchief, to fhew thefe
people that we were not to be treated ill with impunity; fome
fmall fhot were therefore fired at the thief, and a mufket
ball through the bottom of his boat: upon this it was pad-
died to about a hundred yards diftance, and to ou_r great fur-
prize the people in the other canoes took not the leaf! notice
of their woU'nded companion, though he bled very much,
but returned to the fliip, and continued to trade with the
You. II. U u mod