other fmall matters, Which in their hurry they had put into
a piftol-cafe, that Mr. Banks knew to he his property, it havin
g been fome time before ftolcn from the teht-s, with a hoiTe
piftol in it, which he immediately demanded, and which
was alfo rellored.
Mr. Green was impatient to fee whether all that had been
taken away was returned, and upon examining the box
found the Hand, and a few fmall things of lefs confequence,
wanting; feveral perfons were fent in fearch of thefe, and
moft of the fmall things were returned : but it was fignified
that the thief had not brought the Hand fo far, and that it
would be delivered to our friends as they went back ; this
being confirmed by Tubourai Tamaide, they prepared to return,
as nothing would then be wanting but what might
' eafily .be fupplied ; and after they had advanced about two
miles',T met them with.my party, to our mutual fatisfa&ion,
congratulating each other upon the recovery o f the quadrant,
with a pleafure proportioned to the importance of the
event. ' ....... "
About eight o’clock, Mr. Banks with Tubourai Tamaide
got back to the fort; when, to his great furprife, he found
Tootahah in cuftody, and many of the natives in the utmoft
terror and diftrefs, crowding about the gate. He went haf-
tily in, fome of the Indians were fuffered to ifollow him,
and the feene was extremely affecting. Tubourai Tamaide
preffing. forward, ran up to Tootahah, and catching him in
-his arms, they.both burlt into tears, and, wept .over each
- other, without being able to fpea.k: . the other Indians were
alfo in tears fqr their Chief, bpth;he and they being ftrongiy
poflfefied with the notion that he was to be.put toideath. In
this flotation they continued till I, entered, the fort, which
. was about a quarter o f an hour afterwards. . I was .equally
2 furprized
1769.
. May.
Tuefday 2.
furprized and concerned at what had happened, the confining
Tootahah being contrary to my orders, and therefore
iUftantly fet him at liberty. Upon enquiring into the affair,
I was told, that my going into the woods with a party o f men .
under arms, at a time when a robbery had been committed,
which it was fuppofed I fhould refent, in proportion to our
apparent injury by the lofs, had fo alarmed the natives, that
in the evening they began to leave the neighbourhood of the
fort witb their effects: that a double canoe having been feen
to put off from the bottom of the bay by Mr. Gore, the Second
Lieutenant, who was left in command on board the
fhip, and who had received orders not to fuffer any canoe to
go out, he fent the Boatfwain with a boat after her to bring
her back: that as foon as the boat came up, the Indians,
being alarmed, leaped into the fea(; and that Tootahah, being
unfortunately one of the number, the Boatfwain took him up
and brought him to the fhip, fuffering: the reft o f the people
to fwim on fhore: that Mr. Gore,: not fuffieiently attending to
the order that none of the people fhould be confined, had
fent him to the fort, and Mr. Hicks, the Firft Lieutenant,
who commanded there, receiving him in charge from Gore,
did not think himfelf at liberty to difmifs him.
The notion that we intended to put him to death had pof-
feffed him fo ftrongiy, that he could not be perfuaded to the
contrary'till by my orders he was led out of the fort. The
people received him as they would have done a father in the
fame .circumftances, and every one prefied forward to embrace
him. Sudden joy is commonly liberal, without a feru-
pulous regard to merit ; and Tootahah, in. the firft expanfion.
of his heart, upon being unexpectedly reffored to liberty and
life, infilled upon our receiving a present of two hogs;
though, being confcious that upon this occafion we had no
claim to favours, we refufed them many times.
Vox.. II. ” Mr..