December wou^ ° f courfe have enabled me to illuftrate many points and defcrip-
— -v— i tions which, for that reafon, I have not been able to infert.
The unfortunate, as well as the fuccefsful adventures of perfons
employed on fervices of a public nature, being generally objefiis of
minute inquiry, I fhall conclude this chapter with the account delivered
to me by Mr. New, the mailer of the Daedalus tranfport, o f
the melancholy fate that attended Lieutenant Hergeft her commander,
Mr. Gooch the altronomer, and the unfortunate feaman who was murdered
with them.
In their paffage from Hergeft’s to the Sandwich illands there did not
appear any thing worthy of remark except a flrong current that fet at the
rate of 30 miles a day, and obliged them to Hand to the eallward left
they {hould fall to leeward of thofe illands. The Dtedalus by this means
arrived off Owhyhee, and Mr. Hergeft received the orders I had left
there. From thencehe proceeded to the n .w . fide of Woahoo, notha-.
ving any ex peciation of finding the Difcovery at that time on the fouth
fide of the illand, as I had appointed. This unfortunate determination,;
though contrary to the orders I had given,. appeared to him at the time
to be- right, in order to infure the moft expeditious -paffage towards
Nootka.
In the morning of the yth of may, the Daedalus arrived in that bay
where the Refolution and Difcovery had anchored in 177g ; but Mr.
Hergeft declined anchoring there, as he confidered the inhabitants of that
neighbourhood to be the moft favage and deceitful of any among!! thofe
illands. For this reafon he lay to, and purchafed from the natives fome
hogs, vegetables, and a few gourds o f water. In the evening he ftood off
lhore, and defired that the inhabitants would bring a further fupply of water
and refrelhments the next morning; but it falling calm, and the current
fetting the Ihip to the weftward, it was near noon on the 1 ith before;
they regained the lhore, when Mr. Hergeft receded from his former wife
determination, and unhappily for himfelf and thofe who fell with him,
ordered the Ihip to be anchored. The cutter was hoifted out and veered
aftern for the better convenience of purchafing water from the natives,
but before three calks were filled, which was foon done, he ordered the
cutter
cutter alongfide, the full calks to be taken out and replaced by empty
ones; and then, accompanied as ufual by Mr. Gooch, he went on lhore, 1-----,---- -
and another boat was hoifted out for the purpofe of obtaining water; while
thofe on board continued making purchafes until near dark. A t this time
the cutter returned, with only five perfons inftead of the,eight who had
gone on lhore in her, from whom was learned the diftreffmg intelligence,
that Mr. Hergeft, Mr. Gooch, and two o f the boat’s crew having landed
unarmed with two of the water calks to fill, their defencelefs fituation
was perceived by the natives, who. immediately attacked them, killed
one o f the people,. and carried off the commander and the aftronomer.
The other being a very ftout aftive man made his efcape through a great
number o f thefe favages, fled to the boat, and with two ..others landed
again, with two mulkets, and with the intention to refcue their officers,
and to recover the body o f their meffmate. They foon perceived that both
Mr. Hergeft and Mr. Gooch were yet alive among!! a vaft .concourfe of.
the inhabitants, who were ftripping them, and forcing them up the hills
behind the village: they endeavoured to get near the multitude, but
were fo affailed by Hones from the crowd, who had now gained the furrounding
hills, that they were under the painful neceflity. of retiring;,
and as night was fall approaching, they thought it mol! advifable to
return on board, that more effefiual means might be reforted to on this
unfortunate occafion.
Mr. New immediately affembled all the officers, ' to confult with them;
what was beft to be done. , It was agreed to Hand off and on with the .
Ihip during the night, and in the morning, to fend the cutter well
manned and armed on lhore, and if poflible to recover their unfortunate
commander and Ihipmates. An old chief belonging to Attowai,
who had been on board fince the Dsedalus entered the Bay, and had
been promifed by Mr. Hergeft a paffage to his native illand, went alfo in
the boat, to aflift as an interpreter, and to employ his good offices. He
was firft landed, and went towards the natives, o f whom he demanded
the abfent gentlemen ; on which he was informed they were both killed
the preceding night.. Having delivered this mejffage, he was fent back to
demand their bodies; but was told in 'reply, that they had both been cut
-V o L . i l . O in