'in- Mr. Forfter and I then went over to the other fide.of the
Auguft. . ■ . 5____ i harbour, and, having tried, with Fahrenheit’s thermometer
cdne. 17. t|le |leatj 0f one Qf the hot fprings, we found that the mercury
Tofe to 191°. At this time the tide was up within two
or three feet of the fpring, fo that we judged it might, in
fome degree, be cooled by it. We were miftaken, hovvever;
for, on repeating the experiment next morning, when the
Timfday if. wag out; tjje mercury rofe no higher’ than 187°; but,
at another fpring, where the water bubbled out of the
- fand from under the rock at the S. W. corner of the harbour,
the mercury, in the fame thermometer, rofe to 202“),
which is but little colder than boiling water. The hot
places before mentioned are from about three to four hundred
feet perpendicular aboye thefe fprings, and on the Hope of
the fame ridge with the volcano; that is, there are no vallies
between them but fuch as are formed in the ridge itfelf ■
nor is the volcano on the higheft part of the ridge, but on
the S. E. fide of it. This is, I have been told, contrary to the
general opinion of philofophers, who fay that volcanos mull
be on the fummits of the higheft hills. So far'is this fiorh
being the cafe on this ifland, that fome of its hills are more
than double the height of that on which the volcano is, and
clofe to it. To thefe remarks I mult add, that, in wet or
moift weather, the volcano was molt violent. There feems
to be room for fome philofophical reaforring on thefe phenomena
of nature; but not haying any talent that way, I muft
content myfelf with Hating fafts as I found them, and leave
the caufes to men of more abilities.
Friday 19. The tiller was now finifhed; but, as the wind was unfavourable
for failing, the guard was fent on fhore on the 19th, as before,
and a party of men to cut up and bring off the remainder of
the tree from which we had got .the tiller. Having nothing elfe
3 to
to do, I went on fhore with them, and finding a good number
of the natives collected about the landing-place as ufual, I dif-
tributed among them all the articles I had with me, and then
went on board for more. In lefs than an hour I returned,
juft as our people were getting fome large,logs into the boat.
At the fame time four or five of the natives flepped forward
to fee what we were about, and as we did not allow them to
come within certain limits, unlefs to pafs along the beach,
the centry ordered them back, which they readily complied
with. At this time, having my eyes, fixed on them,, I ob-
ferved the centry prefent his piece (as I thought at thefe men)
and was juft going to reprove him for it, becaufe I had.ob-
ferved that, whenever this was done, fome of the natives
would hold up their arms, to let us fee they were equally
ready. But I was aftonifhed beyond meafure when the
centry fired, for I faw not the leaft caufe. At this outrage
moft of the people fled: it was only a few I could prevail on
to remain. As they ran off, I obferved one man to fall; and
he was immediately lifted up by two others, who took him
into the water, wafhed his wound, and then led him off.
Prefently after, fome came and defcribed to me the nature
of his wound; and, as I found he was not carried far, I fent
for the furgeon. As foon as he arrived, I went with him to
the man, whom we found expiring. The ball had ftruck
his left arm, which was much fhattered, and then entered
his body by the fhort-ribs, one of which was broken. The
rafcal who fired, pretended that a man had laid an arrow
acrofs his bow, and was going to fhoot at him, fo that he apprehended
himfelf in danger. But this was no more than
they had always done, and with no other view than to fhew
they were armed as well as we ; at leaft I have reafon to
think fo, as they never went farther. What made this inci-
V ol. II. L dent