5779' together in the crowd, and thus incapable o f u iin g their
.Fchrwy^ armS) i f any occaiion ihould require it, propofed to the
Captain, to draw them u p a lon g the rocks, clofe to the
water’s e d g e ; and the crowd readily m a k in g w a y for them
to pafs, the y were drawn up in a line, at the diftance o f
about thirty yards from the place w here the k in g was
fitting.
A ll this time, the old k in g remained on the ground, with,
th e ftrongeft marks o f terror and dejecition in his countenance
> Captain Cook, not w illin g to- abandon the object for
w h ich he had come on ihore, con tin u in g to urge him, in
the moft prefling manner, to proceed ; whilft, on the other
hand, whenever the k in g appeared inclined to-follow him-,
the Chiefs, w ho flood round him, interpofed', at firft with
prayers and' entreaties, but afterward, h a v in g recourfe to
.force and violence, and infilled on his flay in g where he was.
Captain Cook therefore finding, that the alarm had ip re ad
too generally, and that it was in vain to. think any longer o f
g e t tin g h im off, w ithou t blood'Ched, at laft g a v e u p the
point;, obferving to Mr. Phillips, that it would be impoflible
to compel him to go-op board, without the r iik o f k illin g a
great numbdr o f the inhabitants.
T h o u g h the enterprize, w h ich had carried Captain' Cook
on ihore had now failed, and was abandoned, yet his per-
fon did not appear to have been in the leaft danger, till an
accident happened, w h ich ga ve a fa ta l turn to the affair.
T h e boats, w h ich had been ftationed acrofs the bay, ha vin g
fired at feme canoes, that w e r e attempting to>get out, unfortunately
had k illed a C h ie f o f the firft rank. T h e news o f
h is death arrived at the v illa g e where Captain Cook was, juft
as he had le ft the k in g , and was w a lk in g flowly toward the
ihore. T he ferment it occafioned was ve ry con fp icu ou s;
the
the women and children were immediately fent . o f f -, and Fe>b7r7u9a-ry.
the men put on their war-mats, and armed themfelves w ith » v _
fpears and ftones. One o f the natives, h a v in g in his hands
a ftone, and a long, iron fpike (w h ich they ca ll a fahooa■)
came up to the Captain, flo u riih in g his weapon, by w a y o f
defiance, and threatening to throw the .ftone. T he Captain
defired him. to.defift; but the man perfifting in h is infolence,
he was at length provoked; to fire a load o f fmall-fliot. T h e
man having, his mat on, which the fliot were n o tab le to penetrate,.
this, had no other effecff than to irritate, and encourage
them. Several ftones were thrown at the marines ; and
one o f the Eras attempted to ftab Mr.. Phillips w ith his
gghooa ; but failed in the attempt, and received from him.a
blow, w ith the but end o f his mufquet. Captain Cook now
fired his fécond barrel, loaded with ball, and killed one o f
the foremoft o f the natives.. A general attack with ftones.
immediately followed , w hich was anfwered by a difcliarge-
o f mufquetry from the marines, and the people in the boats.
T h e iflanders, contrary to the expectations o f every one,
flood the fire w ith great fiimnefs ; and before the marines,
had 'tim e to reload, they broke in upon them with dreadfub
ihouts and yells. What followed was a fcene o f the utmoft.
horror and confufion..
Four o f the marines, were cut o ff amongft the rocks in;
their retreat, and fell a facrifice to the fu r y o f the enemy ;;
three more were dangeroufly wounded ; and the L ie u t e n a n t
who had received a ftab between the fhoulders with a fahboa,.
h a vin g fortunate ly referved. his fire, fliot the man who had;
wounded him juft a s.h e was g o in g to repeat his blow. Our
unfortunate Commander, the laft time he was feen diftinctly,
was ftandiiig at the water’s edge, and ca llin g out to the
boats to ceafe firings and to p u ll in.. I f ,i t be.true, as fomeof,