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1769. OЯtober,

when the first five came within about a hundred yards of the fhip, they began to fing their war fong, and brandishing their pikes, prepared for Saturday 14. an engagement. We had now no time to lofe, for if we could not prevent the attack, we fhould come under the unhappy neceffity of ufing our fire-arms against them, which we were very defirous to avoid. Tupia was therefore ordered to acquaint them that we had weapons which, like thunder, would deftroy them in a moment; that we would immediately convince them of their power by directing their effect fo that they fhould not be hurt; but that if they perfifted in any hoftile attempt, we fhould be obliged to use them for our defence: a four pounder, loaded with grape-fhot, was then difcharged wide of them, which produced the defired effect; the report, the flash, and above all, the fhot, which spread very far in the water, fo intimidated them, that they began to paddle away with all their might: Tupia, however, calling after them, and affuring them that if they would come unarmed, they should be kindly received; the people in one of the boats put their arms on board of another, and came under the fhip's ftern; we made them feveral prefents, and should certainly have prevailed upon them to come on board, if the other canoes had not come up, and again threatened us, by fhouting and brandishing their weapons:

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1769. October.

this the people who had come to the ship unarmed, expreffed great difpleasure, and foon after Saturd. 14. they all went away.

In the afternoon we stood over to the fouth point of the bay, but not reaching it before it was dark, we stood off and on all night. At Sunday 15. eight the next morning, being a-breaft of the point, feveral fishing boats came off to us, and fold us some stinking fish: it was the best they had, and we were willing to trade with them upon any terms: these people behaved very well, and we should have parted good friends if it had not been for a large canoe, with two and twenty armed men on board, which came boldly up along-fide of the fhip. We foon faw that this boat had nothing for traffic, yet we gave them two or three pieces of cloth, an article which they seemed very fond of. I observed that one man had a black fkin thrown over him, somewhat resembling that of a bear, and being defirous to know what animal was its first owner, I offered him for it a piece of red baize, and he seemed greatly pleased with the bargain, immediately pulling off the skin, and holding it up in the boat; he would not, however, part with it till he had the cloth in his poffeffion, and as there could be no transfer of property, if with equal caution I had infifted upon the fame condition, I ordered the cloth to be handed down to him, upon which, with amazing

coolness,

1769. October.

coolness, instead of fending up the skin, he began to pack up both that and the baize, which he had received as the purchase of it, in a basket, Sunday 15, without paying the leaft regard to my demand or remonftrances, and foon after, with the fishing boats, put off from the fhip; when they were at some distance, they drew together, and after a fhort confultation returned; the fishermen offered more fifh, which, though good for nothing, was purchased, and trade was again renewed. Among others who were placed over the ship's fide to hand up what we bought, was little Tayeto, Tupia's boy; and one of the Indians, watching his opportunity, fuddenly seized him, and dragged him down into the canoe; two of them held him down in the fore-part of it, and the others, with great activity, paddled her off, the rest of the canoes following as falt as they could; upon this the marines, who were under arms upon deck, were ordered to fire. The fhot was directed to that part of the canoe which was fartheft from the boy, and rather wide of her, being willing rather to miss the rowers than to hurt him: it happened, however, that one man dropped, upon which the others quitted their hold of the boy, who inftantly leaped into the water, and fwam towards the ship; the large canoe immediately pulled round and followed him, but fome mufquets, and a great

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1769. October.

Sunday 15.

great gun being fired at her, the defifted from the purfuit. The fhip being brought to, a boat was lowered, and the poor boy taken up unhurt, though fo terrified, that for a time he feemed to be deprived of his fenfes. Some of the gentlemen who traced the canoes to fhore with their glaffes, faid, that they faw three men carried up the beach, who appeared to be either dead, or wholly difabled by their wounds.

To the cape off which this unhappy tranfaction happened, I gave the name of CAPE KIDNAPPERS. It lies in latitude 39° 43′, and longitude 182° 24′ W., and is rendered remarkable by two white rocks like hay ftacks, and the high white cliffs on each fide. It lies S. W. by W. diftant thirteen leagues from the ifle of Portland; and between them is the bay of which it is the fouth point, and which, in honour of Sir Edward Hawke, then First Lord of the AdmiHawke's ralty, I called HAWKE'S BAY. We found in it from twenty-four to feven fathom, and good anchorage. From Cape Kidnappers the land' trends S. S. W., and in this direction we made our run along the fhore, keeping at about a league distance, with a steady breeze and clear weather.

Bay.

As foon as Tayeto recovered from his fright, he brought a fish to Tupia, and told him that he intended it as an offering to his Eatua, or god,

in gratitude for his escape; Tupia commended his piety, and ordered him to throw the fish into the fea, which was accordingly done.

At

1769. October

Sunday 15.

About two o'clock in the afternoon, we paffed a finall but high white ifland lying close to the shore, upon which we saw many houfes, boats, and people. The people we concluded to be fishers, because the island was totally barren; we faw feveral people alfo on fhore, in a small bay upon the main, within the island. eleven, we brought to till day-light, and then Monday 16, made fail to the fouthward, along the shore. About feven o'clock we paffed a high point of land, which lies S. S. W. twelve leagues from Cape Kidnappers: from this point the land trends three-fourths of a point more to the weftward; at ten, we saw more land open to the fouthward, and at noon, the southermoft land that was in fight, bore S. 39 W. diftant eight or ten leagues, and a high bluff head, with yellowish cliffs, bore W. diftant about two miles: the depth of water was thirty-two fathom.

In the afternoon we had a fresh breeze at weft, and during the night variable light airs and calms in the morning a gentle breeze fprung Tuesday 17. up between the N. W. and N. E., and having till now ftood to the fouthward, without feeing any probability of meeting with a harbour, and the country manifeftly altering for the worse, I

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