ifling presents among the rest. I perceived that
some of these people had been about the ship when she was off at sea,
and that they knew the power of our fire-arms, for the very sight of a
gun threw them into manifest confusion: Under this impression they
traded very fairly; but the people in one of the canoes took the
opportunity of our being at dinner to tow away our buoy: A musket was
fired over them, but without effect, we then endeavoured to reach them
with small shot; but they were too far off: By this time they had got
the buoy into their canoe, and we were obliged to fire a musket at them
with ball: This hit one of them, and they immediately threw the buoy
overboard: A round shot was then fired over them, which struck the water
and went ashore. Two or three of the canoes immediately landed their
people, who ran about the beach, as we imagined, in search of the ball.
Tupia called to them, and assured them that while they were honest they
should be safe, and with a little persuasion many of them returned to
the ship, and their behaviour was such as left us no reason to suspect
that they intended to give us any farther trouble.

After the ship was removed into deeper water, and properly secured, I
went with the pinnace and yawl, manned and armed, accompanied by Mr
Banks and Dr Solander, and landed upon the island, which was about three
quarters of a mile distant: We observed that the canoes which were about
the ship, did not follow us upon our leaving her, which we thought a
good sign; but we had no sooner landed than they crowded to different
parts of the island and came on shore. We were in a little cove, and in
a few minutes were surrounded by two or three hundred people, some
rushing from behind the heads of the cove, and others appearing on the
tops of the hills: They were all armed, but they came on in so confused
and straggling a manner that we scarcely suspected they meant us any
harm, and we were determined that hostilities should not begin on our
part. We marched towards them, and then drew a line upon the sand
between them and us, which we gave them to understand they were not to
pass: At first they continued quiet, but their weapons were held ready
to strike, and they seemed to be rather irresolute than peaceable. While
we remained in this state of suspence, another party of Indians came up,
and now growing more bold as their number increased, they began the
dance and song which are their preludes to a