, upon which they stopped also; and when he went on
again, continued their pursuit: They did not however attack him, though
they were all armed with lances, and he and the midshipman got in safety
to the watering-place. The Indians, who had slackened their pursuit when
they came in sight of the main body of our people, halted at about the
distance of a quarter of a mile, where they stood still. Mr Monkhouse
and two or three of the waterers took it into their head to march up to
them; but seeing the Indians keep their ground till they came pretty
near them, they were seized with a sudden fear very common to the rash
and fool-hardy, and made a hasty retreat: This step, which insured the
danger that it was taken to avoid, encouraged the Indians, and four of
them running forward discharged their lances at the fugitives, with such
force, that flying no less than forty yards, they went beyond them. As
the Indians did not pursue, our people, recovering their spirits,
stopped to collect the lances when they came up to the place where they
lay; upon which the Indians, in their turn, began to retire. Just at
this time I came up, with Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and Tupia; and being
desirous to convince the Indians that we were neither afraid of them,
nor intended them any mischief, we advanced towards them, making signs
of expostulation and entreaty, but they could not be persuaded to wait
till we could come up. Mr Gore told us, that he had seen some of them up
the bay, who had invited him by signs to come on shore, which he,
certainly with great prudence, declined.

The morning of the next day was so rainy, that we were all glad to stay
on board. In the afternoon, however, it cleared up, and we made another
excursion along the sea-coast to the southward: We went ashore, and Mr
Banks and Dr Solander gathered many plants; but besides these we saw
nothing worthy of notice. At our first entering the woods, we met with
three of the natives, who instantly ran away: More of them were seen by
some of the people, but they all disappeared, with great precipitation,
as soon as they found that they were discovered. By the boldness of
these people at our first landing, and the terror that seized them at
the sight of us afterwards, it appears that they were sufficiently
intimidated by our fire-arms: Not that we had any reason to think the
people much hurt by the small-shot which we were obliged to fire at
them, when they attacked us at our coming o